For 44 years, Millikin Women’s Basketball has been a proud team of the Big Blue, and all of their athletes bleed blue with strength.
There are twenty women on the team this year: eight freshmen – Nak’ya Latting, Francesca Rios, Rachael Weber, Yip Ypya, Bria Thompson, CeCe Cortez, Courtney Ginigeme, and Emma Hoyer; seven sophomores – Susan Durkin, Alice Moorehead, Hannah Millington, Alyssa Saklak, Kelsey Going, Beth Wild, and Kelly Skorczewski; two juniors – Holly Haskins and Shelby Schmale; and three seniors – Jasmine Johnson, Bria Williams, and Brittany Czaplicki.
Coach Lori Kerans, an alumna, has been the head coach of women’s basketball for 28 years. Joanna Conner is the assistant coach and has been the assistant since July 2011.
“These young women who are representing women’s basketball,” Kerans said. “Like the other student athletes in the other sports, they’re the same kids you sit next to in class. They’re the same as the kids who live in the same residence halls and eat in the same dining service, and work out at the same DISC weight room. They’re students, and they are here because they want a first-rate education, but they’re also here because they love to play and in our sport, they love to play basketball.”
Czaplicki, a psychology major, is a captain for the first time this year and is a four year letter winner. She was on the all-conference team last year and was the leading scorer last year.
“She’s going to be a real important key for us this season,” Kerans said.
The senior captain is Williams, an accounting major. Johnson, another senior, is a sports management major.
“Those three seniors will set the tone for how we approach each day,” Kerans said, “whether it’s practice or games. I’m really excited about the leadership there thus far.”
Kerans has goals for the team. The first is to earn the right to play in the conference post-season tournament. This conference involves the top four teams, and there are eight total in the CCIW conference. The second is for the whole team to obtain 3.2 or higher cumulative GPA. Third is for the three seniors to graduate and get jobs. Last is for all 20 people to represent the university well in the residence halls and in the community.
What is the hope from the Millikin community when going to games?
“I hope that,” Kearns said, “as with all student athletes, these kids are celebrated because of the passion they have, not always necessarily because of the outcome. I want the community to cheer for them whether we’re winning or losing because, like I said, these kids sit next to you in chemistry class or communication class.”
Kerans said that she also expects the athletes to support students at Albert Taylor, Kirkland or at open mic night at Donnie’s.
“While students are here, my expectation is they immerse themselves in the many, many opportunities,” Kerans said.
In addition, a lot of hours have gone into this game, and it should be appreciated.
Kearns said, “The person who is pulling on that blue uniform has really put a lot of hours in behind the scenes that nobody knows about, and just celebrate that, that they love it that much that they’re willing to do it.”
On average, they practice for about three hours a day, six days a week with one day off for rest. However, their lives are still busy with schoolwork and any extracurricular activities that they participate in.
Their first game will be away at Greenville College on Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. This is for the Quad Conference Tournament in Elmhurst, Ill.