July 18, 2024

BINGHAMTON, NY (WBNG) - Even though opening night is still four months out, the Binghamton Bearcats Women’s Basketball Team is already back in the gym preparing for the upcoming season. The Bearcats come into the summer with a revamped roster and coaching staff.

After finishing below .500 for the fourth season in a row last year, the women’s basketball program parted ways with head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord after six seasons with the team. A month later, the school announced the hiring of reigning NEC Coach of the Year Mary Grimes.

12 Sports spoke with Coach Grimes about the program’s renewed culture.

“We’re really trying to get our culture together, because we have such new players, and so many returners,” said Grimes. “So, we’re really trying to get our culture where it needs to be. But, right now we’re just working on offense, getting up a lot of shots, and the defense will come. So, being able to understand what the expectations are offensively.”

The Bearcats roster this season, however, will look very similar to last year. Binghamton is bringing 10 players, including 3 starters, for next season. One of those starters is junior guard Jaydn Weltz, who started all 31 games last year and was the only player who was on the court for more than 900 minutes. Weltz averaged 10.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting just under 50 percent from the field.

12 Sports spoke with Weltz about what the team has accomplished during the off-season.

“Everybody went home for their break and just kept working,” said Weltz. “We all have stuff to get better at. We all have strengths, we all have weaknesses, and everybody took it upon themselves to get better in some shape or form. So, it’s exciting to see some players got stronger, got faster, got better at shooting, it’s only going to grow with time.”

The Bearcats do have five newcomers for next season: transfer guards Kaia Goode and Lead Middleton, as well as freshmen Abby Misier, Marisa Smith, and Samantha Baker. Goode and Middleton both come from Le Moyne College with Coach Grimes. Goode, a 5′ 4″ junior, started all 60 games in two seasons at Le Moyne while averaging 8.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists.

12 Sports spoke with Goode about being able to work out in the gym with the team during the summer.

“It’s definitely helped me,” said Goode. “At Le Moyne, we didn’t have that summer session, and so we’d have to come in August ready to work, but I think this is definitely a big advantage.”

The Bearcats will begin exhibition games as soon as October as the team looks to ramp up for the 2024-25 season.