In 2020, Cindy Griffin, coach of St. Joseph’s University women’s basketball was having another tough season and looking for ways to change the trajectory of the team.

She found that positive change in the 2021 recruiting class and a renewed focus on team culture, writes Jeff Neiburg for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

That 2021 recruiting class was led by Tayla Brugler, Julie Nyström, and Mackenzie Smith. They brought in a new fusion of talent and determination, according to Griffin.

“Sometimes you cycle in and you cycle out based on classes, recruiting, injuries, and all that stuff. We knew that we obviously needed a really good recruiting class coming in, and we got that with the ’21 class,” Griffin said.

Recognizing their potential early on, she put her freshmen on the court as much as possible so they could make mistakes and learn how to work together.

To help strengthen the team even more, Griffin brought in a culture coach who helped them identify two major core values: being selfless and relentless.

All the hard work is paying off.

This season they tied the program record for most wins in a season and headed into the A-10 basketball tournament this past weekend as the No. 3 seed.

Read more about St. Joseph’s women’s basketball and how the team found the right ingredients for success in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

_____________