March 20, 2012

By Bill Wagner

Two nights before Navy hosted Colgate in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Tournament, head coach Stefanie Pemper was in Maine attending a high school basketball game. It was Senior Night for one of Navy’s top incoming recruits and Pemper thought it was important to be there in-person.

That tidbit helps explain why Navy women’s basketball has enjoyed unprecedented success in the brief four-year tenure of Pemper and why most believe bigger and better things are on the horizon.

Pemper has already proven she can get maximum performance out of a team by teaching sound fundamentals in practice and drawing up sharp Xs and Os during games. Now that Navy has captured consecutive Patriot League championships and made back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament, the talent level within the program is certain to improve.

Standing outside the visiting locker room in a corridor of the Comcast Center on Saturday afternoon following a first-round loss to host Maryland in the NCAA Tournament, Pemper was upbeat about the future of Navy women’s basketball — and for good reason. The Midshipmen return four starters and their top four reserves.

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