Making it to the Sweet Sixteen marked history for the women’s basketball program and made it one of its most successful seasons yet, despite losing in the regional finals.
“We have a bad taste in our mouths and we are hungry. We want revenge, and we plan on showing everyone that Tampa should be number one,” said Angela Alvarez, a sophomore forward.
Although the goals for a sports team are generally the same every season (to win the conference and break new records), there is something to be said about a team that actually meets these expectations.
“We won our regular season Sunshine State Conference title and broke a few school records as well,” Head Coach Tom Jessee said. “We had a record of 14 straight wins, which is the longest streak by the women’s basketball team. We also made it to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament, which is the furthest our team has ever gotten.”
“We belonged there so we weren’t surprised when we made it,” Shamika Williams, a senior guard, said. “We surprised everyone else though, and we earned some respect as well.”
The team’s success can be credited to the tremendous amount of leadership that came about as a result of having an abundance of experienced players on the roster.
“We had a large group of seniors, which we haven’t really had before,” Jessee said. “The leadership that they brought helped establish success for future seasons and helped rebuild our team.”
A higher skill level has added to the Spartan’s season as well. The roster included four All-Conference players and the top three best recruits in the conference.
“Our post game was more dominant this year than last,” Alvarez said. “Because our point guard was healthy this year and not last, it helped a lot, and our forwards were a lot faster and were able to shoot the three as well as driving.”
However, the players mainly relied on their teamwork, a factor that can make or break any successful season.
“You can have all the talent and skill in the world and still not win any games because players don’t know how to work together,” Jessee said. “This team’s chemistry is our biggest asset. Their charisma and the way they carry themselves is something you just can’t teach. The girls want each other to score just as much as they want to score themselves.”
An impressive advantage that this team has over others is a willingness to win and the desire to become better players in the process. This is a characteristic that leads to a successful team. Alvarez believes the team has an imperative advantage over its opponents both on and off the court.
“Our heart, because we never gave up, even when all odds were against us, as my coach would say we ‘bowed our necks and did not roll over’,” Alvarez said. “Our balance because we do not have just one star player, everyone can play and when one Spartan was down, another one would step up. And our bond because we were a family. I believe us being so close helped us a lot with communicating on the court, etc.”
Despite one of the most successful seasons in the Spartan’s history, the team will never be fully satisfied. The players are always looking for the next record to break or championship to win.
“Next season I’m looking forward to coming back strong and our team will have a lot of revenge to give out,” Jenny Tapich, a junior guard, said. “The University of Tampa women’s basketball team will be better than ever and making more history than last season. We will only get better and better and next season will be our year.”
Tess Sheets can be reached at therese.sheets@spartans.ut.edu.