“Our seniors are really hungry,” Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said at Georgetown women’s basketball media day. “It has been a tough road for them, no doubt. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t.”
The seniors on this year’s team, Kristen Heidloff, Kieraah Marlow and Aminata Diop, came into a program that was struggling to make a name for itself.
“When I committed to Georgetown I was aware that the program wasn’t as strong [as in the past],” Marlow said. “I thought I would be able to help them.”
Even now, in their last season, the team is not where the seniors would prefer it to be. Big East competition has continually proved too much for Georgetown. The team ended each of the past two seasons are heart-breaking game away from the Big East tournament. It takes a toll on the team’s mentality and motivation when their goal, so close, is ripped away.
This year’s seniors are determined to change the outcome. It’s their last chance to give the program something to be proud of before they move on.
“I think all of us want to leave the program better than [when] we got here, and now we only have one more year left to do that,” Heidloff said. “For us, I think it is important to have a good year so the program is headed in the right direction and so all the people who will be here next year can continue to take it in the right direction.”
According to their coach and teammates, the seniors are doing a fantastic job of setting the tone and bringing the team together. Underclassmen look up to them for mentoring and support.
“They are encouraging, they lift us up, they keep us going,” freshman Monica McNutt said of the seniors’ leadership. “They correct us when we’re wrong and that is all part of being a great leader. They set wonderful examples. They are always working hard.”
Marlow is a dedicated, hard-working athlete. Her presence is felt on the court and her play, along with her extensive knowledge of the game, are an example for the rest of the team.
The 5’5” Heidloff, the shortest player on the team, doesn’t let stature keep her from taking control. She works hard to set a standard for all her teammates.
Diop joined the team as a junior. Though quiet, her 6’5” height demands respect. As Coach Williams-Flournoy put it, “when she talks everyone stops because she hardly doesn’t say anything. So what she has to say, you best listen.”
When asked who influences her the most, junior forward Krystle Hatton responded, “Aminata Diop because she came from a different style of play. She’s from Senegal. Looking up to her as a dominant five, I would say that that’s a leader. She is more intense. She is very aggressive.”
The seniors hold a vast amount of responsibility in their hands this season. They have the respect they need from their team and they know what is expected. They know it is their last chance. The only question is whether they will step up and perform when the time comes.
