Perhaps it is no coincidence that McNeese State has won the Southland Conference tournament in the two years since women's
basketball coaches nationally voted to move the first official day of practice to Oct. 1 from the middle of the month.
Teams still have the same number of practice sessions, but the ability to space them out more seems to have benefited teams like the Cowgirls.
"I love starting Oct. 1," said McNeese coach
Brooks Donald Williams. "Our preseason now is so nice. It's a great
progression
for the kids. They get to have some individual instruction and
then you get to add a team workout here and there. There's
a lot more learning rather than starting when the men do and when
we used to where you feel like you have to cram everything
in."
The Cowgirls hit the court for the first
time this season on Monday evening, and it was evident that the early
practices may
benefit this year's group even more than the two previous teams —
not due to a lack of execution, but rather a lack of familiar
faces.
Fifth-year senior guards Ashlyn and Caitlyn Baggett are still the stalwarts of this team, but gone is the familiar nucleus
of Kendra Wells, Raiyawna Gatlin, Martika Hull and Candace LaCombe.
Taking their place are six newcomers:
freshmen Allison Baggett, Jayln Johnson, Jasmine Prophet, Charity
Robinson and junior-college
transfers Cecilia Okoye and Arianna James. A fifth freshman,
Shalyn Riley, will look to play after redshirting last season
with a knee injury.
"We lost a very important senior class," Donald Williams said. "It's a big transition. But what better people
to do that with than Ashlyn, Caitlyn and Adrienne (Minor), who are all fifth-year seniors. It's an important preseason. We
have a lot to learn defensively. That's probably the main thing."
Ashlyn Baggett looks forward to playing with her younger sister and the rest of the newcomers, whom she thinks will keep the
"older girls" sharp heading into the season.
"It's a lot more teaching this year, but
it's a good thing," Ashlyn said. "They bring a new spark to the team.
It's a different
energy. It's going to bring the young out of all the older girls.
Everyone's trying to fight hard and establish themselves."