Edwards expecting greatness

Matt Goldberg
Annabelle de St. Maurice

He’s a former Washington University player, turned coach.

That’s Mark Edwards.

He is the embodiment of everything that is Bears basketball. For 21 years he has roamed the WU sidelines teaching and mentoring his teams to 350 wins and 10 NCAA appearances.

Coming off a 25-2 season, which included a 23 game winning streak and a coach of the year award, Edwards knows expectations are running high.

“Going into the season you have to feel good that our players are in a position to make a strong run at [the NCAA championship],” Edwards said.

Edwards feels that this squad, which returns nine seniors, including all five starters from a year ago, is the best prepared team he’s ever had.

“We are returning an experienced team. a team that has had two shots at the tournament,” Edwards said. “They know what they have to do to win on the road in the conference. that’s a big advantage.”

With such high expectations combined with so much experience, you might think that there would be more pressure on coach Edwards to bring home a championship, but he sees things differently.

“I really don’t feel any more pressure,” Edwards said. “I mean the way I look at it is you work, you coach, the players play, and you try to build to a point where you are in this position.”

With such high goals the team needs effective leadership and Edwards believes that the seniors are equal to the task.

“I think the leadership within our team is going to be well defined because each player in a leadership capacity understands their role on the team and what they can give the team as a leader,” Edwards said.

The Bears are going to be an experienced team with depth, which begs the question as to what brand of ball the team will play.

“We are going to be a fast break team with explosive capabilities,” Edwards said. “If a team lets up for a minute or two our team will take advantage of it.we will get some steals, we will get some rebounds.”

Just like last year Edwards expects the Bears will be a team that will average around 80 points a game, and will hold opponents to around 37% from the field (third in the nation last year).

Over the last couple of years this team has accomplished so much that the average fan might think they would be complacent this year. Edwards, however, feels the opposite is true.

“Losing two years in a row at the buzzer in the NCAA tournament has a humbling effect. I don’t anticipate that our kids will have a problem with overconfidence,” Edwards said.

Indeed, the glue that will hold this team together is the incredible collection of seniors on the team. Since they have been together so long this senior class has developed to an extent that no other team has reached during Edwards’ tenure at WU.

“This senior class has been exceptional in a variety of ways,” Edwards said. “I’m proud of what they have done in the classroom.I’m proud of what they have done on the basketball court.

“At no time in these four years have they had ups and downs.they have just been steadily climbing.”

Despite the past success and the high expectations placed on this team, the Bears still have many reasons to be concerned, the least of which involves student involvement.

“Students may be conditioned to think that volleyball and basketball have had so much success to the point that unless you are playing for the national championship maybe they do not have an interest,” Edwards said.

Despite a recent lack of attendance at home games, the Bears have enjoyed an impressive home court advantage in recent years. In fact, last year they were a perfect 14-0.

In light of the academic nature of WU, Edwards has to make adjustments to accommodate the scholastic rigors of the institution.

“When its in the middle of midterms, and they are just drained, I have to adjust my practices accordingly,” Edwards said. “I cannot demand more from them than they are capable of giving.

“Here, our challenge is to take a legitimate student and turn them into a basketball player.”

While WU went undefeated in UAA last year, repeating the feat will not be easy. Rochester returns all of their starters from a team that made the Final Four last year. Chicago brings back their two time UAA player of the year, so they will also be in the mix.

“Top to bottom we will be an improved conference,” Edwards said.

In the end, Edwards sees the Bears being a force to be reckoned with in Division III basketball this year. Yet, he is quick to shun the number one ranking and the expectations.

“We can get beat on any given night, but that game will not define the season no matter what happens,” Edwards said.

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