Attention to detail and gratitude the keys to Smith Women’s hoops strong start
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — The Smith College women’s basketball team notched its sixth win of the season on Thursday, defeating Eastern Connecticut State University 62-57. Head coach Lynn Hersey is pleased with the start but said the players and coaching staff are appreciating the little things this season after not being able to compete together for over a year due to Covid-19.
“We’re all coming from a place of perspective and gratitude,” Hersey said. “To be around each other again and relearn each other and be a part of a dynamic group again is great.” The team is 6-1 this season and hungrier than ever after the abrupt ending to the 2020 Division III Women’s NCAA Tournament, followed by the cancelation of all contests last season. Offensive catalyst Katelyn Pickunka said the team’s attention to detail and motivation is through the roof after the long time away from the court caused by the pandemic.
“I think having that time off really benefited our team with the want to win and the want to be there every day,” Pickunka said. “This is a really special group and we love and support each other and we’re just making sure we enjoy the small moments.”
Pickunka grew up right down the road from Smith College in Westhampton and was a standout player during her high school days at Hampshire Regional. After a 2019-2020 season full of accolades and achievements, Pickunka still hasn’t missed a beat after all the time off. She’s logged 13.7 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game to this point of the season. The team’s leader attributed her strong start to intense and competitive training over the last year and a half with hometown friends who play men’s collegiate basketball.
“That was personally a great experience to learn some new moves, to start working on the 3-point shot and definitely finishing against some faster and stronger competitors,” Pickunka said. The senior was named the Tyler Tip-Off Tournament MVP for her efforts against Vassar College and Rowan University in the middle of November. She earned the same honor in the Tyler Tip-Off Tournament in 2019.
“She plays with an elite level of competitive fight in every drill she’s in and every game she plays in. The kid really is just hungry to win, and hungry to compete,” said Hersey of Pickunka.
Hersey enters her 15th season as the head coach of the Pioneer’s Women’s Basketball program and said the team brings a variety of offensive tools to the table to create a “mixture of balanced offensive attack”. She said her squad has had some games where the post players have taken over and other games when the guards were making shot after shot to quickly lengthen leads. Above all, she said some of the closer victories have come down to their strong effort level and focus on the defensive end.
“The details on defense are what has been able to give us some separation and win these games,” Hersey noted.
The only loss of the season was to No. 4 nationally ranked Bowdoin College, who defeated Smith 69-52 on Nov. 20. The biggest takeaway for Hersey that game was how vital it is to play 40 minutes of consistent, disciplined basketball to beat such a quality opponent. Smith was outscored 32-13 in the second quarter and Hersey said that was the difference in the ballgame. She added that the game was a great learning experiences for her team early in the season.
In Hersey’s first season as the team’s head coach in the 2007-2008 season, the team went 3-22 (2-12 in conference). After that season she quickly turned the program around, winning 23 games back-to-back seasons from 2011-2013. The team went 26-4 (7-3 in conference) in the 2019-2020 season, winning the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament Championship and made it to the third round of the Division III Women’s NCAA Tournament. Their tournament matchup against Messiah was canceled, along with the remainder of the tournament as a result of the pandemic. Despite that, it was the best season in Smith Women’s Basketball’s history and Coach Hersey envisions herself overseeing many more championships in the coming years.
“For me it’s all about Smith. It’s all about getting our program to the highest level we can and trying to see if we can push the envelope and get to a final four. Those are challenges that are very motivating for myself, for our staff and for our players and we’re really focused on that.”
Smith plays their next game on Dec. 7 at home against Williams College at 7 p.m.
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