Penn women entering NCAA tourney with write attitude

After a 24-4 (13-1 Ivy) season, a No. 26 RPI ranking and a 10-seed in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, all team bests, the Penn women's basketball team will square off against the 22-10 Washington Huskies (11-7 Pac-12) Saturday at 4 p.m. in College Park, Md.

Penn is led by Ivy League Coach of the Year Mike McLaughlin, Ivy Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year junior Sydney Stipanovich and sophomore Michelle Nwokedi, who was also first-team All-Ivy. Rounding out the projected starting lineup are junior Kasey Chambers and sophomores Anna Ross and Lauren Whitlatch.

Penn's players will be writing diary entries for the Daily News during the team's tournament run.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - This past week has been a culmination of success, excitement, and unbelievable support from the Penn community. After months and months of hard work both on and off the court, the Ivy League title came down to one game between Princeton and us last Tuesday. We were up for the challenge, just as we have been for every other game, both physically and mentally. Coach McLaughlin always stresses to live in the moment, and at this point, I think his message finally got across to us.

Throughout the year, our team chemistry has been incredible, as we all have grown a sister-like bond, and this game exhibited it perfectly. The celebration didn't just end that night, but lasted all week, as the Penn athletics committee put on an amazing NCAA Tournament selection party on Monday night that students, faculty, fans, and family attended, to support us. The whole experience is definitely something we will cherish forever.

Being a student-athlete at Penn is a dream come true. Not only are we lucky enough to receive a world-class education, we also get to play the sport we love while doing it. Winning the Ivy League championship has sparked increasing interest in our team and it is exciting to hear students in our classes, professors, and people around campus congratulate us daily. We are thrilled to see the school come together and erupt with school spirit. We are all so honored to be representing Penn, and thankful for all the support we have received in this journey.

Coming into Penn, each one of our ultimate goals was to win an Ivy League championship. With grit, hard work, and dedication, we as a team accomplished that goal. Now, we have the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament, something we've watched since we were children and could only dream about playing in one day. We are ready to take on the challenge head-on and enjoy the experience.