Executive board members Lauryn Lyons ’27, Lily Penner ’27 and Samantha Laguerre ’27 were among the ambitious and determined players who brought the team to their first victory.

“Being a part of the first-ever season of club women’s basketball at Quinnipiac has been an honor,” said Lyons. “We had been having so much fun at practices, getting to know each other and playing the sport we all love, but getting to finally play as a team made it feel official and allowed us to work together. I think this is just the first great year of many more to come and I hope more people will take advantage of this team now being available.”

As a new organization, the team was faced with the challenge of quickly forging a strong sense of community and confidence, attributes that would carry the team to their first victory.

“It was intimidating going into a tournament with teams that have been established for a number of years and knowing that these teams have played each other before," said Lyons. "A big challenge I think we faced was having this tournament being the first games we would ever play as a team and not just a fun scrimmage at practice. But I feel that we did a great job of keeping a positive mind and knowing we could handle it.”

Penner reiterated the importance of chemistry as the driver for teamwork and collaboration, both on and off the court.

“I think what contributed to our success was good team chemistry, consistency in practice and hard work while having fun,” she said. “The team also got immense support from students, families and other athletes, which was crucial to our achievements so far.”

The team was created as a result of a club sports expansion to meet the growing demand for competitive opportunities without the same commitment of NCAA sports.

“When I began the process of starting a women’s club basketball team last year, I could have never anticipated having so much positivity from girls that were finally able to play their sport again, whether they were freshmen or graduate students,” said Penner. “The response has been great, we’ve gotten some help from other club teams and support from friends and families through donations and boosting our social media, which allowed us to create the best team we could.”

The executive board also expressed their appreciation for their volunteer coach Amber Unger, and associate director of recreation John Somers, for supplying support, passion and guidance in shaping the team’s successful debut.

With this impressive victory under their belt, the team remains encouraged and motivated to continue their growth and success.

“We hope to represent Quinnipiac in a way that hasn’t been done before,” said Penner. “Getting the opportunity to play other teams with a lot of returning and new players will be an exciting experience for our team.”

Laguerre encourages fellow Bobcats with a passion and interest in basketball to take a leap of faith and get involved with the team.

“Just be yourself and have fun,” said Laguerre. “It's what the team is all about really — a chance for all of us to play the sport we love together.”