Texas A&M women’s basketball is in a great place with the addition of Joni Taylor, the 2021 SEC Coach of the Year. After spending 11 years as an assistant coach, associate head coach, and then head coach at Georgia Lady Bulldog women’s basketball, Taylor was named 2021 SEC coach of the year. An accolade that was well deserved after leading the Lady Bulldogs to the SEC tournament finals.
In just her second season with Texas A&M, Taylor led the Aggies to the first round of the NCAA Division I tournament. After an aggressive run, fighting to overcome a 17-point deficit, the Aggies were unable to overcome Nebraska Cornhuskers, 61-59.
While not making it past the first round, Texas A&M increased their win total from the year prior by 10 games. The only other team to see this increase in victories from one year to the next was done by Carolyn Peck between 2002 and 2004.
Following the game Taylor has this to say,
“I don’t want to lose sight of the step we made from year one to year two in our program. You’re looking at a team who won two conference games last year, nine games total. In year two we’re sitting here at the NCAA Tournament, which was one of the goals for our program. So I don’t want how this game ended to overshadow the tremendous year that we had in year two of our program. We have our team returning with the exception of very few, so I’m really excited about the future of our program."
The lesson that a setback doesn’t nullify the overall achievement is something we aim to teach the girls of the 318 Foundation.
In historically underserved communities, young girls face a significant opportunity gap due to complex social, economic, and educational challenges, creating formidable barriers to their success. With this in mind, 318 Foundation was founded.
Of our three programs, 318 SPORTS is dedicated to empowering exceptionally talented athletes who may lack exposure or the necessary support to unlock their full potential. Our mission is to create transformative elite training experiences that not only enhance their athletic abilities but also focus on personal growth and empowerment.
Taking inspiration from the Texas A&M Aggies season, we aim to help guide the next generation.
Join us in the journey towards excellence with 318 SPORTS.
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References:
12th Man 1, 12th Man 2, Aggie's Wire
