The Otterbein Cardinals are going into battle this winter — a battle that can only be won by the strongest, swiftest and most intelligent players in the league.
Coming off of a losing season last year with an 8-18 record, the team is more excited than ever for the great things that are in store for them this year.
“We are definitely more athletic and longer, we are a lot taller. The guys worked really hard in the off season, not that we didn’t work hard before, I think thats one of our strengths,” said Todd Adrian, Otterbein’s head coach. “I think these guys are gym rats and they are going to get better every year. I think we are a little more skilled than we have been in the past.”
As seen in other sports teams so far, the conference is full of talent and competition this year. Of the 10 teams in the Ohio Athletic Conference this season, Otterbein is currently ranked to finish eighth.Though not quite at the very bottom, Otterbein isn’t seen as a front-runner for a post-season appearance. This ranking does not deter the team in the least bit.
“The league will be tough as a whole this year,” said Matt McCollister, a junior point guard. “With a lot of players returning from each team I think that any given night any team in the league can beat (one another).”
McCollister, a health promotion and fitness major, played in 18 games last season and appeared in all 25 games as a freshman. One of six returners to the court this year, McCollister looks forward to competing with his team and proving the the naysayers wrong.
Otterbein’s bench includes a lot of fresh faces. Some of the team is just starting out in a conference of this level. McCollister said he thinks it will be interesting to see how well the younger players adapt to this new environment.
“We have a pretty good mesh of young and old(er) guys,” said Marshall Crum, a junior religion major. “Hopefully, our athleticism and hard work will make up for our youth.”
Under the guidance of Adrian, the team has been training vigorously for the upcoming season. Improving speed and accuracy has been a top priority for the team during preseason.
“We have done a lot more strength training in this offseason than we have before,” said McCollister. “A lot more time (was) spent in the gym as a team than my previous years as well.”
While the team is working hard to bring their best game this season, there is another group that is anxiously awaiting on the sidelines — Adrian’s Army. This group of energetic and rowdy students is a pivotal part of the team, cheering them on to victory.
“We get a lot of energy from the students,” McCollister said. “Hopefully they will be out in full force this year.”
With such a young team, Adrian hopes to have Otterbein fans come and support them as they learn to play together on a bigger stage.
“A great student section can help us get through those tough times,” Adrian said. “Our young guys may need to rely on that excitement to push through.”
The Cardinals will host Marietta for the team’s home opener on Dec. 4 at the Rike.
