Senior-led Red Devils Primed to Reach Their Potential
EUREKA – The Eureka women's basketball team is ready to officially open the 2022-23 season with a senior-led squad that has learned a lot over the past few years.
The Red Devils have six seniors – four of whom are in their third season of playing for head coach Jaylynn Stewart at Eureka. Stewart says that their growth, maturity and knowledge they've accumulated along the way set the stage for an extremely productive preseason.
"This is the best start that we've had since we've been here, and a lot of that has to do with having six seniors," Stewart said "These seniors have done a tremendous job of helping the incoming kids and move them along as well, so we've got through a lot of things quickly, which has been really nice.
"It has made things a lot more efficient and effective at practice."
On Friday at 6 p.m., the Red Devils will look to replicate the success they've had in the preseason when the maroon and gold takes on Dubuque in a road season opener.
Eureka is coming off an 11-14 season in which the team went 7-7 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play and qualified for the SLIAC Tournament.
Last January, the maroon and gold scored one of their best wins of the season at home against UD. The Red Devils held off the Spartans for a 61-54 victory, knocking off UD for the first time in program history on a night that Sydney Hannam knocked down five 3s
At the time, Hannam was a junior transfer finding her role on a team that faced a lot of adversity throughout the year. Due to the complications of COVID-19, the Red Devils frequently had to reschedule games, play without starters and play without having a full bench.
This time around, things have been much steadier, and it's helped the EC women jell as a team. With the culture established and the buy-in already there, the new players have been able to step in, find their fit and follow the example of the returning veterans.
"This is the closest team that we've had," Stewart said. "This is the most coachable team that we've had. This is the most together team that we've had. This team is just an overwhelmingly receptive team."
For their part, the seniors have stepped up, improved their work ethic and been more vocal than in the past. It's a group that knows it's on the clock, and wants to leave its mark before its time runs out.
"The urgency is there, because they know this is the last go-around," Stewart said. "When that's fueling your fire, it helps the younger kids raise their standard and their level, too."
Senior Abby Stotler is looking to bounce back from a tough junior season and return to the form of her sophomore year when she led the team in scoring with 13.2 points and seven rebounds per game and garnered Second Team All-SLIAC honors. Last year, she struggled to get her legs and her lungs back after getting sick early on. She's healthy now, and ready to be a big scorer for the Red Devils again.
Hannam returns after averaging just under 10 points per game and shooting a team-high 39 percent from beyond the arc in her first season as a Red Devil. Stewart says that she has really improved on the defensive end and is one of the team's most prepared and thorough players.
Senior Shakaya Rogers, the SLIAC Sixth Woman of the Year in 2021, had a hit-or-miss junior year, averaging 10 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. She has come into this season with boosted confidence, and will be another one of the team's go-to players and leaders on the court.
Savanah Moore is another experienced senior guard who will look to set the tone with her toughness in the backcourt. She contributed 8.8 points per game and scored 19 or more three times last season. In addition to being a streaky shooter, she's one of the team's best defenders.
Over the course of her career, fifth-year senior Marissa Murphy has made a name for herself on the defensive end. During the COVID-19 spring 2021 season, she led the SLIAC in steals with 38 and she added 40 last year. However, Stewart believes she has the ability to be the best player on the court when she is playing to her full potential.
Senior Madison Jernigan, who transferred in from Blackburn at semester last season, is one of the Red Devils' most versatile and hardest-working players. At 5-foot-6, she has the ability to defend a range of sizes and positions, and she has shown considerable all-around improvement since joining the team.
Sophomore Josie Ness and freshman Reece Putrich will also be in the rotation this season. At 5-11, Ness remains Eureka's tallest player, and she is expected to be a better passer on the offensive end and a shot-blocking force on the defensive. At 5-6, Putrich is a precocious guard with a sense of fearlessness beyond her years. She is expected to be one of the Red Devils' best shooters.
In addition, junior transfers Makayla Rosenbery and Avery Seidel are two other newcomers who could be contributors.
When the Red Devils warmed up for the season with an exhibition game at Spoon River, the team saw glimpses of the fast-paced, high-scoring, hard-nosed team that they want to be this season. Eureka tallied 21 assists on 25 field goals and went 11-for-25 from beyond the arc en route to a 77-54 win.
Among the highlights, Moore notched a team-high 14 points. Putrich followed with 12 while going 4-for-6 from distance. Ness posted 11 points and eight rebounds, and Hannam added 10 points.
"We played really well," Stewart said. "Being able to score 77 points, with our starters only playing 19-20 minutes, is huge."