Rachel Hyatt, a senior in chemical engineering and president of the women’s basketball club, has watched her team grow from a hobby that a group of friends shared, to a team that competes against other teams around the country.

“Last semester, we had a girl, Charity Britton, who was offered a scholarship to be on the varsity team, but she either didn’t have the time or wanted to focus on her academics, and she chose to play on the club team,” Hyatt said.

Hyatt said the team attracts women of all backgrounds who aren’t ready to give up the sport they love.

“We have players that could play on all levels, from rec leagues to varsity,” Hyatt said. “We have freshman who are coming in and want to keep playing and seniors who just found out about the team, miss basketball and want to play again.”

According to Samantha Little, a junior in textile technology, the talent on the team is comparable to some smaller college programs. She said some players had the opportunity play college basketball.

“We have girls that could have played at a smaller school, but chose to pursue academics over athletics,” Little said.

Since Hyatt has been on the team, she said a club player tried out and eventually made the varsity team and Darline Jasmin played on the club team after her four years of varsity eligibility expired.

“We don’t have a really close relationship with varsity team, but the opportunity is always there,” Little said.

Hyatt said club coach Stephanie Coates and a few of her friends started the team when they were students. Since Hyatt graduated in 2004, Coates has been instrumental in guiding the team to where it is now.

However, Hyatt said having a former player as a coach can be tricky.

“She was a president when she was here and it wasn’t that long ago, so she’s very knowledgeable about what we have going on with classes and all,” Hyatt said. “But she expects a lot out of us in practice because she’s been there.”

Hyatt, who is graduating in May, said she is very proud of the squad she is leaving behind. Of the 16 girls that were on the team this year, she expects 10 to 11 to return this spring.

“Team chemistry has been a lot better than in the past, and we have a lot of young players,” Hyatt said. “I think that will benefit the team going forward.”

The team participated in a November competition at the University of Maryland, which is the highlight of its season. It placed fourth in its division, falling to ECU and Georgetown.

“We didn’t play quite up to our potential,” Hyatt said.

A set schedule isn’t in place for the spring semester, but the team will stay active and might possibly hold a tournament, according to Little.

“In the spring, we have a couple of games here and there, maybe a scrimmage or two,” Little said.

Hyatt said after experiencing the ups and downs of her relatively new team, she knows how tough it is to deal with coaching changes, as N.C. State’s women’s basketball team is facing after the Athletics Department announced that Kay Yow would sit out the rest of the season.

“I’ve gone to coach Yow’s camps since I was in middle school, and I have the utmost respect for her and the team,” Hyatt said. “I wish her the best.”