Well, no one can say we aren't making the ticket price worth it these days.
We had our third straight close game - though this one was by 2 points, so that's big by our standards. :) We beat Cornell, 55-53 last night at Leede Arena on the strength of a tremendous defensive effort led by Betsy Williams coupled with a 22-point, 12-rebound effort from Brittney Smith.
But it was Margaret Smith who got it done for us AGAIN. She went three-of-four at the free throw line in the last 45 seconds to bring us back from a 1-point deficit and put us up by 2 with 0.9 seconds to play. In between those trips to the line, we got another big defensive stop to keep Cornell from scoring a game-winning basket. She's come up big at the line in both of our Ivy wins.
We had been down by 8 at halftime after a less than stellar defensive performance. Our players came out blazing, opening on an 11-0 run to erase the deficit and go up three, and ultimately went on an 18-3 run to start the half. Our defense paced our offense during that stretch and it really showed how good we can be. It was exciting!
We play Columbia tonight in a game that is really hard to predict. Columbia had defeated Cornell by 20+ points in both of their meetings this year, while Harvard defeated Columbia by 18 last night - of course we beat Harvard by one earlier this month. So, as usual, the Ivy League remains unpredictable and unique every single night.
Looking forward to tipoff tonight at 7! Hope to see you there or hope you'll watch the video stream or listen on the radio at DartmouthSports.com
- Dara
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Let the Games Begin
Hi All,
It's been a busy week here with our coaches, athletes and staff getting ready for our first back-to-back Ivy weekend of the season. The players have had a good week in practice and after 10 days without a game, are definitely itching to get on the court. We're hosting Cornell and Columbia this weekend, definitely opening the Ivy slate with a bang - Cornell shared the title with us in 2008 and was the only Ivy team to beat us last year, while Columbia is really surging of late. My game notes, preview and all the live stat, video and radio links can be found here.
It's amazing that we've already played 15 games and that it's all going to come down to the next 13, played over the course of six grueling weeks. As most of you know, the Ivy League has a unique Friday-Saturday schedule, which is really trying for our athletes both physically and mentally - and for coaches too! A minimum of 80 minutes played in 48 hours is unbelievably taxing. The games, especially by the second half on Saturday, aren't always pretty but every single one is a battle and it always comes down to leadership, toughness and an absolute determination to win.
Our team has certainly displayed those three qualities in our last two games, both one-point victories! More impressively, those wins both came by earning improbable defensive stops - steals - when the other team had a very real chance to hold or take a lead. Its amazing when it happens once, let alone twice in three days. The players are showing a real commitment this week in practice and I believe are ready to defend their Ivy title. We are certainly a different team from last year and we obviously miss our two All-Ivy graduated seniors, but the Dartmouth Basketball qualities of rebounding, defense and mental toughness are just as strong.
We are really developing our identity as a defensive team and, more importantly, the players are taking ownership of that. The thing that's great about a good defensive team is that every single player contributes. While everyone might not play on Friday or Saturday night, each has played a critical role through game preparation and scouting all week. Some might think that's cliche, but I believe it's one of the truest things in sport. If your teammates don't push you - be it while pretending to be the opposition's all-conference guard or by playing their hardest every drill - you will never get better. All 13 players on our roster are contributing, particularly to our defensive strength.
We'll put it on the line this weekend, looking to improve on our 1-0 start in Ivy play. Hope to see you at the games, Cornell on Friday and Columbia on Saturday. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. both days!
- Dara
It's been a busy week here with our coaches, athletes and staff getting ready for our first back-to-back Ivy weekend of the season. The players have had a good week in practice and after 10 days without a game, are definitely itching to get on the court. We're hosting Cornell and Columbia this weekend, definitely opening the Ivy slate with a bang - Cornell shared the title with us in 2008 and was the only Ivy team to beat us last year, while Columbia is really surging of late. My game notes, preview and all the live stat, video and radio links can be found here.
It's amazing that we've already played 15 games and that it's all going to come down to the next 13, played over the course of six grueling weeks. As most of you know, the Ivy League has a unique Friday-Saturday schedule, which is really trying for our athletes both physically and mentally - and for coaches too! A minimum of 80 minutes played in 48 hours is unbelievably taxing. The games, especially by the second half on Saturday, aren't always pretty but every single one is a battle and it always comes down to leadership, toughness and an absolute determination to win.
Our team has certainly displayed those three qualities in our last two games, both one-point victories! More impressively, those wins both came by earning improbable defensive stops - steals - when the other team had a very real chance to hold or take a lead. Its amazing when it happens once, let alone twice in three days. The players are showing a real commitment this week in practice and I believe are ready to defend their Ivy title. We are certainly a different team from last year and we obviously miss our two All-Ivy graduated seniors, but the Dartmouth Basketball qualities of rebounding, defense and mental toughness are just as strong.
We are really developing our identity as a defensive team and, more importantly, the players are taking ownership of that. The thing that's great about a good defensive team is that every single player contributes. While everyone might not play on Friday or Saturday night, each has played a critical role through game preparation and scouting all week. Some might think that's cliche, but I believe it's one of the truest things in sport. If your teammates don't push you - be it while pretending to be the opposition's all-conference guard or by playing their hardest every drill - you will never get better. All 13 players on our roster are contributing, particularly to our defensive strength.
We'll put it on the line this weekend, looking to improve on our 1-0 start in Ivy play. Hope to see you at the games, Cornell on Friday and Columbia on Saturday. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. both days!
- Dara
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A Saturday Blessing
This weekend we decided to branch out from what we would normally do as a team on a Saturday: sleep in as late as we can, grab breakfast at the Hop, hit the training room for ice and stim, and then head to a two-hour practice in Leede. This past Saturday we decided, as a team, to volunteer at the Special Olympics Winter Games at the Dartmouth Skiway. What a great decision it was.
We all piled in our cars and left campus at 8:30 in the morning. We made it to the Skiway, checked in, grabbed donuts and hot chocolate, took some toe and hand warmers and got on with our day by heading to the opening ceremonies. After the opening ceremonies, we were assigned to be cheerleaders at the snow shoeing games. Alright ... cheerleading ... was pumped.
After the gun went off and the first heat started and my entire team began to cheer like we do against Harvard, reality hit me in the face — we were making a difference in the lives of all of the Special Olympic athletes because of our enthusiasm and simple desire to fuel excitement into the snowshoe competitors. We as a basketball team were completely engaged in the competition for three hours by making tunnels for the athletes to run through, escorting athletes to the starting line, running papers with times back and forth between the competition and the winners podium. I was awe-struck by the Special Olympics athletes.
All of the athletes in the snow-shoeing race showed what a team should exemplify. They encouraged one another if they happened to fall down in the snow, they were excited for each others' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place finishes, they high-fived each other, gave each other meaningful pats on the back and most importantly, they appeared to be happy not for themselves, but for everyone performing around them. The smiles plastered across their faces and the glimmer in their eyes made my week.
Volunteering at The Special Olympics acted as a battery re-charger, a soul rejuvenator and wake-up call that life isn’t all about us as Dartmouth athletes. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the hype that surrounds the women’s basketball team and the bubble that we are in at Dartmouth College. This experience was truly a blessing for our team and we definitely squeezed out as much time as we could with the athletes at the Special Olympics until it was time to travel back to campus and take part in Saturday’s practice.
- Michelle Meyer ’10
Photos courtesy of Kylie Kufeld ’13. Click to enlarge.
We all piled in our cars and left campus at 8:30 in the morning. We made it to the Skiway, checked in, grabbed donuts and hot chocolate, took some toe and hand warmers and got on with our day by heading to the opening ceremonies. After the opening ceremonies, we were assigned to be cheerleaders at the snow shoeing games. Alright ... cheerleading ... was pumped.
After the gun went off and the first heat started and my entire team began to cheer like we do against Harvard, reality hit me in the face — we were making a difference in the lives of all of the Special Olympic athletes because of our enthusiasm and simple desire to fuel excitement into the snowshoe competitors. We as a basketball team were completely engaged in the competition for three hours by making tunnels for the athletes to run through, escorting athletes to the starting line, running papers with times back and forth between the competition and the winners podium. I was awe-struck by the Special Olympics athletes.
All of the athletes in the snow-shoeing race showed what a team should exemplify. They encouraged one another if they happened to fall down in the snow, they were excited for each others' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place finishes, they high-fived each other, gave each other meaningful pats on the back and most importantly, they appeared to be happy not for themselves, but for everyone performing around them. The smiles plastered across their faces and the glimmer in their eyes made my week.
Volunteering at The Special Olympics acted as a battery re-charger, a soul rejuvenator and wake-up call that life isn’t all about us as Dartmouth athletes. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the hype that surrounds the women’s basketball team and the bubble that we are in at Dartmouth College. This experience was truly a blessing for our team and we definitely squeezed out as much time as we could with the athletes at the Special Olympics until it was time to travel back to campus and take part in Saturday’s practice.
- Michelle Meyer ’10
Photos courtesy of Kylie Kufeld ’13. Click to enlarge.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
A New Edition to the Family
Last week the New York Times came to town. A reporter was sent to spend a day with me, doing research for an article on the women’s basketball rivalry between Harvard and Dartmouth ... more specifically between Kathy Delaney Smith and yours truly. After all it was Harvard week and clearly the world revolves around that rivalry.
The game did not disappoint. Leede Arena was packed; the band played and the big “D" flag circled he court. Dartmouth and the Upper Valley had come to watch great basketball. There were lead changes, scoring droughts and sudden bursts of offense and neither team would back down. It took Margaret Smith sinking two free throws with 5 seconds left for us to clinch a victory. It doesn’t get much better than that.
But I was wrong. Life got a lot better, quickly. My daughter-in-law went into labor Sunday morning. I raced down to Philadelphia in plenty of time to be at the blessed event. Suddenly, there was a new life in my world and a new title next to my name ... grandmother. This title will bring balance into my life. Balance keeps a coach from falling into egocentric silliness of Division 1 athletics. You need perspective in coaching or you can mistake the ups and downs of a season for the pulse of life itself. I have been blessed now with the perspective of a grandmother.
I am delighted to have been able to compete for so many years against such a formidable opponent as Kathy Delaney – Smith.
But I am now “Grand!” There is new precious life in my world. I am the proud grandmother of Wesley Charles Wielgus ... better known as Wes. You don’t think that his name sounds ... well “Harvard-y “ do you??
- Coach Wielgus
The game did not disappoint. Leede Arena was packed; the band played and the big “D" flag circled he court. Dartmouth and the Upper Valley had come to watch great basketball. There were lead changes, scoring droughts and sudden bursts of offense and neither team would back down. It took Margaret Smith sinking two free throws with 5 seconds left for us to clinch a victory. It doesn’t get much better than that.
But I was wrong. Life got a lot better, quickly. My daughter-in-law went into labor Sunday morning. I raced down to Philadelphia in plenty of time to be at the blessed event. Suddenly, there was a new life in my world and a new title next to my name ... grandmother. This title will bring balance into my life. Balance keeps a coach from falling into egocentric silliness of Division 1 athletics. You need perspective in coaching or you can mistake the ups and downs of a season for the pulse of life itself. I have been blessed now with the perspective of a grandmother.
I am delighted to have been able to compete for so many years against such a formidable opponent as Kathy Delaney – Smith.
But I am now “Grand!” There is new precious life in my world. I am the proud grandmother of Wesley Charles Wielgus ... better known as Wes. You don’t think that his name sounds ... well “Harvard-y “ do you??
- Coach Wielgus
Friday, January 22, 2010
The Pressure’s On – An Insider’s Viewpoint
As I think back on the last few seconds of our game against Harvard on Saturday, I remember everything in slow motion … 9 seconds remain in the game. Harvard takes the ball out of bounds. I hustle to the sideline to guard the ball as I anxiously wait for my player to throw the ball in. Time ticks, she fakes the ball one way and I see her throw the ball over my head. I jump in the air with my hands up and I feel the ball hit the top of my fingers. As I turn around, I see that I have tipped the ball, which then bounces off of my teammate’s back. The ball is on the ground now and I don’t see anything else on the court but the ball. I dive to grab the ball and I feel someone land on my back. I hear a whistle and am relieved to hear that I was fouled.
I get up and hear the crowd yelling and screaming with excitement. There’s a time-out on the floor, so my teammates and I huddle and listen to coach, who gives us the game plan, “We have to foul right away if she misses this, but she’s not going to miss it.” We break out of the huddle as I walk up to the foul line to shoot a one-and-one, my sister, Brittney, says, “You got it, we only need one to tie it.” The referee throws me the ball.>Surprisingly, my heart is not racing and if it is, I ignore it. I don’t hear or see anything, but the rim in front of me. I think to myself, “I have to make the first one.” I do my usual free throw routine and as I release the ball, I know it’s going in. Whew! Now the game is tied. I have to make the second one to possibly win the game. I do my usual free throw routine once again. I release the ball for the second time and it goes in. With 5 seconds left in the game, Harvard quickly brings up the ball and shoots a long-range shot that is off the mark. As the buzzer sounds, I am filled with excitement! My teammates run up to me and we all hug each other. Everyone in the crowd is yelling and standing on their feet cheering for us because we never gave up.
I will always remember those last 9 seconds.
- Margaret Smith ’10
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Starting on the Right Note
Dartmouth 45 - Harvard 44.
One down, 13 to go.
Last night's win over Harvard was just tremendous. It was a classic Ivy League battle for 40 minutes - every pass and shot contested, every rebound a knock-down fight. There was so much energy in Leede Arena! We had 1,500+ fans who really made a difference for our team, getting loud and creating a really fun environment for college basketball. Our players rose to the challenge yet again, and I saw a grit and determination in them that I know had just been waiting to rise to the surface. They are finding their identity as a strong defensive and rebounding team with a real toughness to them.
My recap from the game can be found here. Basically, Margaret Smith was CLUTCH, hitting two free throws with five seconds to play to seal a one-point win. Those two free throws were Margaret's only two points of the night, but she had put forth a sound effort all game and ended up the hero for her team. Faziah Steen scored 11 points in her Ivy League debut and Sasha Dosenko had 10 points and seven boards. We controlled the rebounding game, 42-33 and held Harvard 30 points below their season average!
After last night's game ended, someone asked me if I was ready to do this 13 more times. Since that game felt like an Ivy Championship game - that was a tough question! But the answer is that of course I'm ready and I know now that our players are ready. There is something undeniably special about Ivy League contests, particularly basketball. The passion, brought on by the do-or-die situation in every game, is simply unparalleled.
Having a postseason tournament would completely change the nature of our league and I like it the way it is. There is drama in every game, every possession, as each game truly matters towards determining our champion - and it sets us apart. It makes winning the league and earning the NCAA Tournament bid so much more special as opposed to a rushed conference tournament that all too often results in a league not sending its best team to the national championship tournament.
Some will say that of course a person from Dartmouth wouldn't want a tournament because we're so often near or at the top of the league. That's a fair thing to say. But I believe our success comes from having players that go above and beyond their talent level on the court to execute gameplans that are expertly prepared by a genius head coach and her amazing staff. Our success begets success because of how hard the people in the program work to sustain it. Nothing has been handed to our players and their passion is what drives them to become better both individually and as a team.
We host UNH this Tuesday night for what is always a great instate rivalry game. Tipoff is 7 PM at Leede.
- Dara
One down, 13 to go.
Last night's win over Harvard was just tremendous. It was a classic Ivy League battle for 40 minutes - every pass and shot contested, every rebound a knock-down fight. There was so much energy in Leede Arena! We had 1,500+ fans who really made a difference for our team, getting loud and creating a really fun environment for college basketball. Our players rose to the challenge yet again, and I saw a grit and determination in them that I know had just been waiting to rise to the surface. They are finding their identity as a strong defensive and rebounding team with a real toughness to them.
My recap from the game can be found here. Basically, Margaret Smith was CLUTCH, hitting two free throws with five seconds to play to seal a one-point win. Those two free throws were Margaret's only two points of the night, but she had put forth a sound effort all game and ended up the hero for her team. Faziah Steen scored 11 points in her Ivy League debut and Sasha Dosenko had 10 points and seven boards. We controlled the rebounding game, 42-33 and held Harvard 30 points below their season average!
After last night's game ended, someone asked me if I was ready to do this 13 more times. Since that game felt like an Ivy Championship game - that was a tough question! But the answer is that of course I'm ready and I know now that our players are ready. There is something undeniably special about Ivy League contests, particularly basketball. The passion, brought on by the do-or-die situation in every game, is simply unparalleled.
Having a postseason tournament would completely change the nature of our league and I like it the way it is. There is drama in every game, every possession, as each game truly matters towards determining our champion - and it sets us apart. It makes winning the league and earning the NCAA Tournament bid so much more special as opposed to a rushed conference tournament that all too often results in a league not sending its best team to the national championship tournament.
Some will say that of course a person from Dartmouth wouldn't want a tournament because we're so often near or at the top of the league. That's a fair thing to say. But I believe our success comes from having players that go above and beyond their talent level on the court to execute gameplans that are expertly prepared by a genius head coach and her amazing staff. Our success begets success because of how hard the people in the program work to sustain it. Nothing has been handed to our players and their passion is what drives them to become better both individually and as a team.
We host UNH this Tuesday night for what is always a great instate rivalry game. Tipoff is 7 PM at Leede.
- Dara
Friday, January 15, 2010
Looking to Harvard, Looking at Leadership
Hi All,
Well, I must admit, we are 29 hours from tip-off against Harvard and I'm pumped! As coach said, there is truly nothing like the Ivy League and I'm excited for my fourth Ivy season with this team to start. Game preview, notes and all the important links are here.
There's a buzz around campus about the game — after all it's Pack the House night! We gave a big crowd a great show in last year's season finale against the Crimson and I think our fans are ready to come back for more.
I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of turnout we get and how our players rise to the challenge. We've certainly had some tough games in the non-conference, but I believe the experiences were slowly building to make our 13 players into stronger individuals and a stronger team. Facing such talented opponents forces you to dig deep and build an inner-fortitude that has definitely served many of our teams well in the past.
One of my graduate classes this term is about leadership in sport, and we were recently given a quote that said: "The most successful leaders will be the ones who assume the mindset that everything is temporary." I think this is an interesting concept that applies to us in that the success Dartmouth has had in recent years (and our long history) is something to be proud of and build from, but it's not a guarantee. Each group has to build its own story of success. And, conversely, the setbacks we've been through are fleeting as well, but they will have a lasting impact if you grow from them.
People often refer to us as a young team, and I agree with that to the point that we have several players stepping up for the first time and a lot of combinations on the court that have not played too much together. But we also have three seniors who have been through this Ivy gauntlet three times and each has a lot of inner strength that will lead us. They are ready to fight for this. Our four juniors who have won two titles in their first two years have a determination that is showing through more and more each game and practice.
This is a really exciting time to be a part of our Dartmouth women's basketball program. I have a lot of belief in our players and coaches and know that they have something to prove and will dig deep to do so.
Can't wait for Saturday and the next two crazy months! Go Big Green!
- Dara
Well, I must admit, we are 29 hours from tip-off against Harvard and I'm pumped! As coach said, there is truly nothing like the Ivy League and I'm excited for my fourth Ivy season with this team to start. Game preview, notes and all the important links are here.
There's a buzz around campus about the game — after all it's Pack the House night! We gave a big crowd a great show in last year's season finale against the Crimson and I think our fans are ready to come back for more.
I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of turnout we get and how our players rise to the challenge. We've certainly had some tough games in the non-conference, but I believe the experiences were slowly building to make our 13 players into stronger individuals and a stronger team. Facing such talented opponents forces you to dig deep and build an inner-fortitude that has definitely served many of our teams well in the past.
One of my graduate classes this term is about leadership in sport, and we were recently given a quote that said: "The most successful leaders will be the ones who assume the mindset that everything is temporary." I think this is an interesting concept that applies to us in that the success Dartmouth has had in recent years (and our long history) is something to be proud of and build from, but it's not a guarantee. Each group has to build its own story of success. And, conversely, the setbacks we've been through are fleeting as well, but they will have a lasting impact if you grow from them.
People often refer to us as a young team, and I agree with that to the point that we have several players stepping up for the first time and a lot of combinations on the court that have not played too much together. But we also have three seniors who have been through this Ivy gauntlet three times and each has a lot of inner strength that will lead us. They are ready to fight for this. Our four juniors who have won two titles in their first two years have a determination that is showing through more and more each game and practice.
This is a really exciting time to be a part of our Dartmouth women's basketball program. I have a lot of belief in our players and coaches and know that they have something to prove and will dig deep to do so.
Can't wait for Saturday and the next two crazy months! Go Big Green!
- Dara
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