Izzy Mignardi ’27

by Izzy Mignardi ’27 on November 13, 2025

“I’m trying to get my women to believe.”

“I’m trying to get my women to believe,” women’s basketball head coach Erin Batth shared with reporters at the Big East Media Day at the end of October. After being ranked No. 10 in the Big East coaches poll, Batth reaffirmed her confidence in the women on her team and in herself as a coach. 

The team has revamped their roster after 10 of last year’s players graduated. The Friars’ only returning players are Sophi Hall ’27, Orlagh Gormley ’28, and Audrey Shields ’27. With 12 new players, Batth shared how getting the team to mesh well is essential for a successful season. It sounds old school, she explained, but she focuses on spending time with each of them individually and inviting the players to spend time together off the court, even welcoming them into her own home. This level of comfort with one another will translate nicely onto the court for both practices and games.

Despite losing their home opener to Howard University 68–56, Batth reported that she doesn’t want the team to view themselves as underdogs anymore. Labeling themselves as underdogs means they accept their place, which isn’t the attitude that she wants the players to have. She did say that she would rather be ranked No.10  than No. 3 though, because the team is “out here to surprise people.” She continued, “The beauty of the Big East is that you never know what you’re going to get.”

So how exactly does Batth plan to achieve success with this almost entirely new team? Aside from working on getting them to know each other and maintaining their energy, she explained that a team can mirror their head coach and she wants this team to mirror her aggression. The pace of their offensive game will be faster—speed is something she believes is crucial for a winning season. Additionally, becoming better shooters and overall more athletic players is how she sees the team refuting the pre-season coaches low poll rank. Ultimately, her tactic to forget about last year’s record and the coaches poll is something she calls prioritizing their “next play.”  Don’t focus on what happened, but what you’re going to do next. She advises the team to apply this to basketball, of course, but to take this with them off the court too.

“Good and bad we’re going to do this together,” Batth said. Watch for this team dynamic on Saturday, Nov. 15 when the Friars play Boston College in Alumni Hall.