Women's Basketball isn't Playing Games

Anyone looking through the University at Buffalo’s Women’s Basketball roster can observe that the team has an abundance of underclassman players. Upon interviewing the ladies this week, I became aware that this youthfulness should not be mistaken as a disadvantage. So much of sports is mental, and the determination that each of this team’s players possesses is striking. When discussing their chances of winning the MAC Tournament, there is neither hesitation nor doubt. “We WILL win a MAC Championship this season,” one upperclassman declared. Other teammates wholeheartedly agree, and they share that their strong resolve is, in part, a result of head coach Felisha Legette-Jack’s possession of this quality. The women discussed the incredible closeness they feel as a team, and note that the entire coaching staff ensures that each player works to get the best from both herself and the team. Special events, such as an early season trip to Miami to compete in non-conference games, has helped build and solidify a bond that is crucial among championship winning teams. As Coach Legette-Jack is quoted to have said earlier this season, “We have faced adversity this season, but we've decided that we want to own our own power.” And what a powerful team it is. While many players are new to the collegiate student-athlete life, the upperclassmen that lead the team are some of the best players to pass through this athletic program. Only 22 women in school history have joined the prestigious 1,000 Point Club, two of whom are currently on the roster. Mackenzie Loesing is only the fifth ever University at Buffalo female to earn a spot in the 1,000 Point Club in her junior year. With such accomplished upperclassmen blending with an incredibly talented group of underclassman, their certainty that a championship win is in store this season is not surprising.

Not only do these ladies talk seriously about their sport, but they are equally passionate in other areas of their lives. They say that the “ball is life” stigma associated with basketball players is simply untrue. In fact, one player shared that the Women’s Basketball Team actually worked their way into the top GPA spot among the University at Buffalo sports programs this past semester, with ten of their athletes earning a 3.0 or higher. This is fantastic in and of itself, but with many of their young players adjusting to the incredible rigor of being a Division 1 student-athlete, as well as several international team members adjusting to a brand new country, this feat speaks volumes about the dedication of these women in each dominion of their lives. The amazingly positive and focused attitudes of the Women’s Basketball Team, along with incredible work ethics and talent, is of the caliber seen in championship winning programs. If they aren’t already, the other MAC teams should be nervous to face our Women’s Basketball Bulls. If one thing is clear, it is that these ladies don’t play games, they compete to win.

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