EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Hannah Haithco*ck couldn’t help but smile when thinking about this upcoming season for the University of Southern Indiana women’s basketball team.
The senior forward is aware that there will probably be more times than not when her team is considered the underdog. That’s natural when you’re a newcomer to Division I. But what outsiders think doesn’t concern them.
There’s an energy and vibe that can be sensed around the team’s practices: They're ready for a chance to show they belong right away.
“Oh, we’re competitive. We’re very competitive,” Haithco*ck said with a laugh. “We all have an intensity that’s going to show. We’re passionate and we have the grit to compete with D1 teams. We’re going to leave it all on the court.”
The Screaming Eagles will kick off their inaugural Division I season at home next Monday against Oakland City. Here’s a look at how depth, experience and a winning culture will guide USI this season.
Experienced group provides familiarity
In the era of the transfer portal, it’s rare for teams to return a majority of players from the previous season. Bringing back 14? That’s practically unheard of.
The Eagles will look to use that experience as a positive.
USI returns four of its five leading scorers – Haithco*ck (12.3 ppg), Meredith Raley (11.8), Addy Blackwell (9.2), Ashlynn Brown (9.2) – and three starters from last year’s group that made the NCAA Division II Tournament. A deep bench that includes Tori Handley, Soffia Rieckers, Tara Robbe and Vanessa Shafford all return as well.
“It’s definitely a big advantage compared to other teams, I highly doubt there’s any team out there with that many returning players,” said Brown, the team’s lone fifth-year senior. “Our practices have been going smoothly. We’re able to advance on things quicker because we have the veteran group.”
Aubrey Burgess, Lauren Carie, Lexie Green and Lexi Thompson all saw playing time at different points last season. USI’s lone newcomer, TK Howard, is plenty familiar with the OVC as she joins the Eagles from Murray State. Everyone on the roster has college experience.
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USI coach Rick Stein knows how important a veteran-led group can be. With knowledge of in-game scenarios and proven ability to win tough contests, this group has been battle-tested. Still, he doesn’t want them to get comfortable based on the past. Even though it may not look like it, this is a different team.
“They’ve worked their tails off and new roles are forming. We need players to step up in different ways,” Stein said. “We’re still trying to find ourselves a bit and that seems weird since there are so many returning players. But this is still a new group.”
Intense summer prepared them for challenges
Having a busy offseason isn’t anything new for Haithco*ck. She’s been used to having plenty of workouts, shooting drills and other areas to build upon. But something felt different this summer.
With the move to Division I, the team was permitted to spend more time with the coaching staff than in the past. Stein, assistant Randa Gatling and first-year assistant (and former five-year player) Emma DeHart spent plenty of time preparing this group for the grind.
“It’s more intense. For us, it just feels like we’re taking that next step up to compete and be the best we can be,” Haithco*ck said. “This is just one more step at becoming better players.”
Playing up a level also means a schedule filled with new opponents. USI will make trips to places such as Northern Illinois, Murray State, Butler, Eastern Michigan, Wright State and Cincinnati. It will also play non-conference home games against Western Illinois and Bowling Green in addition to non-D1 foes Oakland City, Bethel and Brescia.
During the GLVC days, Stein always sought to make the non-conference schedule as difficult as possible. It was needed with how many strong teams were in the league. The same can be said for the OVC, which had three teams in postseason tournaments a year ago.
“To have four games at home before Thanksgiving, I didn’t know if we’d be able to do that. I hoped to get some games early just to give our fans a feel for our team,” Stein said. “When we get into it, we don’t want to have wished that we did something different or had played a tougher non-conference schedule.”
Expectations remain the same as always: ‘Win’
The Eagles were one of the strongest D-II programs in the Midwest as 20-win seasons and postseason bids became the norm. Those goals haven’t changed.
USI was predicted to finish seventh in the OVC preseason poll. Although the Eagles can’t qualify for the NCAA tournament in the first four years of the transition period, the expectation is to still put together a quality record and earn a spot in the conference tournament.
Stein said the biggest key is making sure there's a balance on both ends. Last year, USI sought to hold opponents below 60 points while having five players average double figures. He would love to see that take place again.
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“We’re gonna defend, we’ve got to guard, we’ve got to rebound. We’ve got to own the paint and knock down open shots,” Stein said. “No matter what or who we play, we want to be playing USI basketball.”
The end goal is not only to showcase they belong in the OVC but to prove they can be one of the most competitive teams in the conference on any given night.
“If I’m being honest, we have very high expectations for ourselves,” Brown said. “Nothing is promised but we work hard and we’re not gonna settle just because it’s our first year. We’re all in – that’s our mindset.”
Contact Courier & Press sports reporter Hendrix Magley via email at hendrix.magley@courierpress.com or via Twitter @TweetsOfHendrix.
