INDIANAPOLIS – It was truly a season to remember for the Ursuline women’s basketball program in 2015-16.
From sweeping the conference awards (coach, player, freshman of the year) to winning the regular-season and conference titles and participating in the NCAA Championship Midwest Regional, the Arrows had plenty of reason to celebrate.
As the No. 8 seed, Ursuline also put the G-MAC on the regional radar by nearly stunning top-seeded Ashland in the national tournament with what would have been a big bracket buster.
All of this in a brand new gym after a tornado ripped into Ursuline’s former home floor not long ago for some unforeseen adversity.
Ursuline is aiming to repeat with the target on its back as the unanimous favorite in the G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour. Last year’s record was a near-flawless 25-4 and 12-2 in the league.
With the arsenal at head coach Shannon Sword’s disposal heading into 2016-17, the Arrows will remain hungry as ever to get back to where they were and then some. Sword is entering her fifth year at the helm and has taken the program to unbelievable heights.
“I remember that buzzer going off in last year in the conference championship game and what I remember the most is the look on our kids’ faces of pure excitement, especially the upperclassmen who have been through the ringer here,” Sword said. “At this time last year, we didn’t expect to have the type of season that we had. This year will be different. With everybody returning, everybody knows that we’ll be a tough team from the get go.”
Nine returners and five freshmen dot the Arrows’ roster heading into 2016-17. Five Ursuline players averaged double-digit scoring last year, a testament to the impressive balance.
Reigning G-MAC Player of the Year Laney Lewis is a double-double machine as well as Camryn Hill in the frontcourt. Hill was the G-MAC’s first national player of the week in women’s basketball and kept teams off balance with her long-range shooting and inside scoring ability.
Lewis averaged 12.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Hill averaged 14.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. G-MAC Freshman of the Year Brigan Wymer was another scoring machine at 14.2 ppg and combined to make over 100 three-pointers with senior guard Erica Huber (13.4 ppg).
Huber is a savvy floor general with the ability to penetrate and dish, connect from deep or slash in the lane to draw fouls. Her career numbers are quietly creeping among the conference’s best of all-time like scoring (fourth), three pointers made (sixth), steals (third) and assists (fourth).
“Looking back, just all the new faces that we brought in last year and just to watch and live the growth of our team, made it a really special season for all of us,” Huber said.
Sophomore Natalie Koenig came on strong down the stretch and erupted for 29 points in UC’s regular-season finale and led the Arrows with 22 against Ashland on the national stage.
Another sophomore, C.J. Jefferson, started 16 games as a freshman and Raven-Symone Nelson torched Bluefield State with a 28-point game with eight made threes. Camille Gist also played in all 29 games in a valuable reserve role