By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Marshfield will have several new faces on the court this season.
First-year head coach Katie Pritchard will be one of them.
A four-year assistant at Drury University, Pritchard takes the helm of a team that went 14-12 last season, falling to Rogersville in the district semifinal.
After a high school career at Waynesville, Pritchard played for the Lady Panthers from 2008-13 and ranks fourth on Drury’s all-time scoring list with 1,541 career points. She is the program’s all-time leader in three-pointers having made 355 in her career.
“I think anytime you’ve played the sport it gives you good insight into what players are going through and how they view the game,” Pritchard said. “Understanding the players will play a huge role in building a strong relationship and growing together as a team.”
Pritchard’s first order of business will be replacing six graduated seniors, including starters Katie French, Zoey Bisby and Emma Tibbs.
French (8.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg) continues her basketball career at William Woods University.
The Lady Jays return a trio of lettermen from last season’s squad, including 5-foot-6 senior Alexis Moon (7 ppg, 3.5 rpg), 5-foot-9 junior Emily Aldridge and 5-foot-6 junior Dani Brewer (6 ppg, 3 rpg).
“We have a good group of young players who will bring a lot to the table at the varsity level,” Pritchard said. “They are hardworking, coachable, and excited about getting better.”
With a new program facing a lot of roster turnover, Pritchard is eager to get to work developing her team.
“One of our challenges will be younger players adjusting to new roles and more responsibility,” Pritchard said. “This is something that will improve as the season goes on with every opportunity they get in practice and in games. Another challenge will be learning the new system. This will take time and require coaches and players to trust in the process.”
Pritchard believes Marshfield’s defense will need to set the tone early in the season, as the team looks to establish its own identity.
“I think our biggest strengths will be our overall competitiveness and tenacity on the defensive end of the floor,” Pritchard said. “We will be looking to build on our offensive production, as we are losing points in that area with seniors graduating.”
After a Nov. 15 jamboree with Nixa, West Plains and Crane, Marshfield opens its regular season Nov. 26 in the Ash Grove Classic.
