Annabelle de St. MauriceNancy Fahey, the Washington University women’s head basketball coach, first arrived on the hilltop campus back in 1986, at a time when most of her current players were not yet in school, much less playing organized sports.
But over the last sixteen seasons, Fahey and her talented coaching staff have created what can be argued as one of the most successful programs in the history of NCAA women’s basketball.
“First of all, it starts with the players,” Fahey said. “We have a unique situation here where they truly understand the importance of education, which is consistent with everybody here. Then after that, they would like to participate in a program that still allows them to have a total college experience.”
There is ample evidence that her program works. Under her direction, WU has won four consecutive Division III national championships (1998-2001), including two back-to-back 30-win undefeated seasons, not to mention an 81-game winning streak that spanned three different seasons.
The Bears boast an .855 winning percentage and have posted at least 19 wins in each of the last 15 seasons. Furthermore, WU has made 14 NCAA Division III tournament appearances, and has won an impressive 12 UAA conference titles, including the last five in a row. However, this list does not even begin to include the numerous accolades her players, as well as those she and her coaching staff have acquired during this same time period.
“The same students who work so hard in the classroom don’t suddenly change when they get to the basketball court,” Fahey said. “They have high expectations for themselves regardless, so it’s a coach’s dream because you are dealing with people that really want to excel and truly care about it.”
Fahey’s philosophy is in no small part why, in recent years, WU has attracted several talented women who could have chosen to pursue the possibility of playing at a Division I or II school instead.
“I think because the players realize that after four years, like everybody else, they are graduating – that’s their priority,” said Fahey. “Division III is a philosophy, not necessarily just a level of play. I think it’s the balance between education and athletics that attracts them, and the fact that they have time to do other things here too.”
Last season came to an end when WU fell to the eventual national champions, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, in the second round of the playoffs. However, this year has already had a familiar beginning – the Bears, like two of the past three seasons, find themselves ranked No.1 top-25 preseason poll.
“There are 400 Division III teams, and I would think that a great majority of them want to win their last game; we are not any different than them,” Fahey said. “We are fortunate to have been in this situation before, but frankly four years ago, when we won our first national championship, we were not even ranked in the Top 25 in the preseason.
While Fahey has witnessed first-hand some great teams during her tenure, she hesitated to compare this year’s team to those of years past.
“It’s like you’re asking a parent to compare their children, and we love them all,” Fahey said. “The wonderful part about coaching these teams is that they are all uniquely different.”
With a few returning starters from last year, the team will look to sophomore transfer Terri Lakowski, from the Loyola University-Chicago, and freshman Kelly Manning, to make big contributions.
“It’s still early but they are getting to know the system and getting a feel for how we do things,” Fahey said. “They keep getting better with each practice and hopefully they can have an impact on this year’s team.”
Fahey assured that practices have been going very well and the team is ready to see some real game-time situations.
“The intensity has been good and we have had very competitive practices in a positive way, but I think just like every other team in the country right now the players are very excited to be playing somebody else soon,” Fahey said.
The team’s approach now and all season long will be quite simple: one game at a time.
“The minute you stop respecting anybody you play, that’s the beginning of the wrong step, the wrong direction,” Fahey said