LIHU‘E — Williams College of Williamstown, Mass. dropped its NCAA, Women’s Division III match 56-59 to DePauw University Friday during the semifinals of the Women’s Division III basketball in Holland, Michigan. Lauren Claypoole, a graduate of Island School where she
LIHU‘E — Williams College of Williamstown, Mass. dropped its NCAA, Women’s Division III match 56-59 to DePauw University Friday during the semifinals of the Women’s Division III basketball in Holland, Michigan.
Lauren Claypoole, a graduate of Island School where she played center for the Voyagers’ girls basketball team, is on the roster for Williams College who started its quest for the Division III crown on March 1 when it defeated Scranton, 79-59 during the opening round.
The win advanced Williams to face Rochester, a game the Ephs put away 68-60, advancing to meet Ithaca in the third round on March 8.
Beating Ithaca 64-40, Williams advanced to the semifinals with a 63-53 win over Whitman College on March 9.
Williams suffered its first loss in the semifinals, dropping to DePauw to face its arch-rival Amherst on Saturday, the Ephs’ first appearance in the Final Four.
Taking a 57-53 win over Amherst, Williams finished the NCAA Division III in third place behind the shooting of its guards Danny Rainer and Jenny Harding who finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively, in the win.
“Lauren has not gotten many minutes of play time,” Cheryl Claypoole, Lauren’s mother, said in an email. “But how many kids from Kaua‘i have been on a team playing in March Madness?”
Cheryl Claypoole said Division I is not the only division student-athletes can aspire to, Lauren making a decision to play at Williams College after being recruited by more than a handful of Division III colleges.
“Division III allows a student-athlete to be just that — a student first, athlete second,” Cheryl said. “There are 449 Division III schools, making it the largest of the division with schools ranging in size from 500 to 20,000 students.”
Williams College, where Lauren is listed as a 6-1 forward, has an enrollment of 2,100 students.
“You are part of a team that, with hard practice, can make dreams come true,” Cheryl; said. “The NCAA paid for the entire weekend, red carpet treatment, and is flying Lauren back home for spring break.”
Cheryl, who has had coaching time on the Voyagers’ floor, said basketball is a team sport.
“The first string is only as good as the players they compete against all week, every week, since September,” she said. “Three, four hour practices, six days a week. Every single player had a part in winning this trophy as they all worked hard and sacrificed for the goal.”
Cheryl said Lauren is working with the strength coach daily when she returns to Williams following the spring break. Her goal is to improve her skills in order to help the team return to “the dance” next year, despite losing six seniors.
“She is motivated,” Cheryl said.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
