Even before the creation of the new university and the boost athletics received as a result, there was something stirring. Womenโs basketball was the first team to really take strides in improvement.
Larry Tidwell, head coach of the UTRGV Womenโs Basketball Team, is the lead architect in the upward motion the program has taken. All three of his seasons at the helm of the team have seen an improved record.
In the 2013-14 season, the Broncsโ 14 wins were second best in program history. The next two years were 19-win campaigns that ended in the conference championship game.
One constant has remained through Tidwellโs tenure, the influence of freshmen and underclassmen. In his first season, his leading scorer was a freshman, Shawnteโ Goff. Even though sheโs been the leading scorer on the team since her first year, that hasnโt stopped newcomers from also making a big impact on the squad.
In the 2014-15 season, it was Hildur Kjartansdรณttir making an impression, earning 16 starts that year and leading the team in rebounds eight times. Kjartansdรณttir also made it to the All-WAC Newcomer team at seasonโs end.
Last year, it was Bernesha Peters who stepped into the role of wonder freshman. Peters led the team in scoring and assists four times each last season. Even while playing through injury in her first year, she averaged 10.5 points in conference play.
This season, however, it remains to be seen if a freshman will step into a crucial role. There are four incoming freshmen on the roster.
Tidwell praised his recruiting class, and the player he felt was furthest along in development. The coach also said he would put the best combination of players regardless of classification.
โWe have a nice recruiting class. Megan [Johnson], right now, is at the head of that recruiting class. Weโre just trying to bring them along and getting better,โ Tidwell said. โYou come in and you earn playing time every day. Weโre trying to find the best mix and the best team.โ
Tidwell said guards play an important role as they facilitate the plays.
โGuards win championships for us; post players have to win a lot of games. Guards win championships because if you canโt get it to the post players, youโre not doing what you need to do,โ the four-year head coach said.
Johnson comes to the team from Newcastle, Australia. The 5-foot-10-inch guard has been getting reps in practice and has seen game action already.
โNo matter what, I want to work hard and earn my minutes and I want to prove that Iโm here for a reason, thatโs my motivation,โ Johnson said. โThey expect you to work and youโre rewarded for that sort of behavior. Transitioning in as a freshman is always going to be difficult, but the older girls have really helped out and stepped up as leaders.โ
The Australian, and all the other guards on the team, have the ability to work directly with one of the top players in the conference on a daily basis. Goff, the four-year starter, is someone everybody is able to look up to.
โEvery day, weโre working against the WAC player of the season last year. She pushes me, like all the older girls,โ Johnson said. โYou may not be at that level yet, but thatโs what they want you to work towards.โ
Goff has seen four different recruiting classes, including her own, and said the talent level of newcomers hasnโt changed and thatโs a positive.
โWe kind of recruit those players who are gonna fit right in with the way that we play. We donโt recruit anyone thatโs different and weโre [not] going to change [that],โ she said. โThe level of talent has definitely stayed the same, which sounds like a bad thing, but itโs not; weโve had winning seasons. As far as recruiting, I think theyโre doing a really good job.โ
It would be unfair pressure to expect a freshman to be the next Vaquera with conference freshman of the year honors. It also wouldnโt be a complete surprise considering the immediate success many women have had under Tidwellโs leadership.
The freshmen and underclassmen will be the focus in just a few short seasons, so their roles will be under close watch this year as they pave the way for an increasingly powerful program.
