With only a handful of games left, the women’s basketball team at Seton Hill University (SHU) is wrapping up another season. The team has had a lot of obstacles to overcome, including their transition into the Division II competiton.
Along with the team’s status change, came the arrival of assistant coach Tony Grenek, who joined head coach Ferne Labati and assistant coach Nikki Babik for another memorable season at SHU.
By Kathleen Walker,
Staff Writer
With only a handful of games left, the women’s basketball team at Seton Hill University (SHU) is wrapping up another season. The team has had a lot of obstacles to overcome, including their transition into the Division II competiton.
Along with the team’s status change, came the arrival of assistant coach Tony Grenek, who joined head coach Ferne Labati and assistant coach Nikki Babik for another memorable season at SHU.
The team’s Division II status meant major changes, including some fierce, new competitors. Grenek felt that Charleston was the team’s biggest challenge:
�This is our first year competing at the Division II level, and Charleston is a women’s basketball powerhouse. However, it was a great learning experience to play them, and it was a great measuring stick to see what we need to do and where we need to improve in order to compete in the WVIAC Conference,� Grenek said.
Freshman player, Kyley Longo, agreed with Grenek.
�The team’s biggest challenge is entering into a new Division II Conference with eight freshmen, a new coach, and mostly all away games while still playing as a team consistently,� Longo said.
Lauren Wilmus, a junior at SHU, was also proud of the team’s accomplishments this season.
�Some of the teams that we played in the WVIAC had great reputations and ranked in the top 20,� Wilmus said. �We did go on a bit of a win streak where we were playing great defense, which created our offense. We tried to play with that same mentality day in and day out.�
While the team has high hopes of improving next season, Grenek is very proud of the accomplishments the women’s basketball team has made so far.
�I think our team’s strengths include being unselfish with the basketball, communicating with each other during crucial situations, and having the desire to get better every day. Our only real weaknesses are that we are a very young team and that we are in an adjustment phase going from NAIA competition to Division II competition,� Grenek said.
The teammates and coaches have all worked hard to make this year a learning experience.
�I have never coached women before, so I wasn’tsure what to expect. But my experience at Seton Hill has been awesome. I love working under Coach Labati and am very grateful for the opportunity she has given me,� said Grenek.
The players themselves have been nothing short of cooperative and determined, according to Grenek.
�I love working with our girls,� said Grenek. �They�re smart, hard-working, and dedicated. They�ve made my adjustment very easy. It’s like having 13 very successful daughters.�
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