Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) women’s basketball had a rough preseason to say the least, losing four games to non-conference opponents and dropping their regular season opener to California Lutheran on Nov. 30.
Despite their less-than-ideal beginning, the Athenas are hoping to run back their success from last season. In 2022-23, the team went 16-8 overall and 12-4 in conference, qualifying for the SCIAC tournament and losing by four points in the semifinals to Redlands.
Unfortunately for CMS, their hope for another playoff berth seems in danger just two weeks into the season. Despite their first victory against East Texas Baptist on Nov. 25, the loss to Cal Lu marks a rough start to conference play. Still, CMS is looking ahead to the remaining season, determined to bounce back from their early setbacks and hopefully make a splash in the conference.
Helping them gain a fresh start are five new freshmen. Welcoming a much younger roster this year, the Athenas are prioritizing team chemistry and elevating the competitive atmosphere as they embark on the uphill road ahead.
According to Renee Chong CM ’26, the team’s first victory against East Texas Baptist allowed them to find relief.
“It was definitely a rockier start, but we had a really big win and it was just like a weight lifted off our shoulders,” Chong said.
Despite dropping the first four games, those games remained competitive, holding even scores until the fourth quarter. In their opener against Lincoln on Nov. 10, the Athenas held a 10-point lead at 56-46 going into the final period. However, in the fourth quarter, they yielded 29 points while only scoring 12, resulting in the loss. This trend persisted in the subsequent three games of the season. In their victory over East Texas Baptist, a similar pattern unfolded for the first three quarters, but they successfully fended off the Tigers to secure their first win.
As a result of these close matchups, Ruva Kiara CM ’25 said that their victory felt like a turning point for the team to get back on track.
“We know it’s only going to get better from here,” Kiara said. “We celebrated it like it was a championship, and I think we’re going to keep that mentality going.”
Chong said she thinks the rough start stemmed from last year’s seniors graduating, leaving leadership roles vacant and a drop-off in team chemistry. Chong added that, especially with the addition of so many first-years, the Athenas especially needed this first win to help build team solidarity for sustained positivity and motivation.
“It [the win against East Texas Baptist] had to happen for the team chemistry to keep developing,” Chong said.
According to Mary Markaryan CM ’24, since the introduction of the new members, the team’s initial lack of experience playing together may have contributed to their losses. She noted that even though they came up short, she is confident in their ability to succeed later in the season.
“We have a lot of new members on the team, so we’re just working on building the chemistry of the team as a whole, which has already been improving with every game,” Markaryan said.
Kiara noted that although they may be a young team, the rookies are no less valuable.
“We have five [first-years], but all of them play because they all bring something valuable to the court,” Kiara said.
CMS works to continue their upward trajectory by maintaining a competitive environment during training.
“The team is looking really good even though we had a couple losses, we’re still confident in our game,” Markaryan said. “We bring the competitive atmosphere everyday on the court while still embracing a positive environment.”
The Athenas have not let their rocky start or young roster get in the way of chasing down the conference title.
“Our goal is the SCIAC championship,” Kiara said. “Period. Point blank.”
Chong agreed, reflecting on what it means to bring younger players into the fold.
“This season we’re focusing on staying together and winning together,” Chong said. “Because we are on the younger side, it takes a lot more togetherness and coming together to stay together in the harder times.”
Despite being in an unfamiliar underdog position, CMS women’s basketball is still on the hunt and not backing down.
“We have this one chant,” Kiara said. “One dog. One bark. Despite a slow start or not, I think that we’re going to come out with a punch.”
The Athenas will look to earn a big victory when they play at Chapman on Dec. 2 at 4 p.m.
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