Bowdoin looking to continue winning ways
BRUNSWICK, Maine (BVM) — March has always been a time of excitement for college basketball fans and players. This year was no exception for Bowdoin Women’s Basketball, as the team carried the momentum into the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed.
As national runner up in both 2018 and 2019, it was set to be a time of redemption, a time for the seniors to exercise their championship demons and finally cut down the nets.
The Polar Bears made their first big step in that direction in the NESCAC tournament, as they defeated the No. 1 ranked Tufts 70-61 in the championship game. It was a meaningful moment for the seniors, who had never won a championship despite the team’s sustained success over the years.
“Until that NESCAC championship, we had yet to put a banner up on the wall,” senior point guard Samantha Roy said. “That was after having played in three different championships- two national championships and one NESCAC championship.”
Bowdoin’s 2018 team had been undefeated heading into the postseason, while the 2019 Polar Bears had lost twice in the regular season. While this may suggest that the 2018 team had better chances, Roy attributes her teammates’ response to their defeats as a core reason for their success in the tournament.
“We reflected on those losses in a way that was really meaningful and allowed us to be more effective moving forward,” Roy said. “We hit our stride at the right moment.”
After breezing through the first two rounds, Bowdoin was set to host the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games. As the squad began preparations for the upcoming matchup against Trine University, news came down that the tournament had been canceled.
Players have a hard time finding the words to describe the feeling of having their goals taken away due to unfortunate circumstances rather than a lack of preparation or ability. It’s not how things are meant to play out, but it’s reality fans, and players have become accustomed to over past months.
“It was definitely tough,” Roy said. She and other players have described the scene of both players and coaches receiving the news in the training room and grieving over their lost opportunity.
However, the Polar Bears received a sort of consolation that same day, as their star forward Maddie Hasson was named D-III Player of the Year.
“It was really special. It’s hard because I don’t think Maddie celebrated the way she should have for such a prestigious achievement, Roy said. “But I think as a team, we were all so excited and happy for her… that was the one really bright spot in a tough day.”
And although she will never be able to experience the on-court closure of completing her decorated collegiate career with a national title, Roy is quick to gush over the values of Bowdoin basketball that she hopes will carry over to the next level of players. When talking to up-and-comers within the Bowdoin program, it’s easy to see that these values have been passed along.
“As a freshman class, we were really indoctrinated to a tradition of winning,” sophomore center Jess Giorgio said. “Our success is a byproduct of that and our commitment to those standards and our commitment to each other.”
Giorgio notes that the players and coaches have stayed close through the extended period of quarantine, something Roy had hoped to instill.
“We’ll always be a family, so our focus is on sticking together through this and maintaining our commitment to basketball,” Giorgio said.
Having lost Hasson and Roy, who led the team in points, assists, and steals, the squad appears to have its plan for the near future, even as the upcoming season’s future remains uncertain.
“I wouldn’t say there’s a void because everyone in our program will step up when it’s their time, Giorgio said. “I have full faith that as long as we maintain that commitment to high standards, we will remain competitive in the league and in the nation.”
