Scouring preseason polls is nothing new for the five seniors on Elon University’s women’s basketball team. This year, the Phoenix was selected to finish fifth in both the Southern Conference Coaches and Media Polls. For the five seniors, though, they don’t see the polls as a projection for their season. Whatever the results, they said they’ll use them as a source of motivation to succeed.
“We are in a really good conference, and there are really good teams,” said Arayael Brandner, a senior forward. “We are getting recognized and at least we are in the top of the conference, but it’s something to also prove people wrong. It’s just a number. It doesn’t really mean anything to me. It’s just motivation.”
Senior guard Ali Ford echoed Brandner’s thoughts, citing the predictions come from outside opinions not related to the team.
“Each year, the preseason picks set the expectations for the conference, and, instead of looking at it as a pressure situation, I feel it’s best to use the outside opinions for motivation,” she said. “Motivation to exceed their expectations, and finish atop the SoCon.”
Head coach Charlotte Smith said she has high expectations for the team this season, in particular, her five seniors. With four freshmen and four sophomores on this year’s squad, there is a lot of youth on the team. Smith said the seniors have already started filling their roles as the leaders on the team.
“They talk to them during practice on the sideline,” she said. “They are encouraging them and teaching them about the different offensive and defensive philosophies. So they have become mentors for them both on and off the court.”
Senior forward Kelsey Evans said one of her main focuses as a leader this season is to help her team achieve their ultimate goal, a Southern Conference championship, by looking at the big picture and doing what she thinks will be necessary to get there.
“I just want to push everyone else to get better,” she said. “To be a vocal leader and to lead by example. It’s my last year. I want a SoCon championship, but you need to focus on the things that will help you get that outcome so just pushing every day will help us get there.”
One of the things the seniors have helped with is the freshmen adjusting to the pace and tempo at which Elon plays. Though she will miss the season due to injury, senior forward Lei Lei Hairston has stepped up in helping the freshmen adjust, even though she can’t participate with them herself.
“Even though I won’t be playing with them, I can still be there for them,” she said. “I’ve been talking to them, especially after conditioning. I ask them how were workouts or how was practice. I try to keep them up, saying just continue to work hard and it will come to you.”
Brandner believes that once games begin, that will help facilitate the progress even more.
“Every time we bring in freshmen, it’s just adjusting with them and them getting used to the plays and the tempo,” she said. “It’s just really about starting to mesh. It’s better for them to learn in game-like situations, so once we get our first games under way, that will be good for them.”
Ford agreed the tougher game-like situations are what will prepare not only the freshmen, but the whole team for their strong conference schedule.
“Ultimately, the experience they gain playing against veterans in practices, scrimmages and the first half of the season is what is going to prepare them for the battle that is March in collegiate basketball,” Ford said.
The seniors also have in common their memories through the years together at Elon.
Both Brandner and Ford said they have always been big on relationships and each teammate means something special to them.
“I’ll remember and cherish the time I’ve had with all my teammates,” Ford said. “From current ones to the upperclassmen who helped me develop as a player in my first years, they’re all very special to me.”
Along with the fifth place ranking in the poll, both Ford and Evans were named to the Southern Conference Preseason All-Conference Team.
The selection is Evans’ second time being selected to the team while Ford has now been picked three years in a row.
Ford averaged 14.5 points per game last season, ranking her second overall in the SoCon. She hit 87 three-pointers a season ago, becoming not only the program’s all-time leading three-point shooter, but also the Southern Conference’s. She enters her final season placing third all-time in Elon history in career points scored with 1,498 career points. She sits 932 points behind the all-time leader, Venessa Corbett, who has 2,430 points, and 119 points behind second-place scorer Nuggie Dixon. Both finished their Elon careers in 1982.
Evans finished last season averaging 11.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. She starts the season with 945 career points, 731 career rebounds and 161 career blocks. By season’s end, she could be the program’s all-time leader in blocked shots. Courtney Nyborg leads the program with 197 over the course of her four years from 2000-2004.
Twenty-nine games sit between now and the end of the season on March 4. For the five seniors, it’s the last go around donning the maroon and gold. It’s also their last chance to leave an impact on the younger players.
“This is it,” Brandner said. “It’s my last year to go all out. I hope I can rub off on them by giving everything I can.”