Be a Champion: GSU Tigers begin offseason with lofty expectations

Grambling, La. (KTVE/KARD) –Grambling State Women’s basketball has never been shy about putting a chip on their shoulder and this offseason is not going to be the end of that trend. The Lady Tigers finished with 23 wins last season, the most since the 1999-2000 season, and also accomplished that feat with Grambling State women’s basketball first year head coach Courtney Simmons at the head of the monster. This offseason they are not satisfied with just being recognized; they want to put the league on notice that last year was just the introduction.

“Last year coming into it my athletic director told me that he thought I would finish sixth [place in the SWAC], at best fifth and now he has the idea that we should win it all this year. Last year there were no expectations and going into this season the Gram Fam has the expectation of us winning a championship, so right now we have our sights locked in on being the best team that we can and if we do that and we take care of that every day–we still have a mantra that says championships are won today. Although championships are not won in July, you prepare for the championships in March in July,” said Simmons. ” [We’re] Just figuring out how to become better each and every day in hopes that we can go on that championship run whatever that looks like, regular season and tournament. We want to ride the wave that our men’s team had last year going into the NCAA Tournament and seeing the joy on their faces. We want the confetti on us, so [we’re] just trying to stay motivated and keep a one-track mind–tunnel vision right now.”

While many programs are facing their own challenges with players coming and going, Simmons says her experience is not the same as others. She is taking full advantage of the transfer portal to build her championship roster.

“Well without the transfer portal it would’ve been extremely hard for us to finish this roster. Last year when I took the job, we signed ten new players and ten must be my lucky number because we signed ten kids again on this team. We have nine transfers and one high school students. The transfer portal was good to us, we’re just trying to blend a lot of those personalities and try to jell as must as we can. We have team building today tomorrow and church on Sunday, so we are just trying to do as much as we can together with them as a team.”

Bringing back almost a brand-new team also comes with assigning new leaders of the squad, but the Lady Tigers feel like they already have the right vocal pieces in place two players returning from last year’s team.

“Douthshine Prien, we call her DP and Kahia Warmsley, I think those two are probably my most vocal leaders and those are kids that played substantial minutes in SWAC play last year. I think having them in the program last year, they know what to expect and with only 14 kids on the roster and only four returners, ten kids have no clue what to expect and I think those two kids have been great leaders thus far. I’m trying to instill in them that we have to be tough and disciplined and we have to work extremely hard.”