Energy of a champion: Holy Cross women's basketball is hungry for another Patriot League title
WORCESTER — The Holy Cross basketball offices overlook the Blaney Gymnasium, where the Crusaders practice, and during some early-fall women’s workouts that ended as intrasquad scrimmages, coach Maureen Magarity and her staff liked what they heard and, when they peered through the windows, saw on the court down below.
“It was so loud, and the energy was so intense,” Magarity said before a recent practice, “that it felt like a playoff game. It was incredible.”
With senior captains Janelle Allen, Cara McCormack and Bronagh Power-Cassidy leading the way, most of HC’s practices, shooting, rebounding and defensive drills rise to that fervent level.
“The three of us in particular have the same competitive mindset,” Power-Cassidy said. “No matter what type of drill it is, we want to win. We have our fives, and we’re playing, and we’re going at each other, but it’s to make each other better. That’s how the three of us see it. That’s how we take every practice every day, and every day, we’re getting one step better.”
Last season, the Crusaders were the Patriot League’s best. Holy Cross captured its 12th PL title and first since 2007 with an exciting win at Boston University to earn an automatic NCAA Tournament berth. HC finished 24-9 and tied for the second most wins in program history.
Holy Cross, which graduated just one player, defensive catalyst Addisyn Cross, is the preseason favorite to repeat as PL champion.
“Coach Mags has said it a lot, that we have a target on our backs being preseason No. 1,” McCormack said. “I think going into it we have to play every game with the mentality that we’re the ones that every team is chasing, and just play our best game every game we have.”
The Crusaders open the 2023-24 season Monday at Boston College. HC plays Brown Nov. 9 at the Hart Center in its home opener.
Two years ago, HC captured the regular-season PL title, but suffered a crushing loss to Navy in the first round of the tourney. The upset fueled the Crusaders last season, and with the opportunity to defend its crown, this year’s team is just as motivated.
“(Winning a championship) takes a lot of dedication,” Allen said. “We were there last year, and who said we can’t do it again? It’s coming back in here and executing the little things, establishing expectations and everyone buying in.”
Allen, McCormack and Power-Cassidy, who were freshmen during the abbreviated COVID season, have done a terrific job cultivating the program’s competitive, supportive and successful culture.
“They will always be so special to me because we came in at the same time,” said Magarity, who enters her fourth season at Holy Cross. “It’s been an amazing run. They have made such an impact since they stepped on campus, and that’s why they are tri-captains. They earned the respect of their teammates, and they set the bar so high.”
HC’s eight-day tour of Ireland, Power-Cassidy’s homeland, this summer was an amazing and beneficial experience, both for competition and continued bonding. The Crusaders played games against the Irish national team and a Cork club team, and got to know their new coaches, assistants Candice Green and Paige Corkins and director of operations Ryan Weise, and three new teammates.
“We got to fast forward some things as far as preseason in the summer,” Magarity said, “and having some new assistants with fresh eyes and new ideas is exciting for the team.”
Power-Cassidy, who was the MVP of the Patriot League Tournament, and Allen ranked 1-2 in scoring last season, and Allen and junior Lindsay Berger 1-2 in rebounding.
The Crusaders are deep, and Magarity expects that junior Grace Munt, and sophomores Mary-Elizabeth Donnelly and Simone Foreman will help fill Cross’ minutes, Foreman especially at the defensive end, where she showed plenty of spark last season.
Last week, the Crusaders received their 2022-23 Patriot League championship rings, which were a great reminder of their accomplishments.
“After last season, it was such a great feeling,” Power-Cassidy said, “but coming off that experience, we want to do better. We set that expectation for ourselves, but everybody is really buying in. We know where we want to be at the end of the year, and we know how hard that is, but we know what needs to be done.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Holy Cross women's basketball hungry for another Patriot League title
