Senior class looks to lead Quinnipiac women’s basketball to fourth straight title
Photo Courtesy: Liz Flynn
November 3, 2019
The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team is only four days away from tipping off its 2019-2020 campaign.
Quinnipiac ended last year with a 26-7 overall record and a flawless 18-0 conference record where they earned an 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament, but fell in the first round to South Dakota State.
A new season also brings new roles to the court. With the loss of five seniors last season, Quinnipiac’s triple threat in seniors Taylor Herd, Paige Warfel and Jaden Ward will look to lead the team into another successful season.
Herd, a senior guard, and reigning-MAAC women’s basketball Sixth Player of the Year, was named to the 2019 Preseason All-MAAC Second Team.
Herd, who appeared in 33 games last year with nine starts, moved into the starting position for this year’s season.
“It’s definitely been challenging especially as a mindset because I think I need to take more shots this year than I did last year,” Herd said. “And it’s just being more aggressive on offense and trying to fill the roles that we lost with Aryn McClure scoring and Paula Strautmane. I think it’s more a change of mindset than anything.”
Senior forward Paige Warfel earned the honor of being selected to the 2019 Preseason All-MAAC Third Team. With new positioning on the floor changing the dynamic on the court, Warfel said they really have to get the details right.
“I would like to walk out of here with four rings,” Warfel said. “That’s the number one goal.”
Senior forward Jaden Ward said on the defensive side a lot of people need to be strong communicators and execute the game-plans.
“Some of my personal goals are to step up as a leader, talk more, be grittier on defense and then take the right shots and play good offense,” Ward said.
To start their 2019-20 season, the Bobcats were tabbed in the No. 2 spot in the preseason coaches poll. The seniors, however, are prepared to prove that this ranking it is not what is going to define their season.
“Watching that, I definitely needed to hear that, I think we all did,” Herd said. “We needed that chip on our shoulder and we needed that little check. I went all four years being no. 1 with my team and my senior year I’m not about to give that up.”
Warfel said the ranking is extra motivation, especially after winning the MAAC for the past three years to still be put at no. 2. However, Warfel said she and her team are working their hardest every day in practice to hopefully come out on top.
“It’s definitely disappointing, but like I said, those rankings don’t mean anything,” Warfel said. “It’s what you do throughout the season and what you do in March.”
“We’re certainty excited about what we can do with this roster this year, day-by-day, getting better,” head coach Tricia Fabbri said.
The action starts soon. The Bobcats begin their season on Nov. 5 against Drexel University on Lender Court in the People’s United Center. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
