Going into the 2020-21 season, there’s no denying that Toledo women’s basketball has a young roster.
With 11 underclassmen on Tricia Cullop’s squad, it’s very fitting that the group will be led by three sophomores — Quinesha Lockett, Mali Morgan-Elliott, and Sophia Wiard — as their captains.
It’s a first in Cullop’s 13 seasons.
“But I've never had three players or student-athletes quite like these three,” Cullop said. “They played a lot as freshmen. I think they earned a lot of respect. They worked hard every day and they all three bring great leadership qualities.
“What is interesting about them being elected is our coaching staff doesn't vote. This is purely what our players on the team think. So, they have earned it outright and deservedly so, and honestly, I agreed with it even though I didn't vote.”
While captains are voted on by the players, anyone who wants to put their name in the running has to get up in front of the team and say why they want to be captain and why it’s important to them before the team votes.
“I had to build up the courage to do it,” Lockett said. “I was like, ‘Oh, we have so many seniors that have left, and now I'm going to have to step up.’ And it just happened.
“It feels really good, and I know I can rise to the occasion.”
Even though she is entering her sophomore year, Lockett is one of the most experienced players on the roster. The 5-10 wing started 24 of 31 games last season, averaging 9.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals in 26.1 minutes per game. She also earned the team’s best defensive player award.
Morgan-Elliott, a 5-9 forward, played in 27 games last year and made 11 starts, missing four contests with a right ankle injury. She played 14.6 minutes per game and averaged 3.2 points and 2.0 boards. She finished fourth on the team in overall field goal percentage (.410).
Last year as a true freshman she said she learned a lot about leadership from Nakiah Black, Mariella Santucci, Arianne Whitaker, and Tanaya Beacham, all of whom have graduated.
“They really took us under their wings, especially Nakiah and Mari, and just set an example,” Morgan-Elliott said. “Even our upperclassmen this year, they still set the example.”
The 5-7 Wiard appeared in all 31 games off the bench. She averaged 3.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists, playing 15 minutes per game.
Wiard said the three sophomores are “inseparable,” along with redshirt freshman Yaniah Curry and sophomore guard Soleil Barnes.
“Besides the three or four hours we had on the court, literally our little time off we spent together,” Wiard said of last year. “We can all say whatever we want to each other. If someone needs to pick it up, we're going to be very vocal about it and just pick each other up from there. But I think with the underclassmen they know they can speak up because we're only one year older than them. So, it's kind of like they are learning, we're learning, so I think it gives room for growth for the underclassmen as well to just be like OK we are learning this together, we respect them, we're just going to do it.”
The three sophomores also all have different leadership styles, but the balance is one that works, according to the trio.
“Mali is more of the one who can get attention right away by how she talks to people,” Lockett said. “She's more of the aggressive one that will be like, ‘let's go.’ Soph is more of the one that brings everyone together. She is more calm, collected, and gets everyone going that way. We all lead by example, but I am more of the goofy happy, lead-by-example type of person.”
Another driving force that affects the three new captains is a new appreciation and motivation following the abrupt end to the 2020 season.
After knocking off top-seeded Central Michigan in the MAC tournament quarterfinals, beating them for the second time in a week span, the remainder of the tournament and the entire 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We had the momentum and we had the drive,” Morgan-Elliott said. “So, when it got canceled, our seniors didn't get their last games, they didn't get anything. I feel like that pushes me and our team to go even harder to get that championship for this year.”
With a new perspective and with the team being so young, Cullop says that the underclassmen captains are not only fitting but have the potential to shape the program for the years to come.
“Eight of our players on our team are either newcomers or players coming back from an injury last year that did not play,” she said. “So, these three sophomores have a lot of experience. When you look at the totem pole of experience on our roster, they are three of our more veteran players.
“It's a unique team, but what is exciting about it, you think about the potential for the future of some consistency at the leadership position, and sometimes you have a captain for a year or two and they graduate. So, it's nice from that perspective looking long term to know that we could have some consistency for several years.”
First Published October 14, 2020, 1:30 p.m.
