Women Panthers ready to hit the floor
UPEI basketball team looking forward to playing its first season under new head coach as it enters the Mickey Place tourney
The UPEI Panthers women’s basketball team is ready for game action after practicing for more than a month.
They get that opportunity tonight at 6 when they play the Guelph Gryphons during the opening day of the four- team Mickey Place women’s tournament at UPEI.
“We’re really excited to finally play someone else and see where we are so far,” said Julia McKenna, a fourth- year guard and team captain.
The Panthers have a new bench boss this season with Greg Gould replacing Carly Clarke, who left the squad after three years to coach at Ryerson University in Toronto.
“We’re really excited about the season and the new change,” said third- year guard Amy Gough. “We can’t wait to get out there and play.”
Gould brings a lot of coaching experience to the Panthers from both the high school and university levels in New Brunswick.
McKenna said she feels the team is coming together well under Gould’s watch.
“We really love him. He has brought a great new attitude to the team.”
Gould has brought in a more defensive style, one that seems to be benefit the team, said McKenna.
“He has put a real emphasis on us at the defensive end. Outworking other teams on the defensive end, and then us being able to create from that offensively.”
Gough, one of the team’s top offensive players from last season, is enjoying the new coaching style.
“We’ve really bought into his coaching methods and his new style,” she said. “We’re all really excited for the season because of the focus on defence, which I think will make us successful through the season.”
The Panthers are optimistic about the upcoming year.
“We really want to make the playoffs. Ideally, our coaches’ goal and our personal goal is to be in the top two, and get a bye past the first round,” said McKenna.