Women’s basketball clinches NCAC title on Senior Day

Emma Baum, Staff Writer

Denison women’s basketball won the regular-season NCAC championship title in Livingston Gymnasium on Feb. 21 with a 72-70 victory over Ohio Wesleyan as Ada Taute ‘27 converted a layup with four seconds remaining. Taute finished with a team-high 22 points. 

With their victory, Denison earned the NCAC regular-season title for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. 

Denison closed the regular season 21-1 overall and 13-1 in the conference. John Carroll and OWU both finished 11-3 in the NCAC. 

“It’s a perfect way for this to end the regular season on our home court,” said head coach Mo Hirt. “To honor the seniors in this way is just so special.”

The team’s three seniors were recognized before the game as part of the Senior Day tradition. Players’ families were invited to join them on the court as their accomplishments were announced, and they were presented with a framed jersey by Hirt. 

“You always put Senior Day on the calendar; that’s the one themed game that you always know is going to happen,” said assistant coach Olivia Woolam. “We spend a lot of time thinking about what the best ways are to honor the seniors. And so, it’s exciting once the day comes to see all that come to fruition.”

Underclassmen players decorated the locker room before the game and put large, hand-drawn posters of the seniors’ jersey numbers around the gymnasium. There was also the team’s usual pregame routine: a moment when the coaches leave the locker room, the disco ball and the music are flipped on, and the players spend a few minutes celebrating the fact that they get to play the game they love with their best friends.

“The team culture is so incredibly strong on our team,” said Katie Houpt ‘26. “ We’re all each other’s number one fans, and it’s fun to be a part of a team that cares so much about each other.”

This year’s seniors, Houpt, Jess Zittel and Brooke Toigo, have had an especially strong impact on the team, players and coaches alike. 

“We’ve been through a lot together,” said Hirt. “It’s my fourth season, so they were first years, my first year at Denison. I feel like we have gone through this journey together.”

In Houpt, Zittel and Toigo’s rookie season, the team was 10-16 overall and 5-9 in conference to finish fifth of eight teams. It makes their success this year all the more meaningful. 

“To see that progress throughout their four years, I think it’s just really special, and they’re leaving quite a legacy,” said Hirt.

Houpt echoed Hirt’s sentiment as she headed to the reception after the game, where graduating players were recognized with speeches from the coaches and a gift from the team. 

“I think being here since Coach Mo’s first year, we’ve seen that team develop since my freshman year to now senior year,” Houpt said. “So it’s really cool to see all of that development pay off and see all the hard work our team has all put into it really come together at the end.”

The seniors have been key to that development, setting the tone for the team and mentoring younger players, on and off the court. 

“We don’t have captains on our team, so we always look up to the seniors as our leaders,” Anelly Mad-Toingué ‘28 said. “They all complement each other really well. They’re just so awesome on our team, and they complete us as a family.”

The love and support the team has for one another was on clear display against, where players cheered each other on from the bench and streamed onto the court to celebrate together as the final whistle blew. On the sidelines, coaches Hirt and Woolam embraced as their players took a victory lap around the gymnasium, waving to the crowd. 

“I’m just so proud of what we’ve been building with this women’s basketball program,” said Hirt. “I encourage people to come to women’s sports. I think we’re really building something special.”

Members of the community have the opportunity to do just that on Feb. 26 in Livingston Gymnasium, where the Big Red team will face the winner of the DePauw/Wittenburg game in the NCAC Championship Tournament Semifinals.