Pilots women’s basketball entered the locker room of Chiles Center after a tough overtime loss against Oregon State University Dec. 30. It was the first loss of the season for the Pilots and the end of their historic 14-game winning streak. While disappointed with the result, Head Coach Michael Meek says that the Pilots never cease to take positives from every game.
“We like to say life is five percent adversity and 95 percent how you deal with it,” Michael Meek said.
Using this phrase as their motto, the Pilots have continued to compete at the highest level of collegiate women’s basketball, vying to win the West Coast Conference (WCC) for the third season. They currently sit second in the WCC with an overall record of 18-3 and a conference record of 7-3 thanks to their hard work and unified team spirit.
Read on for everything you need to know about this history-making team.
A historic season start
The Pilots wrote their names in the record books with a program record 14-0 undefeated start to the 2024-25 season. They were also the only undefeated team to win every game by double digits.
Their winning streak ended with a tough 76-72 overtime loss against the Beavers on Dec. 30, 2024. Since their historic start to the season, their games and opponents have only gotten tougher.
“It’s been a fun ride,” Michael Meek said. “We knew that our schedule would get tougher, and I think it’s been a remarkable season up to this point. We’ve had a few close losses since then, so we’re still just trying to battle and get better.”
Guard Emme Shearer jumps surrounded by teammates during a game against the Oregon State Beavers. Photo by Maury Neipris courtesy of Pilot Athletics.
Burnham and Shearer lead the way
The Pilots have worked hard as a team to produce some great individual efforts this season. Graduate student Emme Shearer leads the team in points with 349 so far and was named WCC Player of the Week on Dec. 2, 2024, after scoring a career-high 26 points against the University of Nevada. She believes her recognition is a byproduct of the team's work in the gym.
“It’s really exciting,” Shearer said. “I think it’s just a testament to the work that we’ve done and all the training. It’s definitely fun to see all the hours that we’ve put in the gym behind the doors come to life in front of everyone.”
In the two weeks following Shearer’s award, fourth-year Maisie Burnham was named WCC Player of the Week twice for her season-high 25 points against the University of Texas at El Paso and career-high eight assists against Portland State University.
Graduate student Alexis Mark leads the team in rebounds and steals with 135 and 50, respectively. Graduate student McKelle Meek is the assist leader with 88, and fourth-year Trista Hull leads the team in blocks with 35.
Graduate student Emme Shearer shoots during a game against Princeton University. Photo courtesy of Pilot Athletics.
A commitment to high-pressing basketball
This season, the Pilots have stayed true to their unique high-pressing brand of basketball, making watching them play a necessity for basketball enthusiasts.
“The pace of play is fun to watch,” Michael Meek said. “We’re one of the few teams in the nation that presses as much as we do and plays full court. We’re controlled chaos, and we’re very organized with what we do.”
Shearer also loves this fun, fast-paced style of basketball and says that the team will continue to work hard to improve throughout the rest of the season.
“I think the pace that we’re able to play with is super fun and exciting,” Shearer said. “We just have to find a way after losses to get back to what we’re good at and fine-tune our basketball so we can get better and better.”
Trust and teamwork are essential to their success
In addition to their full-court press, the Pilots’ success has also come from their camaraderie and team’s closeness. Last summer, they took an 11-day team trip to Europe that Shearer says allowed them to bond and get to know each other more.
“The trip was huge in our abilities to bond with each other and do super fun activities,” Shearer said. “During the season, we spend so much time together…we’re all each other’s best friends, so everyone’s always engaged with one another."
The Pilots are a player-led team, and Burnham attributes their success to the trust they put in each other. According to her, it shows their leadership, responsibility and resilience.
“I feel like we’re truly a team, through and through,” Burnham said. “I trust in my teammates and have confidence in our relationships and the coaching staff... We’re one big family and that helps us play together.”
Translating that trust onto the court, McKelle Meek says their trust is integral to their success when they have the ball.
“When we pass the ball to each other, we trust that our teammates are going to make a decision that’s best for the team,” McKelle Meek said. “As a point guard, I feel like whenever I pass the ball to my teammates, I know they’re going to do something good with it.”
Forward Alexis Mark and Forward/Center Trista Hull grin during a game against the University of San Francisco Dons. Photo by Maury Neipris courtesy of Pilot Athletics.
Big postseason hopes:
Looking ahead, the Pilots aim to win the WCC tournament for a third year in a row and make it to the 2025 NCAA National Tournament. After winning back-to-back WCC Championships in 2023 and 2024, the pressure and expectation to win again this year has increased, but they are working hard to make their dreams reality.
As the Pilots look towards the future, Michael Meek says consistency and details will be key.
“We’re going to have to start being more consistent,” Michael Meek said. “Overall, I feel like we’re in a good spot, and we just need to keep getting better. It’s been a really great start to the year, but we always play for March, not November.”
Pilots women’s basketball will return to the Chiles Center on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 6:00 p.m. to play Saint Mary’s College of California.
Aidan Hyde is a sports reporter at The Beacon. He can be reached at hyde25@up.edu.
