March 20, 2020
Lady Jacket fans!
Here is my attempt to sum up the best season ever with the best team ever. This blog post might be a little lengthy, but I feel it’s necessary. It’s crazy how abrupt it all ended, but before I talk about the ending, let me fill you guys in on what happened in between.
So March 3rd we played our Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Quarterfinal game against Malone at home. We knew going into this game that it was going to be tough; however, we had a lot of confidence because we beat them by almost 20 at their place and we had been playing our best basketball. We knew we were going to have Abby Wolford back as well, which was exciting because she brings so much to the team. The game was pretty close the majority of the time, and in the second half, we battled as hard as we could. Ultimately, we came up short and lost by 10. This was a tough pill to swallow. However, compared to past years the team morale was higher than it normally was because we knew we still had an opportunity to compete in the post season to win an National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Championship.
The honest truth was that no one on our team dreamed of going to NCCAA’s at the beginning of the season. We were all after that one goal of winning the conference and going to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Losing in the G-MAC Quarterfinal was not ideal, but the hope of winning the NCCAA’s was still in reach, and more chances to compete together. Going to NCCAA’s was going to be a mental challenge, given that we had been playing basketball since we got back to school in August. We all decided that we were ALL IN and going to have that attitude for the rest of the season.
We hosted the NCCAA Midwest Regional on March 11th, in front of no fans!. Yes, you read that correctly, no fans or parents were allowed into the game, due to the COVID-19 concerns. This game we truly played for an audience of One! This was inspired basketball, and I was so proud of our team and the energy we had. We won by 30!!! I know that this game will be one that I talk about in the future. The last game of my career, in front of no fans, winning by 30 points, AND every single person on the team scored and God was totally in control of that. Ise Bolender, G-MAC Freshman of the Tear, led the way with 13 points. Chapman, Mader, and Peek all contributed 10 points. Yours truly had her career high of nine points! The team shot 50% from three-point land and had 20 total assists! I truly believe this was a game that anyone would love to end their career on!
Keep in mind, we did not know at the time this would be our last game. We thought we would either have to play the next day if Concordia won, or our next game would be the first round of the NCCAA Championship. So the next day we had practice and carried on business as usual, although we started to get a feeling things could change. That practice is one that I will always remember as well. We competed, something we had loved to do all season, and at the end played a team game of volleyball. That evening, Coach Hoffman had planned for us to go to Black Rock. As soon as we got to the restaurant we got the news that the NCCAA’s were canceled. It was such a sad moment but I know we were thankful we got to have a team meal one more time. We went to BJ’s for pizookies as dessert, and at the end we all just stood by the door of the restaurant. No one wanted to leave. We all basically started crying and hugging each other. Eventually, we made our way out of the restaurant and cried and hugged each other some more. That drive back to campus was full of tears and silence, reflecting on the amazing season we had, and that the reality that not only our season was done, but we were going home not knowing if we were going to come back to school this year.
So that is how it all ended. It’s crazy to me how in such a short matter of time, things completely changed. However, what’s even more mind blowing is that God knew all along this is how it would end. He is completely in control of EVERYTHING at all times. He constructed and knew this ending to our season. I always think of Luke 12:22-26 during times of uncertainty. These verses say: “And he said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens; they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” So although it’s easy to be anxious in times like these, we have the confidence that God will be faithful through it all, carrying out His plan for each of us.
Cedarville University and Cedarville Women’s Basketball have brought me the best four years of my life thus far. I know I will forever have these 12 other girls (and many who were on the team previously) as my friends for life. They make this program so special. They are the people you always want by your side and I feel like we have such a special bond because we know what it’s like to go through the trials of life together.
I have to give special recognition to my two other fellow seniors, Abby and Cam.
Abby: You are extremely gifted on the court, but off the court is what makes you an amazing person. You truly exemplify perseverance. You have overcome so many physical and mental trials throughout your time here and I know it has encouraged and motivated others SO MUCH. You have a servants heart and you have encouraged me my whole time here, as well as everyone else on the team. Your passion for the game is contagious and it motivates others and pushes others to be their best. I know the team will miss everything you bring on and off the court.
Cam: I am forever grateful for you. God completely orchestrated us being roommates / teammates and He knew we would need each other. You have been so steadfast in your time on the team and so intentional with everything you do. You have been consistent in your encouragement and kindness, even when it wasn’t easy for you. You are talented in everything you do and it’s inspiring. You have always been there for me and I know no matter what I can count on you.
I know you guys both are going to be so successful and a light to others wherever God places you.
No one tells you what a ride you are in for when you decide to play college athletics. No one tells you that you’re going to have practice, team dinner, and Bible study, all before you can work on homework for the night. No one tells you that its physically and mentally demanding day in and day out. No one tells you that you’re going to have to run a mile in seven minutes, an 800 in half that, 400 in half that, and then a 200 in half that at 7 a.m. in the morning (literally we didn’t know we were doing this until the day of haha).
However, the team and our purpose makes it a 100% worth it. The Cedarville Women’s Basketball program is rare. We all truly love each other. We all enjoy spending countless hours together. We have coaches who care about us not only on the court but also off the court. We know that at the end of the day our identity is not in the sport we play, but in our Savior Jesus Christ. We get to worship through our talents. True joy is what I think of when I reflect on my time in this program. This program is WAY more than the game of basketball and that is the secret sauce.
I am forever grateful for this experience and the life lessons it has taught me. This experience was a HUGE blessing.
Always,
Anna DeFilippo #12
Feb. 21, 2020
Hello Yellow Jacket fans! Hope everyone’s week is going well so far and ours is too! Last night we had a great road win against Hillsdale! We battled and fought hard against a very tough and smart team. Emily Chapman had the game high points of 17 and Ise, Ashlyn, contributed 14 and 11 points respectively. Paige Garr dominated the boards with nine rebounds. Also, shout out to Allison Mader who won the FLAWA award (FIGHT LIKE A WOMAN AWARD)! She played her tail off and as a reward she got to pick anything she wanted from the concessions.
We have another big road game tomorrow (Saturday 2/22) at Malone at 1 p.m. Last week we fell to Malone at home so this a great game for redemption.
Hope to see you all
tune in to catch some more G-MAC action!
As always, Anna #12
Feb. 5, 2020
Hello, Yellow Jacket fans. It’s been a little bit since we have talked and oh do I have some great news for you all! Your favorite ballers are now 10-0 at home on the season! It has been so fun to play on our home court for the past three games and get three wins as well. (Side note from your sentimental senior: I’m going to miss game days on our home court SO MUCH, especially with these 12 other girls that are like family to me. This team is so special, and I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.)
We are now in a 12-day break until we play next Thursday. Apologies to all our dedicated fans out there but you won’t get to see your Lady Yellow Jackets play this week! However, next Thursday we have a big conference game against Malone, AND it’s the PLAY4KAY Pink Game! You all will get to see us play in the brightest pink uniforms you have ever seen, and we get to honor all of the people that are battling breast cancer and who have survived. This game is definitely one of my favorites of the season because it is so empowering to play for a purpose greater than our own! We not only get to honor God through basketball but honor people who have fought through such a terrible disease. We will be praying for these ladies in the upcoming days!
You all are probably wondering how we spend our time (especially the weeks we don’t have a game). When we aren’t working hard in the gym or the weight room, we get to do some fun activities as well. Yesterday (Tuesday) we had individual workouts, and the coaches told us we had practice in the afternoon as well. We all got to the gym and we met in the locker room to do a team devotional and then watch film. As we were watching film, a clip popped up of LeBron saying, “SIKE, ITS TACO TUESDAY!!!”. We were all super confused, but then the next slide said we we’re going as a team to El Toro to get some tacos instead of practice! Everyone was jumping up and down and screaming. Some people even shed tears of joy because they were so excited! That shows you how much we needed that break and the delicious tacos :) So thank you to our coaches who do so much for us and realize when we need a break! (I could argue that our team was more excited about tacos then the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl lol).
Today (Wednesday) we are serving a local soup kitchen which is going to be a great ministry opportunity. It is so awesome that during these weeks where we don’t have games that we get to spend some quality time doing things to further Christ’s Kingdom. Serving at the soup kitchen is a new ministry opportunity for us, so hopefully we get to continue this through the rest of the season.
Thank you always for all of your support and prayers! Don’t forget about us during the break and we will see you back on the court next Thursday, February 13, at 5:30 p.m.
Until next time,
Anna DeFilippo #12
Jan. 21, 2020
Hello Yellow Jacket fans! We are back with the blog and your Lady Yellow Jackets are now 13-5 overall with a 6-3 record in the G-MAC. This past week we came out victorious against two tough opponents Tiffin and Ohio Dominican. We know at this point in the season every game matters towards post-season seeding and our team is on a mission to finish the regular season strong. These two games were great steps in the right direction. We defeated Tiffin at home on Thursday with a score of 87-72 and then on Saturday we traveled to Ohio Dominican and beat them 86-73. Both games were a battle, but we were able to pull away at the end to get two solid wins.
In other news, love is in the air on our team with not one BUT TWO of our teammates getting engaged! The first engagement happened over Christmas break where Cameron Peek (#23) got engaged to Nate Mason. We were all so excited for her and it was such a surprise (even she didn’t see it coming ?) The excitement continued this past weekend when Alli Roh (#30) got engaged to her boyfriend, Tyrell Rossman, from her home state, Nebraska. Celebrating these special moments of life are what makes this sisterhood so unique because we are all so genuinely happy for each other!
This week we play Ohio Valley at home on Saturday, January 25th at 5:30 p.m. As always, we would love if you came out to watch, or tuned in
online!
Talk to you all soon,
Anna DeFilippo #12
Jan. 9, 2020
Hello Yellow Jacket Fans! The blog is back after a very nice Christmas break! It was very nice to spend a week at home with family. We came back to campus on Monday, December 30th. Since we come back to campus early, we get to celebrate New Years as a team which is always a fun time. We went to Hibachi as a team and then we all drove the long haul to Ise’s (Isabelle Bolender) house (she lives in Cedarville for those of you who don’t know :). We spent the night playing card games like Dutch Blitz, Uno, and Euchre. We also made Tik Toks which is our new favorite thing to do!
Last week we hosted Ohio Dominican and had a big conference win (77-55), making our overall record 11-3. This week we have two big road games. First, we play Findlay tonight (Thursday) at 5:30 p.m. And then on Saturday we play Walsh which is going to be streamed on ESPN3 at 1:00 p.m.
Thanks again for all of your support and tune in to our games this week!
Dec. 5, 2019
Hello Lady Jacket fans! The blog is back, and the Lady Jackets are now 6-1!! It was a great feeling going into Thanksgiving break after two big wins in Columbus. Last week we played Saginaw Valley on Tuesday and Northwood on Wednesday. Both of these teams are in the GLIAC, so it was great for our resume to win these out of conference games.
We got three days off for Thanksgiving, and it was such a nice and relaxing time with family and a break from our busy schedules for a while. We are all so blessed with our families, friends, fellow teammates, coaches - everyone who supports and helps with our program, and above all else our Savior Jesus Christ. Along with this long list of blessings, I asked the team to tell me some other things they are thankful for and here are some of the results:
“Thankful for corn”
“Thankful for Chuck’s”
“For naps”
“For home cooked meals”
“For mittens”
“Thankful for pizza and cheesy bread”
“Drink breaks in practice”
“The waffle maker in Chuck’s”
“Loving teammates who push me toward Christ”
“Dogs – all breeds”
“Knowing the practice plan before hand (if anyone knows Stevie you know this was her answer)”
We came back from break on Sunday and had a great (and challenging) four days of practice to prepare for two big games this week. This week begins conference play, so the intensity across the board is amplified. We play tonight (Thursday) against Lake Erie at 5:30 p.m. and against Ursuline on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.! Both of these games are home, so make sure you come out to support or tune in
online! Our fans are the best and once again, thank you for the support!
Talk to you guys soon,
Anna DeFilippo #12
Nov. 21, 2019
Hello everyone, welcome back to the blog!
It’s been about a week since I last wrote but quite a lot has happened! In case you didn’t hear, we won our last two games. Yes, that’s right, your Lady Jackets are now 3-1!
This past Saturday, we played against a gritty Christian Brothers team who was looking to add another win to their belt. This game was back and forth the whole time, but your Lady Jackets pulled out the win to defend our home court. Abby Wolford led the way with 25 points. Ashlyn Huffman added 11 points and 9 assists as well.
The second win we had this week was last night (Wednesday) at the University of Indianapolis. We knew this was going to be a tough game. This away game was a business trip, and we were ready to conquer it. Most of the time, traveling the same day as your play is not an easy task. This game was back and forth as well, and it was an exceptionally low scoring game. We only had 5 points in the first quarter, and we still pulled through with the win, 60-55! Special shout-out to Alli Roh (one of our posts) who is now 100% from the three-point line this season. Her three was at a pivotal point in the game, and she let that ball fly with confidence!
As always, we thank all of you guys for the support. We all love seeing our families and friends at the games; it truly means a lot to us! Make sure you follow us this week as we have our second home game against Salem this Saturday at 12 p.m. Hope to see you all there!
Nov. 13, 2019
Hello Everyone! We are back in action with another weekly update!
This past weekend was our first two official games of the season! We played in a crossover tournament between the GLIAC and G-MAC in Louisville, Kentucky. Bellarmine University hosted the crossover.
Thursday night, after fueling with some Chuck’s, we were on our way. When we got to the hotel, we watched film to get ready for the game. Friday we played at 12 p.m., so we didn’t have much time to wait to play our first match up, #8 Ashland. We started strong with only a two-point deficit at the end of the first quarter. Our team battled the whole game but ultimately fell short with a 97-83 loss. Emily Chapman, Abby Wolford, and Ashlyn Huffman had 22, 19 and 16 points respectively.
The next day (Saturday), we were on a mission to get our first win. We played Bellarmine (the team that was hosting the tournament), and we knew it was going to be a battle to play them on their home court with a home crowd. We ate our pre-game at Panera (which if you know our team you know it’s a regular pre-game meal for us) and then headed to the game. As we expected, the game was a battle. However, this game, we came out victorious! It was a team effort, and we played hard until the last buzzer. Big shout-out to Abby Wolford who led the way with 14 points and 6 rebounds AND did I forget to mention she scored her 1,000th career point! Big Congrats to Abby for that well-deserved accomplishment!
As always, I want to say thank you to every single one of you who support our program! We appreciate it so much. We play our home opener this Saturday at 5:00 p.m. against Christian
Brothers. We hope to see you all there!
Nov. 6, 2019
Hello Lady Jacket supporters! Welcome to the 2019-20 Women’s Basketball team blog! This blog is going to be written by me, Anna DeFilippo, and my fellow senior Cameron Peek! We are very excited to share the inside scoop on our team with you all this year!
I thought we could start out by introducing the members of the team, so you can all be familiar with everyone on the court! We have a few new faces, so say a friendly “hello” to our three freshmen.
First we have #20
Allie Marshall coming to us from Fairland High School! She’s a strong forward and quite the cook (she specializes in Chicken Tortilla Soup).
Fun Fact: She lives on the Ohio River.
Next up is #4
Paige Garr! Paige typically plays a 3 or 4 on the court. She is known for her nothing but net three-pointers or her tough takes to the rim.
Fun Fact: She loves to twirl her hair.
Last but not least is #10
Abby Freeman! Abby is the newest point guard on the team. She is known for being especially sweet off the court, but let’s not forget her sweet handles on the court.
Fun Fact: Her house is in the middle of a cabbage field.
We had a great preseason both on the court and in the weight room (all of our maxes went up just saying) We’re really looking forward to showing you all how hard we’ve worked up until this point. For fall break we went to our junior point guard’s lake house (Ashlyn Huffman) and made so many awesome memories!
Moonlight Madness was amazing as always, shout-out to Darren Miller and everyone who made that night possible. We really appreciate all of the people who came out to support!
This weekend we finally get to play against people other than ourselves (we are all so excited)! Our season opener is Friday at 12:30 p.m. against Ashland the #8 team in the country (we are pumped to make a huge statement) and then we play Bellarmine on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Both games are in a crossover tournament of the GLIAC, GLVC and G-MAC and we play in Louisville, Kentucky.
Thank you for all of your support in prayer, at the games, and watching the games
online! We are so grateful for every single one of you!
Stay tuned for more about the team!
Anna DeFilippo is a 5-foot-8 senior guard from St. Clairsville, Ohio. She is in her fourth season with the Lady Jackets and is a Dean's List student as a political science major.
