Having won four of their last six games since returning from break, the Waynesburg University women’s basketball team returned to campus after another one-sided victory,defeating Thiel on Saturday, Jan. 18, 91-75. That improved their overall record to 9-7 on the season and their conference record to 4-7 with nine more Presidents’ Athletic Conference  games left on the docket. As to how the team has done so well, head coach Sam Jones focused on  the collective effort of the team, rather than a specific individual or two being the focal point for the success to this point.

“It’s great, it really speaks to our depth since we have multiple people. Having that depth at a lot of different positions makes us a lot harder to prepare for,” Jones said, notably attributing the effort of Clara-Paige Miller, who came off the bench and had “a lot of rebounds” in their victory against Grove City on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Another individual on the team who has been a difficult player to prepare for is sophomore forward, Julz Mohrbacher, who had all-region recognition for the women’s soccer team, propelling them into the PAC playoffs in the fall. She is having a noteworthy season on the court as well, with her most noteworthy game to this point of the season coming against Hiram College on Dec. 30, recording season highs in points (16), free throw attempts and makes (17 and 12, respectively), and blocks (3). For Jones, there are several factors that can be attributed to Mohrbacher’s success as a consistent starter on an upward-trending team. 

“Julz has a couple of things going for her. First of all, she’s a very gifted athlete, two, she’s ultra-competitive and wants to excel and succeed, therefore, she works hard. Just having that drive and that competitive edge she brings to the table, it’s a great combination, and she’s a joy to coach and fun to have on our team,” Jones said regarding Mohrbacher.

ith little to no transition time, Mohrbacher admits there are challenges with staying healthy from one sport to the next, but she’s  been able to find ways to give her body the rest that it needs.

“I think I’m doing the best I can, because obviously my body knows it needs rest, but I can’t really get that, so spending time with the AT’s and some little days off here and there helps,” Mohrbacher said. “I’d say I’m in a better place at this point of the season than I was last year, so I’m holding up fine enough.”

Mohrbacher echoes the sentiments of her head coach, attributing the team’s success to everyone contributing to the winning efforts rather than a select few individuals.

“I think we are just doing well playing together as a collective group and working well off of one another. The team chemistry is definitely up,” Mohrbacher said.

Jones, Mohrbacher, and the women’s basketball team look for their third straight conference when they travel to Bethany on Wednesday, Jan. 22, for a 5:30 p.m., looking to rebound from a loss in their first matchup  on Nov. 26.