Lady Cougars built new foundation in 2015-16

Looking back on their season, the Lady Cougar basketball team is proud of the results they have produced.

They began their season with a mission: Be a model of excellence on and off of the court, exemplifying Christ in all they do.

Along the way, many leaders have stepped up and challenged the team to stick to that mission. Among those leaders are junior captains Megan Beidelman and Natalie Thomas.

“Megan is the core of the team,” Head Coach Amanda Learned said. “She is a leader on and off of the court. And Natalie is the voice. The girls feel comfortable sharing things with her. She may not get the most minutes, but she always goes hard.”

The Lady Cougars went 10-20 this year, a seven-game improvement over last year’s win total.

Leading the team in points, rebounds and steals is Beidelman. She averages 13.43 points, 11.47 rebounds and 1.43 steals per game.

The most memorable highlight for the team this season was their win over Huntington University.

“Everyone was so into the game,” Learned said. “Every possession mattered, and we upset Huntington who was ranked 19th in the country at the time.”

The 2015-2016 season built the foundation for years to come. Learned is looking forward to developing her players and competing in the Crossroads League.

They will focus on conditioning, skill work and building the program. The upperclassmen will carry the team, but there are new, strong recruits that will also impact the team.

“If the girls put in the work, it will take us to that next level,” Coach Learned said.

The women ended their season on February 20 after taking a loss against Grace College.