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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
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The Daemen women's basketball team, pictured here in early September at Canalside, has been active in raising awareness for social issues over the last several months

Daemen Women's Hoops Brings Full-Court Press Towards Social Awareness

9/29/2020 12:00:00 PM

By: By Joe Kraus, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant
AMHERST, N.Y.  –  For the Daemen College women's basketball team, the seeds of unity were planted inside the locker room at the start of the 2019-20 season. The phrase, "I Got You," synced with what the program was building on and off the court at the time, and the future ahead. Based on last year's success alone, the Wildcats bought into this "we before me" culture, as they won the first East Coast Conference Tournament title in program history this past March, among many additional accolades.

"We had to make sure we always had each other's backs, no matter what," said Daemen head coach Jenepher Banker on Wildcat Weekly last week. "That was the tagline that the team came up with to remind us that no matter what, we have each other and we'll take care of each other, regardless of what happens. When you repeat that a lot of different times, it's certainly helpful in getting you the results you're trying to go for."

The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor made national headlines this summer, resulting in ongoing protests and cries of racial and social injustices heard across the country – in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. Instead of staying silent, the Wildcats, among many collegiate and professional teams, used their platforms to bring awareness to these matters.

In June, the team posted a #IGotYou team video, which Mickayla Ivy said brought the team together even closer.
"It shows because we do have a diverse basketball team, and so, we were all there for each other and we all needed each other at that time," the junior forward said. "We put forth the efforts for each of us to have each other's backs and we are still now doing things to help Black communities, Black Lives Matters – and also – with everything happening – mental health and just trying to keep each other together.

It helps a lot knowing a team has your back, definitely being a minority in the (United) States at the moment."

In the weeks leading up to the start of the new academic year, Ivy and her teammates drew off their diversity, a team strength, to prepare new initiatives on campus.

"Being able to know that people are on different paths currently and are seeing different things, and to be able to come together in a judgment-free zone and speak our minds and our truths and what we want to do, helps so much because this summer was very difficult," Ivy said. "The four months of quarantine with racial issues and all this kind of stuff, it helps to know that people – regardless of what they're going through – are going to have your back. And to be able see different perspectives and to be able to put your hand out and help them in any way possible that you can."

The first step? Helping in Daemen's campus-wide Get Civically Fit campaign to promote voter registration earlier this month. By the end of the first week on campus, the team was 100 percent registered to vote, and later volunteered at register booths to help others sign up before the election season.
With these initiatives, Banker and Ivy said the program knows there are people nationwide who wonder why student-athletes are getting involved now, and they may assume that student-athletes – and college students overall – don't care about elections. Many may firmly believe student-athletes shouldn't use their platforms to bring awareness to such social issues.

But Banker and Ivy also pointed out in order for proper change to happen, standing on the sidelines isn't an option anymore for anyone.

"Honestly, I believe with student-athletes, especially those in college, I believe people definitely need to understand that we're not just athletes – we're also people," said Ivy. "And, for some people, after these four years of their sports, are not going to be athletes anymore. They need to understand that we're very much people. We're very much human and we're very much here to help the people around us.

We want to use our platform for good so that they can understand that there's issues that need to be faced, whether they like it or not. It just has to be like that."

"Everybody's voice matters and I think that's where we are now," added Banker. "And even in terms of those initiatives, I hope that everybody understands that. We did that with our women's basketball team, but any organization or any individual should kind of have that mindset of 'they're 100 percent registered to vote.'"

The Wildcats are hopeful for a return to the hardwood in January 2021. But until the official "green light," the Wildcats will do their part, on and off the court, to carry each other and their peers by saying, "I got you," a simple phrase from teammate Sydney Barney that, in the eyes of Ivy, has even more meaning today.

"Whatever you're going through, (Sidney) had you and she said, 'I got you' every single time," said Ivy, emphasizing the last three words.
 
You're not going to fall backwards. You're going to fall forwards and you're going to have people to catch you." 

Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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