Robert Neither, News Editor—

On Nov. 2, Denison women’s basketball team defeated Carnegie Mellon University 80-73 in Pittsburgh, adding to their winning record which now stands at 5-2. 

This was its first matchup with the Tartans since 2017; it also marked an end to the Tartans’ four-game winning streak, as well as giving them their first home loss. 

Heading into the third quarter, the Big Red led 45-39, having outscored the Tartans 28-18 in the second quarter; as a team, Big Red shot 54.5% from the field in the first half.

 Entering the fourth quarter with a lead of 56-53, Ada Taute ‘27 scored a three-pointer, assisted by fellow first-year guard Abby Cooch ‘27;

 Taute then assisted a layup by sophomore Brooke Toigo ‘26, widening Big Red’s lead to 61-53. 

In the final minutes of the game, an and-one scored by junior guard Maddie Goodman ‘25 extended Denison’s lead to 75-67; a two-for-two performance at the free-throw line from Toigo and Taute also helped to secure the victory. 

The performance represented a career-high for Taute, who finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 38 minutes. Cooch repeated her season-high of 15 points. 

A stat line of nine points and five rebounds also marked the Big Red debut for junior Bry Woodard ‘25, who transferred to Denison from Oberlin College. 

Woodard was named All-NCAC in both of her seasons for the Yeowomen.

When asked about the contributing factors to the team’s success this season, head coach Mo Hirt spoke to each player’s dedication to improvement and one another.

 This is Hirt’s second season at the helm of the Big Red after being named head coach in June 2022. 

“We have an amazing group of young women who have really invested in each other on and off the court. They love being around one another and come in ready to get better each day. They put in the work outside of practices to get better and prioritize spending time with each other off the court. I think when you have that commitment, good things happen,” Hirt said.

Since last season, the women’s basketball team has added eight new members to their roster, including seven first-years and one transfer. 

“They all bring a high level of talent, cmpetitiveness, and understanding of the culture we are building in the… program… [we] have a few first-years and sophomores that are stepping up early in their careers,” Hirt said. 

Taute, Cooch and first-year forward Abigail Kress ‘27 are the team’s top three leaders in scoring, with Taute and Cooch having started all seven games to begin the season. 

Commenting on the strengths of the roster, Hirt said, “The first-years have been an amazing glue to the program both on and off the court. They fit the up-tempo style we want to play and compete at a really high level. So far, I think we have great balance [of] threats on both ends of the floor.”

Hirt additionally pointed out how the experience and development of their retained players have been critical to their record.

 “Sophomore Brooke Toigo developed her game this off-season. She worked a ton on her outside shot and is now one of our top shooters. Maddie Goodman and Abbie Westmeyer have a year under their belt in this new system and continue to be great contributors for us…we have awesome leadership and experience in our senior class as well with Ava Warcaba, Checka Sileo, and Amy Barry.”

Women’s basketball will next face off against Case Western Reserve University on Dec. 9 at home. 

Reflecting on the team and season, Hirt said, “We are super excited about this group! Our coaching staff feels like we have a tremendous team that’s invested in each other and making Denison a top basketball program in the country.”