Alyson Jefferson

Women’s Basketball Captain and BSAG Co-Chair

Beyond the court, you’re also a co-chair of BSAG. What’s that like? Has it had any impact on your basketball experience at Oberlin?

Being a co-chair of BSAG definitely keeps me busy. We’ve had a few events, and we’re planning a few more in the spring. I’m definitely busier now than in the fall. Being co-chair allows me to connect with so many athletes across campus, which I enjoy because I don’t always get to talk to people outside of practice or see them a lot in the training room. It’s a lot of coordinating and event planning, talking to different groups on campus and talking with Delta Lodge Director of Athletics & Physical Education Natalie Winklefoos and Senior Associate Director of Athletics Creg Jantz. On the court, it helps me with the communication aspect and the time management aspect because with basketball, you have to learn plays and show up to practice, lift, recovery, all those different things. When I also have BSAG on the schedule, it can definitely be a lot to juggle at times, but it has helped me to prioritize a lot.

What are you most excited for in your role with BSAG this year?

I’m definitely most excited for the basketball tournament. Last year, we had one in March when Black History Month events were in March, and it was called the Black History Month Tournament. This year, it’s called Obie Madness, and it’s going to be in April. I’m definitely excited for that because we get a lot of participation in the basketball tournament because it’s not just athletes, it’s people across campus — people in the Conservatory can join, and people in the community come out to watch.

I’m glad I can spread the word about the different Black athletes on campus and share their accomplishments because there aren’t a lot of them in different spaces and on different teams. It’s nice to highlight it.

Yeowomen Beat Denison, Facing Wittenberg University in NCAC Semifinals

Overall, scoring slowed in the second quarter, with good defense and intense pressure on ball handlers and shooters. Buckets by first-year Lily Najmulski, third-year Jaedyn O’Reilly, and third-year Alyson Jefferson kept the Yeowomen in contention, and a buzzer-beater by second-year Kendal McCall lessened the Big Red’s lead to two, with Denison leading 30–28 at half.

Second-year Bryana Woodard tied the game with layup to start the half, which set the tone for the third quarter. The two teams kept the scoring numbers high and stayed neck and neck thanks to Najmulski and third-year Gina Lombard. The duo knocked down a pair of two three-pointers each, which gave the Yeowomen a fourpoint advantage entering the fourth.

Najmulski and Lombard continued their success in the fourth by knocking down back-to-back three-pointers in the opening minute, which got the crowd rolling. Second-year Camille Zinaich, fueled by the moment and the crowd’s energy, knocked down three mid-range jumpers in a row to extend Oberlin’s lead to 14. Down 66–52 with five minutes remaining, Denison crawled back valiantly and scored nine consecutive points to cut the lead to 5.

First-year Angela Kumler held her nerve and sank her free throws, solidifying the Yeowomen with an unreachable seven point lead. Oberlin held on to knock off Denison 72–62 and advanced to the NCAC Championship Semifinals. They will face the number one seed, Wittenberg University, in Greencastle, IN.

Zinaich is looking forward to the upcoming matchup. She’s not only excited to be in the semifinals for two consecutive years, but she also hopes to avenge the team’s previous losses against Wittenberg this year, one of which was the final game of the regular season.

“It feels pretty awesome to be back in the semifinals,” Zinaich said. “Last year we did not play our best and we left Indiana feeling pretty bad, so it’s good to be back for some redemption. I am really excited to be playing Wittenberg. We lost to them twice this year, so we really want this win and want to end up in the championship game. The team and I are definitely striving for a championship this weekend.”