Girls basketball at Westminster has had major success in the past. They took 2nd place in districts during the 2022-2023 season. But the girls were blindsided by unfortunate news when previous head coach, Kat Martin, announced her resignation. Shawn Briner was hired as interim head coach and did his best to keep the program afloat. However, the girls basketball team posted a record of 4 wins out of 28 games last year. However, with new head coach Nic Zenker, and almost a completely new team, they are looking to turn things around this year.
After graduating 2 seniors and losing players due to the lack of confidence and trust in coaches, the Cats are looking to wipe their slate clean. They are led by seniors Brooke Brassfield and Addie Kane. They are also backed with returning varsity players Kamia Cleveland, Addi Dumm, Lane Highmark, and Essence Robertson. These girls are looking to lead a team, made up of mostly freshmen, to a district championship, and hopefully state.
Being a freshman on varsity can be very intimidating. However, Coach Zenker showed no concerns with having an abundance of freshmen on the team. He states: “They have just as much dedication and heart for this sport as the returning girls. They are going to grind to get better everyday and they are going to be a key part to this championship caliber team.”
Another factor of a turn around season is the less difficult schedule. They no longer play the undefeated Incarnate Word Academy or state champions Lift for Life Academy. They now play teams such as Ladue and University City. This lighter schedule should give the Cats a confidence boost.
When asked about the lighter schedule this year, Addi Kane responded: “This schedule is still going to challenge us, but it is a good experience for some of the younger girls to start building their confidence. We still have to play John Burroughs but we will be prepared for them.”
The Cats have put together a solid team for this year. Under new coaching, the Cats are hopeful that they can make a deep run in the state playoffs. Coach Nic says “The goal at the end of the day is to hang that state banner. That’s what we are going to do.” Will the Cats finally produce a state banner or do they need more time to rebuild? Come out and support the girls at their home opener against Webster Groves at 5:30 pm.
