It is no real surprise the Bethany University women’s basketball team is excited for a new season and the chance to leave last season as a distant memory: The Bruins finished last season 4-20 amid a flurry of bad luck.
“Last year, we got hit with the perfect storm,” head coach Jason Foster said. “We had four season-ending injuries before the second week in January, which left us with a young and inexperienced team.”
Foster is hopeful, though, that he’ll see the youth and inexperience of last season develop into maturity this year. With six returning players and nine new faces, the Bruins will be a mixture of young talent and some college experience.
Freshman Ayana MacShate, junior Alyssa Wright and sophomore Rachael Walters make up the early-season starting lineup, along with returning starters senior Christie O’Daniels and junior Rachel Estabrook.
Within the group of starters, there are a good shooters, some strong inside play and the promise of scoring from many different players, Foster said. Leading the team as captains are O’Daniels, senior Stephanie Caldwell, Estabrook and Walters.
“The new members of the group have bought into it, and the attitude, drive and desire of this group is completely different,” Foster said. “There is a new central focus to this team, and each member has identified and owned it. This new attitude will become the biggest impact on this team this year
Though the team suffered a loss in their home opener last week against Southern Oregon, the Bruins worked diligently to keep their opponents on their toes.
“As a group, we have some really high goals and expectations, and they have the work ethic to accomplish them,” Foster said.
Foster returns as head coach for the fourth year, along with assistant coach Rosie Brown who began coaching last year. Also assisting the team this year is Imhotet-Ari Amen Ra. Both Brown and Amen Ra played basketball for Bethany in previous years.
Leading into Bethany’s homecoming weekend, the women’s team will host Biola University at 3 p.m. Friday Nov. 5, followed by the homecoming game at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 against San Diego Christian College. The men’s basketball game will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, and homecoming royalty will be announced during halftime of that game.
