Article by Johan Englen

Drury University women’s basketball team was ranked 7th in the nation after having a successful previous season. They maintained working vigorously hard in their pre-season. With having successful past seasons and hard work and dedication with pre-season, women’s basketball is looking to have a well prepared season. The team has gone above and beyond this by not only winning their first few games, but by dominating them by large margins.

Their exhibition games against Colombia College (Mo.) and Lindenwood University-Belleville ended 93-65 and 98-61 respectively. The lady panthers won both. They also won both of their Trevecca Nazarene Classic games. Beating the hosts 71-57, and Walsh University 85-55.

Three of these four games found the Panthers near, at the marker or above the 30-point marker for point differentials.

To investigate what recipe has led to this success, the Drury Mirror interviewed Molly Miller, head coach of the women’s program, Heather Harman and Alice Heinzler, women’s basketball players.

For coach Miller the ingredients to the recipe are clear,

“We have a lot of talent and athleticism on this team this year. I think our previous victories are a direct result of our tough defense,” Miller explained. “Right now, we are figuring out in the early stages of our season how to play with each other and develop that on court chemistry.”

Heather Harman, senior basketball player, argues that there is another other key ingredient to their success: the character of the people recruited.

“There’s a certain type of personality that it takes to be a member of our team,” Harman said. “And one of those biggest aspects is a winner. If you look at the girls on our team, the majority of the players, past and current, have won state championships in high school.”

This creates a specific winning-centered culture in Harman’s eyes.

“The culture on our team is one that doesn’t allow anyone to slack off,” Harman explained. “It’s a goal to get better every single day, and when you have people who are holding you accountable and people who have the same goals, it just raises the bar.”

The players seem to have expecting a good season.

“From a player’s perspective I was confident about the upcoming season,” Heinzler said. “We have worked hard in the off-season and we are ready to accomplish our goals. I was not surprised, but never expect anything.”

Coach Miller was cautiously optimistic.

“When you’re going through the likes of practice and pre-season it’s always tough to tell what product you’re going to bring to the floor game time,” Miller explained. “I always knew we had great potential with the talent on this team. This team can be really good at the right time if we keep getting better every time we step on the floor.”

Miller encourages Drury students to come watch the games.

“The year before I got here, Drury had won the award for the best game environment in Division II,” Miller said. “I would love to see that award come back to our school. I think both the men’s and women’s teams play a fun brand of basketball for all to watch. Coach Hesser and I would love the support from our students and invite every student to come to our home games to cheer on their teams.”

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