Box Score Day 2 Photo Gallery
Day 2 Video Interview with Head Coach Pat Manning
Video Interview with Senior Grace Rehnquist
Williams Press Conference
D3hoops article on Ephs' six seniors
HOLLAND, MI. -- The first full day in Holland, Michigan was a busy one for the Williams College women's basketball team as it got a feel forits new surroundings, took part in a community service staple at NCAA championships, practiced for an hour and forty-five minutes at the DeVos Fieldhouse on the Hope College Campus and then took part in the NCAAs Championship Banquet.
The day began with breaklfast and a quick scout at the team hotel and then it was off the Holland West Middle School for some reading and basketball instruction. The student-athletes paired up for seven different classes, and even Rodd Lanoue, Director of Sports Medicine and assistant coach Jennifer Chuks got into the act of reading to a class.
Then it was off to the gymnasium, where Pat Manning introduced the squad to all the faculty and children. At first the Ephs did some drills on their own, with the seniors and junior Luigia Goodman defeating the underclassmen in a shooting drill, and Jennie Harding winning a fierce dribble knockout battle, which is a drill where each student-athlete dribbles with one hand while attempting to knock the ball from a teammate with the other. The trick is the space you are allowed to be in gets smaller and smaller as the drill goes on.
Then the Ephs invited several students to join in some other court games before heading off the DeVos Fieldhoiuse, where thanks to administrative rep Alix Barrale's dogged determination at a local Panera, the Ephs ate lunch while Manning and captains Claire Baecher and Danny Rainer took part in a NCAA press conference.
Then it was down to the court where the Ephs practiced for 1:45 before heading back to the hotel to prepare for that night's welcome banquet. Coach Manning gathered the team together briefly to announce that Claire Baecher was named a WBCA All-American, one of 10 women in the country to earn that honor.
At the banquet, when the All-Americans were announced, Baecher was the only one in attendance. The six seniors, led by the captains, spoke briefly, thanking local adminstrators from Hope, Holland and the NCAA and then introducing a fun fact about one another. For examples, who knew Danny Rainer had graced the cover of a Tawain tabloid or that Jennie Harding was an avid juggler?
In between, there was much studying done as several student-athletes prepare for finals they will take Saturday morning and in preparation for Friday night's national semifinal with DePauw University at 7:30 p.m.
