MILWAUKEE — The women’s basketball team at Bryant & Stratton College was coming off a historic 2022-23 season, recording the most wins (29) in program history. It was set on replicating that success during the 2023-24 season but fell eight games short of tying the record.

“I would say it was [still] a successful season,” head women’s basketball coach Brandon Siska said. “Our team exhausted all of their eligibility last year. We had to replace everyone, and we battled injuries all year long. I have never been a part of a season quite like it in terms of injuries. Because of injuries, we played with six to seven [players] every game and had our entire team for two games. I’m not sure how many teams could win 20-plus games with a young, inexperienced roster and short-handed virtually every game.”

The Bobcats were 8-7 through November and December, averaging 65.7 points per game (ppg). However, in the next two months, they suffered only one loss and improved their offensive output, averaging 84.8 ppg.

They were led by freshman Trishena Brown, who poured in 639 points during the season, the second-most in a single season behind Kiara Donaldson. 

“To be honest, that’s not really on my mind [during the game]. I’m just going with the flow of the game,” Brown said during the season. “You have to be aware of the situation and know when to score. Both coaches really have helped me stay disciplined [and keep the right mindset].”

Brown and the Bobcats’ success led them to receive the No. 3 seed in the NJCAA Region 4 Tournament, and they started off with a win over Waubonsee. However, the promising season ended in Rockford, Illinois, at the hands of the Oakton Owls.

“Hats off to Oakton. They really wanted that game, and they played phenomenal, particularly in those last few minutes of the game when we had kind of taken control,” Siska said. “Coach Siriscevich had his team ready. As for us, we just didn’t execute the things necessary to win, especially down the stretch. We were proud of the way we showed up short-handed every game, didn’t make excuses, and found a way to win a lot of games.”

Sophomore Alexis Becker and freshmen Tayah Christopher and Raina Yang also made significant contributions this season. But with Becker and two other sophomores, Zaria Simmons and Jaydenn Hayes, leaving, the Bobcats are looking to add more talent for the upcoming season.

“Coach Siska and I are very excited about the prospect of next season. We have a really solid group of kids coming in who are going to add so much value to our program as players and as people,” Bobcats assistant coach Mallory Liebl said. “Something that we prioritize in recruiting is finding really good humans to represent our program and make Bryant & Stratton women’s basketball a respected team. I think we are going to be a really fun team to watch next season and our incoming recruits have already started to put in the work to prepare for their next journey in their basketball careers."

It's no secret that this season was demanding for the women's basketball team, but plenty of players stepped up. Now preparations have begun for the 2024-25 season and players and coaches alike will be more motivacted than ever to get back to the national tournament. 

“I think motivation starts with hard work in the offseason. When you put so much into something, you want to see it translate into success,” Liebl said. “You can’t just show up, roll the ball out, and think you’ll win. Every member of the team needs to buy in and put the work in together. Winning a national championship is always our goal, [and] if you can’t find motivation to do whatever it takes to make that happen, then those players wouldn’t be a good fit for what we are trying to accomplish.”