Women's Basketball Wrap Up: One Season to Remember

Hiram, Ohio -- With the season coming to a close on February 23 after a 65-52 loss at Kenyon in the NCAC tournament Quarterfinals, the Hiram Women's Basketball team wrapped up a historic season.

The Women's basketball team finished 12-14 overall and 6-10 in the conference this year. Their 12 win season tied the record for the most wins in a single season. This year's team was awfully close to breaking the record, needing only two wins in their last seven games, but it unfortunately slipped out of their hands. Nevertheless, the season ended with a historic run that made history.

The Women exceeded expectations this season. Hiram was actually selected to finish in eighth, the second to last place, in the NCAC preseason poll. The team itself had personal expectations to improve their record from the 14'-15' season of 7-19 overall and 3-13 in the conference. They also desired to receive a bid into the NCAC tournament.

The women achieved all of this and so much more. The girls improved their record, made the NCAC tournament and tied the single season wins record. The women also place three entire spots higher in the conference standings at the end of the season, placing in fifth place. Another significant statistical increase from the 14'-15' season to the 15'-16' season is that their free throw shooting percentage increased a full 11 percent. Undoubtedly, the women more than exceeded their expectations going into the year.

The Terriers were led by Mercedes Jones, who averaged 15.3 points per game, and Kaylee Shockley, who averaged 10.8 points per game. These statistics earned them both All-NCAC honors as well as a Sports Journalism superlative for MVP players (Jones with five votes and Shockley with two votes). These were two key players in the Terriers offense who had breakout seasons, stepping up their roles as sophomores this year.

Other superlatives voted by the Sports Journalism class included:

Most serious post game interviewee: Dana Perrotta (3) and Mercedes Jones (2)
Best post game interviewee: Coach Hays (3), followed by Kaylee Shockley (2)
Best practice interviewee: Allison Vannoy (2)
Most fun player to watch: Allison Vannoy (Unanimous)
Blue collar, scrappy, workhorse award: Dana Perrotta (Unanimous)

The team will be congratulating four seniors in May at graduation: Sierra Day, Brianne Goodrich, Rachel Ellis and Sarah Berger. These four seniors will be missed for their leadership on the team and charisma. The four seniors combine for a total of 6.6 points per game.

Returning for the Terriers is their entire starting lineup from this year, leaving only good news for their future. Additionally, Junior Kayla Yost, who torn her ACL, will be returning to the Terriers offense next year. Yost was a major part of the Terriers' offensive threat and a 5-3 record in the beginning of the season, playing in 8 games and averaging 11.5 points per game during that time frame.

Look for the Terriers to be a major threat next year in the NCAC and expect them to be chasing even more than just one record next year.