With only one year under its belt, the St. Edward’s University women’s club basketball team has proven itself to be a noteworthy group on campus.

The team has grown beyond what many would have expected from a club only in their second season.

One of the most notable successes of the team thus far is their move into league play. Last year, the women only played exhibition games against other teams that were up-and-coming.

Club President Lizzy Ademski attributes the move into league play to interest generated as a result of pickup games in the gym.

“(The girls and I) from the team last year are always in the gym in the evenings playing pickup games,” Ademski said. “So when girls see us playing, it is an opportunity for us to tell them about the club.”

An increase in players, however, also means an increase in fundraising techniques, which the team has already started on.

“We already shag balls for NCAA soccer games,” Ademski said. “But we are going to start selling wrapping paper in the winter and we also are doing a Coca-Cola fundraiser where we will be selling Coke products in bulk for discounted prices, and a portion of all of our sales Coca-Cola gives back to us.”

This fundraising will come in handy as the team is in a league that is based out of San Antonio, resulting in travel expenses.

Finances aside, for a team that was only playing exhibition games last year, the women are excited to finally play in league games.

“We are playing competitively in a new league, and we have a new coach, Maddie Wheeler,” Club Officer Nicole Bray said. “She played for the St. Edward’s NCAA team and now we are lucky enough to have her coaching us.”

Under leadership of their new coach, the team’s practices are more organized and they are learning more skills than they had with their previous coach.

Both Ademski and Bray believe that having Wheeler as a coach has been a driving force behind their success in recruiting more players, and developing a strong team that will be able to compete against more experienced teams.

While the women have already begun practicing, their first game is not until mid-October.

“Our first game is at Victoria College on Oct. 15,” Ademski said. “But our first home game is Oct. 25 at 1:00 p.m.”