The women’s basketball team concluded its season with a 5-11 conference record, a 9-16 overall record, and a seventh place Northwest Conference standing.

But the Wildcats see basketball as more than the scores on the board.

In terms of the scores, it was an up and down season.

But the Wildcats believe they made positive strides toward coming together as a team to be a conference force next season.

“Even though we didn’t finish how we wanted to, our season ended on a positive note and you could definitely see how much we grew as a team throughout it,” senior Genna Hughes said.

“We had so much team chemistry and the bonds we made as a team will last us a lifetime.”

Linfield faced the Whitworth Pirates on Friday and the Whitman Blues on Saturday. The Wildcats lost to the Pirates 57-77 and to the Blues 71-82.

“The Washington trip didn’t have the outcome we were hoping for but in both games we played our hearts out and that’s all you can ask for,” Hughes said.

After the losses, the ’Cats finished seventh in the conference standings ahead of Pacific University and Pacific Lutheran University.

George Fox Bruins finished No. 1 in the NWC with their almost perfect conference record of 15-1.

Next season, Linfield loses three seniors: Jade Everage, Paige Graham and Hughes.

“As a senior moving forward, I think this program is in the best place to really be a threat in the NWC. There will be a ton of talent returning and the coaching staff is phenomenal,” Hughes said.

“I’m incredibly grateful to have been part of a team like this. It was definitely the best part of my whole college experience,” she said.
Third-year head coach Casey Bunn led the team along with assistant coaches Emily Gray and Quincey Gibson.