The University of North Georgia women’s basketball team finished the season ranked fourth in the nation following their defeat in the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament.
The Nighthawk women were regular-season champions, having the best record in the Southeast region. They ended the regular season with 22 wins and just three losses.
After that, the Nighthawks went on to win the Peach Belt Conference Championship against Clayton State University by a score of 72-65. Their success didn’t stop there because they won the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional against Lander University 59-57.
Sophomore guard Caroline Martin was a huge part of the team’s postseason success averaging 15.6 points per game.
Martin says that a major part of their success stems from the team’s extensive scouting. On top of that, Martin stressed the importance of team play and film review.
Senior guard Abbie Franklin said staying healthy was a huge factor for her and the team as COVID-19 affected them for part of the season, dropping the number of available players from 14 to eight for a stretch.
Seniors led the way for the Nighthawks this season, both on and off the court.
Franklin was a team leader throughout her time on the UNG women’s basketball team. Despite a knee injury in the latter half of the season, Franklin was still a leader on the floor and the sideline vocally, averaging 9.1 points per game in the regular season.
Anna Claire Atha was a redshirt senior guard for the Nighthawks and a key bench piece, shooting at 39.1 percent from the field.
Jamari McDavid was a senior forward who averaged 10.4 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Nighthawks. Her defensive efforts, averaging 1.1 steals per game, helped the Nighthawks rally on more than one occasion this season.
Josie Earnhardt was a dynamic guard for the Nighthawks, averaging 9.9 points per game and shooting 42% from three.
Julianne Sutton was a star as a senior, averaging 16.2 points per game and 9.5 assists per game. Sutton was a leader vocally and kept the team locked in throughout the regular and postseason.
