[SEASON PREVIEW] Gorby, Eagles look to bring wins, banners to women's basketball season

MIDWAY, Ky. - After dealing with a steep learning curve her first year on the job, Kylee Gorby's comfort level has grown significantly as she enters her second season as the Midway women's basketball coach.

Hired less than three months before the start of the 2023-24 season, Gorby says she's benefitted greatly from having a full offseason to help guide the program in the direction she sees fit.

"This is our coaching staff's first recruiting class," she said. "(We worked on) bringing in the pieces that we were lacking or pieces that could compliment what we already have.

"Collectively, we're going to be a stronger team. We are, across the board, longer, more athletic, faster than we we last season, which allows us to do some things that we weren't able to do previously."

She also praised her players for "bringing the competitive spirit" every day in practice, something that has been emphasized throughout the locker room.

"We've been going at it every day," senior guard Kassidy Daugherty said. "Last year, I kind of feel like coach Kylie was kind of rushed to get her players here. People left, we had transfers.

"This year I feel like she got her people here. We know how she wants things done."

Daugherty, a River States Conference Preseason All-Conference selection, highlights a strong core of returning players. She's the Eagles' top returning scorer after netting 10.7 points per-game last season.

Gorby has also been quick to sing the praises of sophomore point guard Jermyra Christian, who showed great promise a season ago when she averaged 9.8 points and a team-high 3.2 assists as a freshman.

Juniors Jacie Chesser and Trinity Johnson are also expected to see starters minutes, while seniors Atlantis White and Amoni White add a strong veteran presence.

That leadership will likely prove crucial, as a massive, 10-player freshman class will be leaned on to provide significant contributions.

Looking to keep a competitive edge before the season starts, Gorby declined to divulge who she thinks her top rookies will be, but added: "We have one young lady that I think could be really special. And at the end of the day you have to go prove that on the court and that will quickly not be a secret."

The mix of new and returning players are projected to lead the Eagles into the RSC Tournament again, as Midway was picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll of league coaches.

Gorby was modest with her own predictions, stating she was focused on having a winning record and going "higher than our seed" by the end of the regular season.

Her players, filled with the competitive spirit she lauds, expressed bigger goals.

"We need to win every game," Christian said.

"We want championships," added Daugherty. "We want banners. We want wins."

The Eagles open the year with back-to-back home games. They host Kentucky Christian at 6 p.m. Friday and Cincinnati-Clermont at 1 p.m. Saturday.

To view the Eagles' full schedule, click here.