Somebody forgot to tell the women's basketball team that they were not supposed to win the Ivy title this year.
Somebody forgot to tell them that a team with seven freshmen and three sophomores is usually a year or two away from being a serious contender.
Somebody forgot to tell them that a team with a new coaching staff generally needs a year to get used to one another.
And somebody forgot to tell them that a team that returns three starters from an 8-18 team usually does not unseat a two-time defending league champ.
Thank goodness somebody forgot.
The women's basketball team, picked to finish fifth in the Ivy League in a preseason media poll, surpassed all expectations by sharing the Ivy title with two-time defending champion Brown.
A hard-fought 77-64 win at Harvard back on March 8 put the finishing touches on an outstanding season and clinched the Ivy title for the Big Green.
"A banner went up in the gym with that win at Harvard," Coach Chris Wielgus said.
The victory also forced a one game playoff to determine which team would represent the Ivy League in the expanded NCAA tournament. The Big Green, who beat the Bears twice during the regular season, couldn't do it a third time, and lost, 72-62 in overtime, on March 13 at Harvard. The Big Green finished 16-11 overall, and 11-3 in the Ivy League.
Early foul trouble and a monster effort from Brown's All-Ivy center, Martina Jerant, who had 26 points, 24 rebounds, and five blocked shots, were too much for Dartmouth to overcome.
"The intensity was there [against Brown], but we weren't particularly sharp," Coach Chris Wielgus said. "We're disappointed with the loss, but when we think back about this season, we have to get a big smile on our face."
The Big Green have lots of reasons to smile. After opening the season with five straight losses, Dartmouth turned its season around with four consecutive home wins. During that stretch, the Big Green won the Dartmouth Invitational by downing Long Island and New Hampshire, and then swept their first Ivy weekend with impressive wins over Princeton and Pennsylvania.
After the 0-5 start, "I thought we would never win," Wielgus said. "I had lots of confidence in the team, and I knew we could play much better. The four wins at home gave the team the confidence we needed."
That confidence translated to improved play on the court. After averaging 26 turnovers per contest during the first seven games, the Big Green began taking better care of the ball and averaged only 17 turnovers during the last 20 games.
On the other side of the ball, Dartmouth began forcing more turnovers. Stifling defense was a Big Green trademark throughout the season.
"Defense was our mainstay," Wielgus said. "We were not exactly prolific scorers, so we had to focus on what we did well."
Betsy Gilmore '94 spearheaded that defense, terrorizing Ivy opponents with her quick hands and tenacity. The Ivy League Player of the Year and a unanimous first team All-Ivy selection, Gilmore led the Ivies with 4.6 steals per game. That number kept her ranked among the top 10 nationally, and she set the school single-season record for steals with 120.
Gilmore also ran the Big Green offense, averaging 8.5 points and five assists.
"Betsy provided leadership," Wielgus said. "She was our floor general."
The Big Green was by no means a one woman show, however. In every game, a different player stepped up to help carry the load. Against Boston University, it was Jill Marple '97 and Katie Samuelson '97 who came off the bench to score 19 and 11 points, respectively, in a close win. It was Jen Pariseau '97 who scored five huge points in a 40-second span during the middle of the second half of the playoff game to keep Dartmouth close. The list goes on.
Sally Annis '97 stepped up repeatedly for the Big Green. She formed with Gilmore the Ivy's toughest backcourt, and was unanimously selected as Ivy Rookie of the Year. Annis, who was also named second team All-Ivy, led the Big Green in scoring with 11.7 points per game. Her composure on the court belied her relative inexperience at the college level.
"Sally gave us stability in the backcourt," Wielgus said.
Ilsa Webeck '94 was named honorable mention All-Ivy after averaging 11.6 points, 8.7 rebounds (5th in the Ivies) and 2.1 (3rd in the Ivies). Webeck's defense was particularly important in a league that features a quality post player on nearly every team. She shut down Jerant in Dartmouth's two wins over the Bears.
Kira Lawrence '96 and Laurie Stucker '95 complemented Webeck down low with good rebounding and physical defense. Brandi Jones '95 gave Dartmouth another outside shooting threat, and Jen Stamp '96 provided a defensive spark off the bench.
Though each player had her own specific talent, they all shared a common trait that Wielgus admired.
"I'll remember their intensity," Wielgus said. "They were forever overcoming adversity and I admire that. They had lots of heart and moxie."
Wielgus is already looking forward to next season.
"We have a good foundation and should be competitive in the Ivies again," Wielgus said. "But once you've won, you don't catch anyone by surprise. It's harder to sustain winning than being a flash in the pan."
Somebody tell that to the Big Green.
