At the start of March, four Lady Lions played the last game of the 2015-2016 Women’s Basketball season and of their college career, in a loss to Nicholls State. The four seniors were guards Peaches Anderson, Erica Hernandez, KaeLynn Boyd and forward Nanna Pool.
Anderson and Boyd had transferred from other schools to come play at Southeastern. Boyd came from Texas Pan American and Anderson from Michigan University.
Boyd talked about this season being her last.
“It was hard,” said Boyd. “Every day my days were counting down, (it was a) bittersweet feeling because all good things come to an end, but we never want them too. Being a Division I athlete is a once in a lifetime experience.”
This season was not very successful for the Lady Lions as they finished (4-25, 3-15 SLC), missing the Southland Conference Tournament.
“This season was a little rocky,” said Anderson. “We had games where we were playing the teams and the referees. It was tough and frustrating at times, but it all comes with the sport. However, I wouldn’t have changed any of it if I could redo it all over again.”
Despite the team’s record, certain milestones were met last season, most of them by Pool who had a fantastic season. Pool was named to the 3rd All-Southland Team and grabbed 1,002 rebounds in her Lion career, making her just the fifth Lady Lion to reach that milestone.
According to Boyd, this season was about more than just wins and losses.
“If I measured it by wins and losses (it was) not very good,” said Boyd. “But, there was much more to this season. We grew as a team, we found ourselves and who we really were.”
This was the last season of now former Head Coach of the Lady Lions Yolanda Moore. Coach Moore coached these seniors their entire time playing for the Lady Lions.
“Coach Moore is an intense, but fun coach,” said Anderson. “She is all about business when it needs to be handled on the court. Off the court, she is fun, caring and goofy.”
For Anderson, playing basketball is not the only thing she is interested in doing with her life.
“I have a passion for fitness,” said Anderson. “I want to be able to work with athletes and help them improve their sport performance, so strength and conditioning coaching would be something for my future career.”
These four athletes must now look to the next chapter of their lives and decide if they want to stick with basketball or follow other passions.
“I want to pursue a career in coaching and also spend some time playing basketball professionally,” said Boyd. “I plan on playing professionally overseas, then exploring the avenues of coaching.”