Glenn looks back on career-high season

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Sports Information

Junior Miki Glenn finishes the season with a number of accolades and with sights set on the 2016-2017 season

Rachael Kriger, Cal Times Sports Editor

     Miki Glenn finished off her junior season with California University of Pennsylvania basketball by being named to a prestigious award. Glenn was named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America Team.

      Glenn is one of ten players around the country named to the list. When she found out she was to receive the award, she was proud to be named to, what she called, an elite group. “I have worked hard for a long time and to reach an accomplishment like this is a testament to all of my teammates, coaches, and family,” Glenn said.

      Glenn’s WBCA All-America Team selection came a couple weeks after the Vulcan women’s basketball team won the PSAC Tournament and competed in the NCAA Tournament. The Vulcans defeated Indiana University of Pennsylvania to achieve winning status in the PSAC.

    “It was a crazy experience,” Glenn said, recalling the PSAC Championship win. “It takes a lot to win it once, but to win it two times is unreal. It’s a credit to great coaching. Coach Jess [Strom] has been teaching the same things since I was freshman and it has given us a lot of success. For us, it was a game we knew we had to play well to win. IUP was a very good team. The defense we played is what we worked on all year long and it was really good in that game. We played well as a team and it ended in a championship and me getting engaged, what could be better?”

         In the NCAA Tournament, The Vulcans then faced Chowan University in the first round, and defeated Chowan 80-70. The Vulcans then faced West Liberty University, but fell to a 68-62 loss. Even with the exit in the NCAA Tournament, Glenn said the experience was valuable to herself and her teammates.

      “It’s always a great experience to be one of the 64 teams chosen,” Glenn said. “It’s special and we treated it that way. We got to have fun as team, but it’s cool to get to practice in different places and get to play against different teams. It didn’t end the way we wanted but like I said before I’m proud of this team.”

       Glenn had plenty of roles on the team, when it came to playing on the court. However, on and off the court, Glenn was seen as a leader to her teammates. Being a junior, Glenn was a vocal leader, along with playing senior Paige Wright and injured seniors Lana Doran and Brittany Nelson. She said she will miss Wright, as she is graduating this spring, but is excited to have Doran and Nelson next season.

     “Paige was always there to support everyone,” she said. “She did a good job helping to teach the younger girls. She was hilarious. She always had a joke to tell, or she was making fun of someone. There is never a dull moment with this team.”

      When it came to being a leader, Glenn said she remembered what her former high school coach told her. “My high school coach, Coach Marshall always told me, ‘The greatest compliment you can receive is being counted on,’” she said. “I love having people look up to me, it forces me to be my best at all times. I enjoy helping and teaching them what I know. The great teams always have a lot of trust in each other and I hope my teammates trust in me.”

   Glenn works out with assistant coach Kelly Sabo in the offseason, but doesn’t play any club basketball. She also does not play for any U-20s, U-21, or U-23 United States National Teams, but given the opportunity, it isn’t something she’d pass up. However for now, Glenn will continue to get in shape for next Vulcan basketball season, which she is already anticipating.

     “I’m already excited about next season,” Glenn said. “We will have everyone back except for Paige, and we are adding some freshman that we hope will make an impact. It’s very early to talk about playoffs, but it’s going to be my senior year and I’m not going to do down without a fight.”