All-Access at the A-10 Tournament in DC: HoopsHD interviews Loyola University Chicago dancer Miabella DiGrazia

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, parents, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The A-10 Tournament is taking place this week in Washington, DC, and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with an interview of Loyola University Chicago dancer Miabella DiGrazia about the DC foodie scene and how she thinks the Ramblers will do this afternoon.

You are from Addison, IL: what made you choose Loyola? I chose Loyola because the pharmacy program that I am in only allowed me to pick from around 10 schools for undergrad, and Loyola was the biggest one. I also had the opportunity to continue my dance career and be on a D-1 team that competes at college nationals. The pharmacy program and dance team really drew me in.

You are majoring in chemistry: how did you choose that subject? I technically do not have a major because I am not getting a bachelor’s degree from Loyola, but most of the classes I have to take are science-based. I have had to take chemistry every semester at Loyola so far because pharmacy is all chemistry-based.

You are a sophomore and will begin pharmacy school next year: how many years will that take, and what is the plan after that? I will be attending pharmacy school at Midwestern University’s College of Pharmacy in Downers Grove, IL: this is a 3-year/year-round program. Upon completion, I plan to do 2 post-graduate years of residency so that I can specialize in one area. I have no idea what I want to specialize in yet, but thankfully the first 2 years of pharmacy school will help me figure that out.

You like trying new restaurants: will you have a chance to explore the DC foodie scene this week? In the past 2 days I have been able to try 2 DC restaurants. At the café Chez Lily, I had a vanilla latte and an everything bagel, which were both spectacular. I also was able to try the chicken fried rice at Wok and Roll, which was amazing. Hopefully I can sneak in a few more restaurants before we head home!

How did you 1st get into dancing, and what is the best part? My parents put me in ballet at 3 years old and I have been dancing ever since. The best part of dance for me is getting to perform. It is one of the only sports that takes an insane amount of athleticism/skill, but also allows you to express yourself and create art.

Your team has won 21+ games for the 2nd straight year: is it more fun to support the team when they are doing well? I always love getting to support the Ramblers. The team doing well the past two seasons has only made my job easier: I get so into the games and take pride in making Gentile Arena come to life on game days. The energy in Gentile is always electric and I think that Dance/Cheer/Band along with our student section (The Pack) do a great job at getting all the fans involved in the game.

What has been the highlight of your season so far: starting 8-0, Senior Night, other? The highlight of my season so far has been cherishing all my “lasts”. My college dance career looks a little different than most because I only get a rookie season and a senior season. I am so thankful to my Coach (Gina Parenti) for all the opportunities she has given me and for treating me as a senior. These are moments that I will cherish for a lifetime.

How does your school decide who gets to go to DC, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? Our coaches pick the girls who have been excelling during game day appearances and always bring the energy. They also look at how each spirit team member participates in and out of practice and how they are committed to embodying what it means to be a Rambler. It is so exciting that we get to perform in such a big atmosphere. Getting to travel for the A-10 Tournament is something that my younger self would not have thought was possible, but I know that she would be so proud of where I am at. I had always assumed that my dance career would end after high school so being here is a dream come true.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for this week? We have been soaking in all the teammate time that we can with coffee runs every morning, exploring monuments/museums/federal buildings in the afternoon, and team bonding and review sessions every night. It has been so special to share this experience with my best friends.

The Ramblers are the #4 seed this week: how far do you think they will go? They are going all the way: this team has the drive/passion to make it far this season. With the band, spirit teams, and a ton of fans here to support them, I know the boys are ready to win!

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All-Access at the A-10 Tournament in DC: HoopsHD interviews Loyola University Chicago cheerleader Estelle Ryhal

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, parents, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The A-10 Tournament is taking place this week in Washington, DC, and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with an interview of Loyola University Chicago cheerleader Estelle Ryhal about her favorite podcast and how she thinks the Ramblers will do this afternoon.

You are from Bloomington, IN: what made you choose Loyola? I chose Loyola because I was impressed by its wonderful STEM programs and the high post-graduation success rate of its students in the healthcare and related fields. Additionally, I wanted to be a collegiate cheerleader and saw myself being able to succeed and be a leader on this team. I felt like being in Chicago would also force me out of my comfort zone and help me gain independence while also not being too far from home and my family.

You are majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry/women’s studies and gender studies: how did you choose that subject? I chose biology because I am passionate about science and knew that I could make a difference in people’s lives by going into the biology field. I am pre-health, and biology gives me a very well-rounded perspective on the health field. I wanted to augment my biology education with chemistry to give myself an added challenge, and chemistry is fundamental to the understanding of biological processes on both a macroscopic and microscopic level. Finally, I chose women’s studies & gender studies because I find it to be a very important topic and knew that it would give me a more universal understanding of women and gender.

You are a senior: what is the post-graduation plan? At some point, I hope to return to school to pursue a master’s/doctoral degree in a health-related field. In the interim, I plan to spend a couple of years working in a field that will propel me in the direction of those goals. Additionally, I hope to coach a high school cheer team immediately upon graduation and plan to do that for the remainder of my life.

1 of your hobbies is listening to true crime podcasts: any great ones that you recommend to our readers? I highly recommend “Crime Junkie”. Not only is it one of the most thoroughly researched and well-produced true crime podcasts, but it also does a lot of advocacy work, including funding DNA testing for cold cases and through the creation of the non-profit organization Season of Justice. Additionally, the hosts are from Indiana, which creates a special Hoosier connection for me.

How did you 1st get into cheering, and what is the best part? I first got into cheerleading when I switched to a gym with an all-star cheerleading team: I would always get in trouble for being distracted by the cheer team’s stunts ay practice. I tried out at the start of the next season and immediately excelled and have not been able to stop since. My favorite part about cheerleading on a general level is stunting, but overall it is the amazing opportunities I have been granted and, more importantly, the countless wonderful coaches/teammates/colleagues/athletes I have been able to work with.

Your team has won 21+ games for the 2nd straight year: is it more fun to support the team when they are doing well? While a highly successful season is always exciting, I love being a Rambler and cheering on Loyola through the highs and the lows is a gift in any case!

What has been the highlight of your season so far: starting 8-0, Senior Night, other? The highlight of my season this year has been competing at the UCA College Cheerleading National Championship. I have competed through UCA at the national level since sophomore year of high school and this year it was more special than ever. I focused on being present and enjoying every moment and I am extremely proud to say that our team placed 7th in the nation after being bumped up to a more competitive/advanced division.

How does your school decide who gets to go to DC, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? The choice of who travels with the team is based on several factors, but mainly seniority/stunt positions. I am lucky enough to be travelling to this tournament with six of my best friends/teammates who have helped shape who I am as a person and cheerleader, three of whom are also seniors. More than anything, I feel lucky to have the opportunity to continue to cheer with them at least one more time and continue to make core memories with them.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for this week? We spent Thursday exploring DC, including the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History as well as some of the monuments. I also expect we will have some sort of team dinner at some point. We are lucky enough to get to travel with our dance team and pep band (the Band of Wolves), which always makes these trips that much better. We truly are a family!

The Ramblers are the #4 seed this week: how far do you think they will go? I have no doubt that the Ramblers will go all the way…and further!

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews St. Francis cheerleader Lizzy Frank

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last Tuesday St. Francis beat CCSU 46-43 in the NEC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Red Flash had losing seasons each of the past 4 years but won each of their final 6 games to claim the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 1991. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with St. Francis cheerleader Lizzy Frank about the historic win earlier this week and making the NCAA tourney.

You are from Altoona, PA: what was it like to be a high school cheerleader during COVID? It took a toll on my senior year, and my team was not allowed to cheer at a lot of our games. It was not fun, but I made sure to cheer at every opportunity I could.

What made you choose St. Francis? I waited a long time to apply to any schools. St. Francis is a good school and is close to home, so after I got accepted I decided to go there.

You are pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration on digital media: how did you choose those subjects? I was originally a psychology major but quickly decided that marketing would be the best way for me to connect with the fashion industry.

You are a senior: do you have a post-graduation plan yet? I wish I did! I have been working at an internship all year and have not looked anywhere else. My dream job would be to go to a big city and become a marketing executive at a high-end fashion brand.

How did you 1st get into cheering, and what is the best part? I 1st started cheering for my school’s flag football team during elementary school, and I was 1 of those kids whose parents always put me in Penn State/Steeler uniforms. The best part is just cheering for the team on game day.

Your team was 10-17 in mid-February: what was the mood like inside DeGol Arena last month, and how has it changed since then? St. Francis does a great job of keeping the energy positive: our band acts as another student section and has a great vibe. It is a very big deal to see how far the team has come, but we have not lost any speed in terms of our encouragement/support.

Last Tuesday in the NEC tourney title game your team had a 3-PT win at CCSU: what was the reaction like after the final buzzer went off, and how excited is everyone on campus this week? We all hugged each other and started jumping up and down. The band was going crazy, and it was fun to see the team cut down the nets. It was cool to see everyone on campus come together considering we are such a small school.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? We are only allowed to have 12 people combined between cheer/dance. I am a senior and a captain, so I will be going with our 2 other captains. Attendance at games and passion for the team are also important. I am a little nervous for us to receive all this national attention, but we are a good team so we deserve it.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for next week? We will just go out and do what we have been doing all year…but we will be much more excited for it.

Any predictions for next week? I am kind of a bad cheerleader so I only keep up with our team, but I have a strong hope/desire for us to win…and I think that we will do it!

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews UNCG SR PG Jayde Gamble

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last Sunday UNCG beat Chattanooga 64-57 in OT in the SoCon women’s tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Spartans have won 14 games in a row as they claimed the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 1998. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with UNCG SR PG Jayde Gamble about being a great defender and making the NCAA tourney.

You began your college career at UNCW: why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose UNCG? I had 2 different coaching changes during my 2 years at UNCW, and UNCG has 1 of the best speech pathology programs in the state.

You play for Coach Trina Patterson: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? She is a players’ coach and gives us what we need at that moment. She taught me to embrace the present and never get too high/too low.

Last year you were also named 1st-Team All-Conference and conference All-Tournament Team: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It was a blessing, especially after coming here from a new conference and having to prove what I could do.

In the 2024 WNIT you scored 8 PTS in a 5-PT loss to North Carolina A&T: what did you learn from that loss that you think will help you this time around in the postseason? When you get into March everyone knows what you like to do. This year I am more than just a scorer so I can focus on trying to impact the game in different ways.

You are leading the team in PPG/APG: how do you balance your scoring with your passing? The opposing defense kind of makes it easy for me. I do not force shots up and just play within the flow of the game.

You faced several power-conference teams in non-conference play (North Carolina/Georgia/Wake Forest): which of them impressed you the most? I think the Tar Heels are always a good matchup because they have a lot of athletic players who can run the floor. The SEC is very big, so it was also fun to face Georgia.

You finished top-3 in the conference in SPG during each of the past 2 years: what is the key to being a great defender? Just being in the right place at the right time. I am lucky to have a teammate behind me in Khalis Cain who is a shot-blocker. It also can fuel our offensive energy to get steals.

Last Sunday in the SoCon tourney title game you scored 12 PTS in a 7-PT OT win over Chattanooga to clinch the title: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? I was blessed to be in that moment. I did not win a lot of games at UNCW, and the chance to play a Chattanooga team who beat us in the conference tourney last year was nice. It has brought a lot of attention to our school, and we have received a lot of appreciation from our alumni and the people who work here because this has not been done in a long time.

You enter the NCAA tourney on a 14-game winning streak: has it reached a point where you expect to win every time that you step onto the court? 1 thing that I have been taught is to play hard, so even if we are in a hole early, we will not give up because we thrive in those moments. We are in great physical condition and are mentally tough, which allows us to compete with anyone.

What kind of seed do you think you deserve, and what kind of seed do you think you will get? I have never been in this position, so I do not know what we deserve. I have heard that we will get a 15/16 seed, but I am just grateful for this moment.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews UNCG women’s coach Trina Patterson

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last Sunday UNCG beat Chattanooga 64-57 in OT in the SoCon women’s tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Spartans have won 14 games in a row as they claimed the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 1998. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with UNCG women’s coach Trina Patterson about being a builder and making the NCAA tourney.

As a basketball player at Virginia you led the team in rebounding as a junior and were team captain as a senior: what is the key to being a great rebounder, and what is the key to being a great leader? Rebounding is about heart/desire: you can have all the technique you want in terms of your hands/positioning…but it is about going after it. If you have a tough team, then they will be good at rebounding. I played vs. guys when I was growing up, so I had to be tough enough to get on the court. I was the oldest child/oldest grandchild, which forced me to lead, and I was captain of my high school team in Newport News, VA. My mother was a teacher, so I had to do things the right way. I studied the traits of good leaders: I am going to be Trina, but my husband is a retired Marine, and I learned from him as well. So many people are poured into me.

Your coach was Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Debbie Ryan: what made her such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from her? She recruited me and taught me how to work hard because she saw those leadership qualities in me. We had some incredibly difficult things to do, and she focused on working hard/playing defense. My position coach for 2 years was a guy you might have heard of named…Geno Auriemma!

You won 26 games in 1987 and made it to the Sweet 16: what was it like to face Tennessee coach Pat Summit in postseason play? I later coached against Pat as an assistant. We did not have a chance that day on the road at Tennessee: their fans were intimidating, their defense pressured us a lot, and she was a phenomenal coach.

In 2014 you made the Final 4 as an assistant to Tara VanDerveer at Stanford before losing to eventual champion UConn: what was it like to face that undefeated Huskies team featuring Breanna Stewart/Geno? Working with Tara every day helped me a lot. I got that job due to my involvement in USA Basketball: I spent 1-on-1 time with her every year on the Selection Committee. It was an honor to work for her, but I moved back to Virginia after 2 years because my father’s health was declining. I worked with a pair of future #1 draft picks in Chiney/Nneka Ogwumike and I appreciated all those moments. I was like a sponge and just tried to help Tara win a title, and I try to teach our assistants now the same thing.

Your UNCG team had back-to-back seasons of single-digit wins in 2021/2022: at the time did you think that a 25-win season would be possible? Winning a championship was always in my mind. Situations ebb and flow: the year after COVID was hard for everyone. We won 23 games the year before that but then took a dip. I knew that I would be able to build this program.

You have been named conference COY in the CAA/America East/SoCon: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I am a builder! All the jobs I got were not great jobs. William & Mary had never had a winning season…but we won 20 games in year #3. Albany had quickly transitioned from D-3 to D-2 to D-1…and we went .500 in year #3. When I took this job they had not had a winning season in 5 years…and we built it. Some of us might be lucky enough to get handed a great established program, but most of us have to build it while making changes.

Your team’s 51.8 PPG allowed is #3 in the nation: what is the secret to playing great defense? Spartan basketball is like John Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success”, and defense is the foundation. We can travel with it and our players understand how important it is. We have an elite person in Khalis Cain, who protects the rim as our “street sweeper”, and we do not waste time on things that are unimportant: we only do drills that are key to the game. It goes back to Debbie: if you cannot play defense then you will not win a championship.

Last Sunday in the SoCon women’s tourney title game your team had a 7-PT OT win over Chattanooga to clinch the title: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? It means everything. I am thankful to God for the opportunity to do what I love doing. I enjoy coaching young women and helping them become champions both on/off the court. To finally reach my goal from year #1 was surreal: tears were flying, and I could not believe it happened. When I got back to campus I slept for 2 days because I was so tired, but I have pressed the reset button and now I am back. Every 1 of our players/coaches/administrators helped us get this result.

Your fellow Cavalier alum Dawn Staley has won 2 of the past 3 NCAA women’s titles as coach at South Carolina: how proud are you of all her success, and do you think that she can make it 3 of the past 4? I do. My best friend in college was Dawn Bryant, who is from Philly, and she knew Dawn Staley. Debbie told us that Staley was good, which I did not want to hear at the time, but when she showed up she was lights-out. I have the utmost respect for her: she built Temple, then built South Carolina, and has done so much for our sport. We are in a great space for women’s basketball: it is a great place to be.

You enter the NCAA tourney on a 14-game winning streak: what kind of seed do you think you deserve, and what kind of seed do you think you will get? What we deserve will be based on our body of work. We lost to UTSA and really played well against Georgia/Wake Forest. We competed against UNC, but did not get the win. I think we would have gotten a 13/14 seed if we had beaten 1 of those Power 4 teams, but we might get a 15 seed due to a bid thief if we are ranked higher than them in the NET.

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The Hoops HD Selection Committee – Thursday, March 13th

Posted on March 13, 2025 by John Stalica

Tonight was our initial night of the Hoops HD Selection Committee meetings. After the meeting began, our first order of business was to name the 2025 Centenary and Stallings Award winners. The Citadel won their first Centenary Award and Miami won their first Stallings Award, meaning that both teams will be on the Selection Board for the entirety of the proceedings.

After that, a motion was made to take off all but one of the Under The Radar regular season champions that automatically appeared on the Under Consideration board – only Liberty survived the initial purge. When that was done, we began debating on which teams would be added to the at-large field.

In the first round of voting, each of the Committee members nominated 8 teams for consideration – the top 8 vote-getters were Mississippi St, UConn, Creighton, Illinois, Marquette, Kansas, Memphis, and Mizzou. We then ranked the teams 1 through 8 – the top four vote-getters that were added to the at-large board were Missouri, Illinois, and Memphis. There was a tie between Kansas and Marquette for the fourth spot; Kansas was added and Marquette became a carryover team along with Mississippi State, Creighton and UConn.

The next round of voting meant that we again nominated 8 teams individually. This time, the top 4 vote-getters for nomination were New Mexico, Baylor, West Virginia and Georgia. (There was actually a 5-way tie for 2nd place; Arkansas and Vandy missed the cut in this tiebreaker vote). The next group of eight teams was again ranked 1 through 8 and the next four at-large teams added were Marquette, Mississippi State, UConn and Creighton. The next four carryovers were Baylor, West Virginia, Georgia and New Mexico.

For the last round of voting, the top 4 vote-getters for nomination were Utah State, Indiana, Arkansas and Vanderbilt. After ranking the teams 1 through 8, the next four at-large teams added were New Mexico, Baylor, Georgia and Utah State. The three carryover teams for the next round of voting were Arkansas, Indiana and Vanderbilt; West Virginia moved back to Under Consideration since they could not carry over a second time.

Our work was done for the night – here is the updated board:

In the Under Consideration column, the teams highlighted in yellow have all been eliminated from their conference tournaments and cannot add anything further to their profiles. Also note that there are currently two contingency spots for the Big 12 and Big 10; there will be no bid thieves out of those conferences. The Big East could open up as well if UConn beats Villanova (which was in progress at the time this was posted).

Tomorrow, our main goal will be to begin seeding the top 8 lines of the NCAA Tournament field; we may also fill in any remaining at-large bids that open up tomorrow as well.

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