Freshmen continuing to make impacts for Cowgirls

This year, a trio of true freshmen have left their mark on the Cowgirls lineup. Kati Ollilainen, Maren McKenna and Madi Symons have been critical to the Cowgirls’ success as some of the first players off the bench.

It’s a testament to recruiting, according to Cowgirls coach Heather Ezell.

“For one, we recruit the right kind of kid,” the coach said. “We recruit the players that will fit our system and that we don’t have to try to change their game to play for us. They already have the intangibles to play in our system. (After that), it just becomes learning the terminology and how we play together.

“I have to give my assistants credit in that department, as well. They are bringing kids in constantly to watch film, and that is one of the best teaching tools we use.”

The trio enters today’s game averaging a combined 35.3 minutes per game off the bench for the Cowgirls. Ollilainen leads the trio with 15 minutes per game off the bench and three points per game. McKenna leads the trio in scoring with 4.1 points per game, and Symons helps man the middle to give UW’s forwards a break.

Their play on the court speaks for itself, but it’s the way the three young players have committed to basketball — despite all the challenges of coming in and playing as a freshman while figuring out how to manage course work.

“They come every day ready to work and asking questions,” Ezell said. “You can tell that they want to get better, and they are disappointed when they either don’t get in the game or don’t play well. You want kids that want to get better and continue to learn and grow.”

All three freshmen have not only had exceptional coaching from UW’s staff, they have also been mentored by the Cowgirls’ talented and experienced core. Ollilainen has been able to learn from junior Emily Mellema, while Symons and McKenna have been taken under the wings of Tess Barnes and McKinley Dickerson, respectively.

It’s something Ezell hopes will pay off for the team in the long run.

“It’s been great to have those three and continuing to give them experience and minutes in their freshman year,” Ezell said. “It’s going to pay off. If it’s not here in March, it’s next year.”

UW snapped a four-game skid Wednesday with an 88-73 win over San Jose State, in which it shot better than 60% from the field for most of the game. The Cowgirls look to carry some of that momentum into today’s home finale, as they take on Fresno State.

Saturday will also be the final time seniors Marta Savic and Paula Salazar will suit up in front of the fans in Laramie. Ezell confirmed at Tuesday’s news conference that both have expressed their desire to not come back following the conclusion of the season.

Savic is graduating with her second degree in May, and plans to return home to Croatia. Salazar, who is finishing up her student teaching, has an offer to be a teacher in Laramie following the completion of her degree, according to Ezell.

While emotions will be high this afternoon as the team honors its seniors, the Cowgirls must still find a way to go out and take care of business. Due to the recent four-game skid, coupled with the rapidly approaching MW Tournament, UW’s final two regular-season games are more important than ever.

That’s true not just in terms of conference seeding, but also in terms of building confidence that may have been lost during that four-game skid.

“We control our own destiny here,” the coach said. “We usually are a team that talks about a 1-0 mentality. I have to be honest, we are talking about the next (two) and going, ‘Hey, we have to be able to take care of business and get back on track here and finish on a roll.’ Then you put the eggs in everyone else’s basket and see where things fall.

“We have to do our job and take care of the (final two).”