By Zach Waltz
Sports Assignment Editor
With three games left in the season, the women’s basketball team is still in a position to take first place in the Atlantic 10.
The only obstacle in the Bonnies way is a 19-5 Dayton Flyers team that is 12-1 in A-10 play. Their only conference loss came to the St. Joseph’s Hawks, who are tied for third in the A-10 with a 9-4 conference record.
If there’s anything the women’s team has shown this year, it’s that they refuse to be counted out. Despite being projected to finish ninth in the A-10 this year, Head Coach Jim Crowley has coached the young team into a force to be reckoned with. The Bonnies have a 9-4 conference record and are 20-8 overall. Their four losses came to Duquesne, Dayton, St. Louis and most recently, VCU.
While this year’s team is young, the senior leadership of forward Chelsea Bowker has been vital in maintaining the team’s composure in high-pressure situations. For example, the Bonnies rallied back from a 22-point deficit against Duquesne last Saturday to win 63-62. Bowker kept the Bonnies’ young core level-headed, and sophomore forward Katie Healy finished with a game high 26 points to show the team is capable of winning big games.
The emergence of Healy and fellow sophomores forward Hannah Little and guard Nyla Rueter has given the Bonnies a multitude of scoring options. Healy and Little are both in the top 10 for rebounding, while Healy is in the top five in the A-10 in scoring.
Sophomore guard Emily Michael is often overshadowed by her classmates, as they accumulate most of the statistics for the Bonnies.
However, Michael runs the Bonnies’ offense smoothly from the starting point guard position while also bringing a strong defensive presence around the perimeter.
Redshirt freshman forward Gabby Richmond started for most of the conference schedule until an injury sidelined her for a few games, allowing Little to step into the starting spot. Little stepped into the starting role with ease and grabbed a career high 18 rebounds in a 73-67 win over St. Joe’s, earning her an A-10 Player of the Week award.
The Bonnies will face George Mason at home tomorrow at 1:30. Assuming the Bonnies can win the rest of their games, they are set to finish at least in second place, which will earn them a first round bye in the A-10 tournament.
The main thing that comes up when talking about this year’s team is how much potential they have to be good in the coming years. However, we should not rule out an A-10 championship push this year, as the Bonnies have proven they are capable of competing with every team in the A-10. With a talented core of young players and good senior leadership, this team has all the makings of a team ready to make a run for the championship.
