Coach Hannah Reflects on Her March Madness Runs at University of Washington
By: Dylan Tehada
It has only been a few days since the first and second round of the NCAA March Madness Women’s tournament kicked off and there’s still so much buzz surrounding the players and teams still fighting for a title. Final Four tickets for this year's tournament are flying off the shelves as the women’s tournament has sold six times more tickets for their Final Four compared to the men’s tournament. Basketball fans from around the country are in awe of the legendary performances put on by stars like Caitlyn Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers. One of UPB’s very own, Coach Hannah, has been tuning in to all the games and has even been reflecting on her own experience playing in a Final Four and Sweet Sixteen during her stint at the University of Washington in 2016 and 2017.
In the 2016 NCAA Women’s Tournament, the No. 7 seed University of Washington Huskies made it to the Final Four led by star and current Las Vegas Aces Guard, Kelsey Plum. The following season, the Huskies returned back to the Sweet 16 in Plum’s final season and made a name for themselves as a program. There are many reasons from a talented roster to strong team camaraderie that made these runs possible, but perhaps the biggest factor according to Coach Hannah in her team’s success was the hope and momentum they carried with them throughout the tournament.
“I just remember the belief our team had and not even worrying about what seed we were, but every single time that we would get on the bus after each game, we felt like we were going to win the next one. We just knew it and the whole team felt it,” Johnson said.
Johnson played a big role during both seasons, being a spark off the bench as the sixth man and also a strong contributor to maintaining the energy and hope that fueled the Huskies’ runs. Despite being injured during the tournament in 2016 during the Huskies’ Final Four campaign, Johnson played a big role in fostering strong team chemistry and sustaining the energy from game to game. In the following year, she served as the sixth man for the No. 3 seeded Huskies coming off a season where she averaged 3.5 points and 16.5 minutes per game.
“Even if I didn't touch the floor and play in [tournament] games, I still felt like I had a huge role because not only was I bringing energy day in and day out to feed my team, but I was also a great practice player to get them ready for the tournament,” Johnson said.
This year’s tournament has received more attention and exposure than every year before. Players like Caitlyn Clark and Angel Reese have taken the world by storm with their elite performances on collegiate basketball’s biggest stage, but talent in women’s basketball is not a newfound discovery according to Johnson.
“Just seeing people's eyes finally open to good basketball and to support women's basketball specifically is pretty amazing. And again being in [the tournament], I saw the stars and these types of players but they didn't get enough craze or enough looks as they’re getting now,” Johnson said.
Women’s basketball is at a pivotal juncture and the hype surrounding the game is only going to grow. This year’s tournament and all the stars in women’s hoops will have a lasting influence and impact on the next generation of female hoopers. According to Johnson, the rise of women’s basketball is just beginning and the future is bright for all the upcoming talent looking to make a name for themselves.
“I think young girls watching this [tournament] gives them that platform to dream big and see how it's possible and that these women were once young girls like they were and they all had a dream and all worked towards something,” Johnson said.
