Lancers look to return to elite level
It was not the ending the University of Windsor Lancers women’s team had envisioned for the 2015-16 season.
After a record-tying five straight national championships, the Lancers bowed out with a bronze medal at the conference championship and were not given a wild-card spot to the national tournament.
“I’m very competitive and I don’t like losing,” Lancers fifthyear senior Caitlyn Longmuir said. “Bronze wasn’t our goal. “We wanted gold.” Rather than staying up to celebrate that bronze-medal victory, Lancers head coach Chantal Vallee found her team tucked away in the hotel early, looking at next year’s schedule and planning for the future.
“A lot of them went to bed early that night,” Vallee said. “I asked, ‘What are you up to, girls?’ and they said they went and checked the teams for next year.
“They wanted to see who are we going to beat. Who is going to be tough. We didn’t like finishing third and I think that was outstanding. We were happy to finish with a win, but in a team room we did not succeed. “We wanted a chance to go to nationals and at least defend the title.”
Ranked No. 6 in the nation heading into this season, the Lancers take their first step toward returning to the national championship when the OUA season opens Friday in North Bay at 6 p.m. against the Nipissing Lakers.
“I think it motivated us,” Lancers fourth-year senior Emily Prevost said of finishing third in the conference. “I think it lit a fire under some of our butts.
“We put a lot of work in the summer. Our goals haven’t changed. I think it’s a lot more realistic this year. We’re more experienced and we’re older.”
The Lancers broke in eight freshmen a year ago and have another six new players to ease in this season, but Vallee believes there is championship potential.
“I look back and I had those teams that won the five national championships. We are at least as good as the first-year team that won.
“We’re not as good as the (more veteran) fourth-year team or the fifth-year team, but we’re at least as good as the first-year team. So, I think it’s totally realistic to dream that or envision that.”
Windsor returns guard Kaylee Anagnostopoulos, an OUA rookie all-star last season, and she’ll be joined in the starting five by standout freshman guard Kayah Clarke, who Vallee compares to former BLG Award winner Korissa Williams.
“I love the fact we added Kayah because she adds a dimension of dribble attacking that we didn’t have last year,” Vallee said. “It allows and frees our shooters more and we’re more three-dimensional. Offensively, I think we’re much more rounded.”
Longmuir, Prevost and fourthyear veteran Chayanne Rogers round out the starting five.
“I think we’re a little bit more three-dimensional,” said Longmuir, who is a Kingsville high school grad. “Last year, we really lacked in the driving. We had shooters and we had posts, but we had a tough time taking care of the ball and penetrating. We have better drivers and a little bit more experience overall.”
The Lancers will look for help off the bench from Tyra Blizzard, Carly Steer, Jahnae Gyles and freshman Arianna Milani, who is a Holy Names high school product.
“I kept more girls in the program this year,” Vallee said. “I wanted to have the luxury about not having to worry about injuries. We want to go with the 12 best and it could change on any given day and we’ve never done that before in my 10 years here.”
Older, more experienced, retooled and focused, the Lancers believe this team could be headed for another special season.
“I think we’re championship level for the CIS,” Longmuir said. “If we can peak at the right time and everyone performs, I think we can win.”