12/09/2025
These were some fun times. Some exceptional leadership folks on this roster.
Many of these freshmen went on to reach the highest level of success in program history, reaching the Sweet 16 in their senior season, while fending off the Covid epidemic and all of the discipline it took to get there. Masks, keeping our social interactions to our small group, testing several times a week, cleaning off the balls after every practice.
Leadership, accountability, loyalties, team priority, and keeping the "we" over the "me" paid historic dividends.
And then Covid fallout changed so much in the following years. I don't know if a team can ever meet those same restrictive levels now. Finding similar success in the era of the Transfer Portal, institutions yielding to retention threats, and a culture shift that focuses on individual expeiences over program success is a high hurdle to get over....but the right leadership can go a long way in finding success if they have institution and coaching staff support.
It takes guts and most of these players had it.
