FARGO N.D. (BVM) — North Dakota State University’s (NDSU) women’s basketball team is gearing up for this upcoming year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to wonder if there would be a college basketball season. 

“Things right now are not normal.” Ryan Cobbins, a sophomore on the team said, “It’s been my focus to try to live in the moment more.” 

Cobbins, a Kansas native, is coming into her second year with the Bison. She has found success at NDSU, starting all 30 games her freshman year, and was named to the Summit League All-Newcomer team. 

However, this year she has had to mentally prepare differently because of everything that has been going on.

“You never know what tomorrow will bring.” Cobbins said, “I’ve always been kind of a person who focuses on the future and stresses out about that but with 2020 that’s definitely changed my perspective on some things.”

Pandemic aside, the Bison have a bright future. This upcoming season will be head coach, Jory Collins’s second year in his role. Collins led the Bison to their second postseason win in team history last March. 

The Bison have brought some new talent to the roster as well, and Cobbins is now stepping up into a leadership role.

“They have caught onto Jory’s coaching style I would say very quickly.” Cobbins said about the newcomers, “He’s definitely intense and sometimes hard to please but they’ve caught onto that. They’ve been willing to work hard every day.” 

“As you get older the expectations go up,” Cobbins said when asked about her goals for this season. “Maturing on and off the floor and understanding my role and being the leader that this team needs.”

Cobbins is doing more off the court as well. 

She was recently named to the Summit League Diversity and Inclusion Task Force along with men’s basketball assistant coach, Joshua Jones. The task force was created by the Summit League to set forth initiatives that encourage diversity and inclusion on campuses and communities.

“It’s more than basketball to me.” Cobbins said.

It’s a role Cobbins takes pride in. She is entering it with goals she hopes the task force can achieve.

“Continuous movement.” Cobbins said, “For me, as long as I’m at NDSU I just hope to push this thing forward. Whether it’s educating someone, reaching out to people to vote or whatever it may be.”

This isn’t Cobbins’ first time in a role like this. As a student at Piper High School in Kansas City, she was part of a group called Black Leaders of America (BLA). 

“The goal [in each of these programs] is always the same,” Cobbins said. “To teach people more so their knowledge can expand and have the conversations about equality and learning that these uncomfortable conversations are necessary.

“If you support athletes on the field, on the court, whatever it may be, you should be able to support me off of that.”

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