Seven months after winning the national championship game the Ashland University women’s basketball team recently received individual customized rings for the undefeated 2022-23 campaign.
The rings included three purple stones in the trophy to represent the three National Championships. The phrase “Done in Love, to be a “light” is wrapped around the ring to remind the team of the foundation they built this past year. Additionally, “Relentless Pursuit Accomplished” is under the top of the ring to recognize the vision of the team being accomplished by winning the title.
There is one trophy that represents the team’s win, but this is the first piece of hardware that was each individually given to the players. For forward Hayley Smith each ring represents all the hard work the individual players put in during the season.
“I think that having a personal piece of that moment is something that is so special. We won as a team, but everyone brought something to the team that was needed to win,” said Smith. “Each and every role played a huge part in our success and I feel like the ring represents what each individual brought and the hard work they put in.”
Transfer Savaya Brockington, who came into the program last year, wants this year’s rings to get the team back to getting another set at this time next year.
“It definitely adds motivation to get back to the same spot this year. This team is capable of anything we want to accomplish as long as we devote every day to getting better on and off the court,” said Brockington.
The rings however don’t do anything for Head Coach Kari Pickens in terms of motivating the team for next year, and simply something the players should look back fondly on to remember their efforts from a season ago.
“The rings do nothing to add motivation for this upcoming season, they are simply a reminder of the great memories the team shared,” said Pickens. “Our motivation comes from our program philosophy and the grounding we receive from the commitment to uphold that philosophy every day.”
The path to getting another set of rings is already underway with the Eagles beginning its preseason work, and have their first game of the season on Nov. 10 against Wayne State.
