After closing out last season with a district title, the women’s varsity basketball team is preparing for the start of a new season and the process of selecting its roster.

“We did really good last year. We won districts and we played really well, we had a good record,” Sophomore Leah Poggiolo said.

Before tryouts on Nov. 19, players prepare by going to open gyms, conditioning, weightlifting and putting up shots in order to gain a position on the team. The expectations remain the same, to be competitive in every aspect of the game and doing physical preparations. They should also expect to work hard, compete and learn how to be a part of the team, according to Women’s Varsity basketball coach Madison Ristovski.

“As a coach, I want to create these same experiences for my athletes. I want basketball to help them grow as strong young women,” Ristovski said.

Last season, the team had nine upperclassmen and six underclassmen. The numbers fluctuate year to year depending on who tries out for the team. Though, as seen on the team’s Instagram account, those numbers will potentially turn the previous ratio on its head as a majority of underclassmen attended the cornhole fundraiser for basketball.

 In addition, session one of the fall ball, a pre-season fall league before their season, named sophomore Janielle Turner most valued player (MVP) for the game. With that, gaining the opportunity to make varsity can help accelerate players’ potential professional careers.

“Making Varsity means a lot because it shows all the hard work I put in,” sophomore Mackenzie Turner said, “I can achieve big things and go to the next level with it.”