The Chatham University women’s basketball team made program history before its season even tipped off.
D3Hoops.com released its women’s basketball top 25 preseason poll, and for the first time, Chatham received votes. The Cougars scored 10 points in the poll, which is selected by 25 coaches, sports information directors and media members from across the country.
The Cougars are coming off a 2024 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship, and the group is excited to be receiving acknowledgment at a national level.
Graduate student Ashlie Louden led the team in scoring during her first two seasons at Chatham and believes in her team to build off its NCAA tournament appearance.
“I think bringing this many people back is a really important thing,” she said. “We know how to compete. We know how to play in the PAC Championship. We know how to compete in the NCAA. So I think we’re in a really good place as far as competing and when PAC play comes around.”
While returning several key players from last year’s championship team is important for the Cougars, the addition of 14 graduate transfers will give the team a new look both on and off the court.
“I think the difference there is a maturity level,” head coach David Saur said. “I think a chip on their shoulder in a sense of urgency to be successful and win because they kind of have a year left, two years left to play. A lot of them came here for the opportunity to play for a winning program.”
Graduate student Kendall Haymore was initially recruited by Saur out of high school but decided to complete her undergrad at Sarah Lawrence College in New York before transferring to Chatham for her fifth season.
“I have to shout out coach Dave for sure. He did a great job recruiting me. As soon as I entered the transfer portal, I knew about Chatham,” she said. “I watched a good amount of games last year, and I love how the team played and their pace and how they utilize their players. And, I mean, they won a championship, so that’s definitely another reason why I want to come and help out as much as I can.”
With only a single first-year on the roster, the team’s older players aim to use their experience to help develop and foster a cohesive team culture.
“[The younger players] still keep the same maturity that a lot of us have, especially with us having one [first-year], and she does a great job with still having that veteran mentality,” Haymore said. “It’s great because we all come from such different programs and such different cultures that the fact that we could all get together and build the team chemistry and add on to Chatham’s culture and make it better, is a really big deal. And I think we’re doing a very good job with that.”
Since there are only five spots available on the court at a time, Saur is hoping the influx of talented players will push everyone to be at their best.
“I think the old-school motivator is always playing time,” he said. “That creates that culture of competition. I think that keeps everybody hungry and ready to compete.”
The Cougars began its season by splitting a pair of games during the Cougar Tip-Off Classic Nov. 8-9.
The team will be back on its home court at 6 p.m. Nov. 20 against Saint Vincent University. Before tip-off, the Cougars will hold a ring ceremony for its 2024 PAC Championship victory.
