Looking ahead to the 2023 season on the court.
The Sentinel got to spend a few minutes with Owls’ women’s basketball Head Coach Octavia Blue to go in-depth on the upcoming season.
Coach Blue is entering her third season at the helm in Kennesaw. After improving from a year one record of 9-19 to 15-16 in 2022-23, the Owls will look to take the next step. Blue says the process has been a learning experience.
“You can’t coach all the players the same, building a relationship and bond with each and every player allows you to coach them a little bit harder and I’m learning that,” Head Coach Blue said. “I’ve really made a conscious effort to just build bonds with our team and with each individual player.”
The Owls lose leading scorers and veteran leaders Amani Johnson and Jah’Che Whitfield to graduation. Blue acknowledged the challenge of the loss but also spoke confidently about her group’s ability to adjust.
“Listen, any time a team loses two all-conference players there’s gonna be an adjustment and it looks a little different,” Blue said. “Prencis Harden came on really strong towards the end of last season, she showed that she could give us that punch that we had already seen from players in the past. As well as Carly Hooks, she came in and had a great season for us last year in her first year.”
In place of the veteran losses, the Owls add three new players in Kailyn Fields, Trynce Taylor and Sophia Ruepell.
“These freshmen are really talented, two-point guards and a post player, and those two point guards are very high IQ players. They’re tough and they play hard offensively and defensively,” Coach Blue said. “Trynce Taylor on the other is a player you gotta watch, she is super talented, versatile and plays inside and out. I think you’re going to enjoy watching these ladies play.”
The roster isn’t alone in new additions. Two new assistants were added to the staff, starting with the defensive-minded Keisha McClinic.
“If anybody knows me, they’ll tell you that I’m an offensive-minded coach, so I’ve recruited one of the best defensive coaches in the country who I believe coach McClinic is,” Coach Blue said. “She was an all-conference defensive player herself and defensive player of the year in the league when she played, she really has her eye on defense.”
In addition to McClinic, Coach Blue added Morgan Stroman to her staff to boost player development.
“The players relate to her,” Coach Blue said. “I think it’s really important that you have someone that relates to the players.”
The success of the men’s team last season proves that there is plenty of winning to be had at KSU. The women’s team will look to replicate.
“We have the support of the community, the university, and the athletic department. Because they turned this place out when our guys went on this run and did something really special,” Coach Blue said. “We know it can be done, we know we have the resources.”
The Owls play their second game of the season on Nov. 10 at the Convocation Center against the Life University.