For the third time in as many years, the Smith College women’s basketball team is making the most of March Madness.
You can call it a three-peat of sorts as the Pioneers continue another run for the finals.
They beat top-seeded Bowdoin before dispatching No. 5 Gustavus Adolphus College to advance, notching a heart-stopper of a win over Amherst College a few rounds before that.
At 30-2 overall, the players departed for Salem, Virginia Tuesday – where they’ll play University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in the Final Four.
With suitcases and gear in tow, they boarded their bus while getting a proper send-off from Smithies, fans, and alumni alike.
It’s a well-seasoned team that has plenty of NCAA tournament experience. Head Coach Lynn Hersey says leaning on the team’s veterans has been key.
“It's partly enjoying the moment and having that fill you up, but it’s also being hungry for the moment … and sort of embracing that and attacking that,” she told reporters as her team prepared to get on a King Gray bus escorted by police cruisers. “We're very poised about what we need to do and excited for the opportunity to go out there and try it again.”
Hersey, who has a career record of 343-157, has been at Smith for 18 seasons – time that’s featured over a half-dozen NCAA tournament appearances, plus multiple NEWMAC conference championships.
Her team came up just short in last year’s NCAA finals against NYU, falling 51-41 in Columbus, Ohio.
Carla Coffey made that trip. Smith’s former longtime head track and field coach, Coffey says she won’t be able to make it to Virginia – but wanted to be there for the send-off.
“I just think overall, they’re working well as a team. If they get behind, they don’t get upset – they stay together. They’ve got a very cohesive coaching staff that Lynn’s put together,” Coffey said, recalling being on the search committee leading up to Lynn’s hiring. “I’m really excited about that.”
Junior Ella Sylvester says no games have been easy for Smith, and that's only helped her team prepare for the task ahead. They’ve beaten Oshkosh in tournament play before, but there’s no assuming on the court.
“I think that our journey in the tournament so far has been tough, we’ve definitely had some really solid teams matched up against us and I think that’s working in our favor,” she explained. “No one wants to be blowing out teams by 30 [points] to then get shocked by a team that’s really solid, so, I think the intensity of our games so far has just prepared us really well for going into this weekend.”
When asked what her favorite moment of the run has been so far – Sylvester didn’t have to look far either – it was the work of her teammate, Ally Landau in the second round versus Amherst College, delivering the final two points in a 52-50 win.
Sylvester, Landau and others might get a chance to face NYU again in the finals if they can beat Oshkosh. NYU faces the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
Before any rematch can happen – the Pioneers will tipoff against the Titans at 7:30 Thursday night.
It will be a Smith College squad that Schacht Center for Health & Wellness Director Kris Evans says embodies teamwork.
“They always find a way to get it done, they just know how to rely on each other, play to their strengths, they’re a lot of fun to watch because they really, truly are a team,” Evans told WAMC at the send-off.
When it comes to Division III, the team ranks in the top 10 nationally, according to the college, including field goal percentage (46.12 percent, ranked No. 6), 3-point field goal percentage (36.4 percent, ranked No. 5), and scoring defense (48.4 ppg, ranked No. 8.
The Pioneers have also logged three straight 30-win seasons for the first time.
They also have the Governor of Massachusetts rooting for them. While in Springfield Tuesday, Maura Healey, who played college ball herself, voiced support for the Pioneers.
“They have been kicking butt now for years – it’s a great program. We send our best wishes to the Pioneers and we’ll be rooting for the women to bring it home,” Healey said.
The latest Division III Women’s Basketball bracket can be found here.
