Varsity Club News

Setting New Standards

In a year of “firsts”, the 2008-09 Saint Mary’s College basketball team set a new standard of success for the program after completing the most successful season in the 30 year history of the sport at the College.

For the first time since joining the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association in the 1997-98 season, the team opened the season with a win. Less than a week later, the Belles beat Wheaton (Ill.) for the first time in an 11 game series with a thrilling 81-78 decision.

After a ten-point win over Trine to begin the MIAA season, the team squared off against Calvin – a team Saint Mary’s had never beaten in their 29 game history. Young talent and experience proved to be a potent punch against the most veteran team in the conference. The Belles prevailed 79-74, giving them a 2-0 start in MIAA play for the first time since joining the conference.

The Belles would not stop there. With a victory over Olivet in December, the Belles set up a showdown in early January with #1 nationally ranked and the only other undefeated MIAA team - Hope. Having never beaten a nationally ranked opponent, let alone having never beat Hope in MIAA play, the cards seemed to be stacked against the Belles in the battle for the top spot in the conference. The team had other things in mind and made history by defeating the Flying Dutch 91-84 and propelling the Belles into sole possession of first place in the conference.

By the end of the regular season, the Belles had tied the school record for wins in a season with 15 and had set a new school record for wins in conference play with 13. They finished second in the conference for the first time, earning the right to host a first and second round contest for the MIAA tournament. The highest a team had finished prior to this year had been third.

After winning the first round and semifinal games of the tournament, while setting a new school record for wins in a season (17) in the process, the team met up with Hope for the third time this season by making it to their first ever MIAA Tournament Final. Unfortunately, the best season in Saint Mary's College basketball history came to a close with a loss in the championship game. 

At the conclusion of the season, the MIAA announced its All-MIAA women’s basketball team for the 2008-09 season, which included three members of the Belles’ team. Erin Newsom ’09, Nicole Beier ’09, and Liz Wade ’11 were all recognized for their efforts in the season. Newsom was an All-MIAA first selection for the first time in her career. Beier received All-MIAA Second Team honors for the first time as well. Wade was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the youngest player to earn the honor since it was first awarded in 2003.

During the season, eight new school records were established. In the Belles’ victory over Olivet in December, the team made a school and MIAA record with 42 free throws. The team set new marks for wins (17), conference wins (13), points (1,899), field goals (667), free throws (484), and rebounds (1,168). Senior Erin Newsom did some history writing of her own, becoming the all-time leading rebounder with 830 career rebounds. She is also just the eighth player in school history to score more than 1,000 career points as she is the fourth-highest scorer to wear a Belles uniform with 1,202 points in her four years.