The ball hits the hardwood and lands directly into her grasp. She begins to pivot while her eyes cautiously scope out her teammates positioning, then proceeds to make her way across the court as the clock begins to count down from 60 seconds.

While noises in the game consist of high pitch whistles and the squeaking of hurriedly moving shoes; one of the benches is creating a wave of chaos by jumping up and down, and chanting with excitement.
 
Once the final buzzer sounds, green jerseys begin to flood center court. Jacksonville University's women's basketball team defeats the Minnesota Gophers 69-66 on the road, notching a season-opening win over a Power-5 school for the first time in program history. Long after the opposing team exited the scene and the stands emptied, the celebration continued past the court, into the locker room.
 
"We were jumping and pouring water around like we had just won a championship," Freshman guard Jalisa Dunlap said. "The team kept hyping each other up even after everything was over."
 
Flashing back to the previous year, the ability to defeat a big-name program looked different. The Dolphins struggled to find rhythm through the 2021, covid-ridden season.
 
Immediately after JU's season ended in March, Head Coach Darnell Haney and his staff went to work to establish a new look for 2022. Haney added not only three new assistant coaches, but four transfers and one first-year freshman to the group. Roughly fifty percent of the team had unfamiliar faces now listed on the roster.
 
After four years Jacksonville State University, Hawks headlines the transfer class. She is joined by Carmella Walker, Asiah Jones and Shynia Jackson.
 
"We have always had success with transfers and they are really key when adding to the program," Haney said. "This group is a little more mature, they understand the game and how the basketball scene works."
 
The standout member of the freshman class is Georgia native, Jalisa Dunlap, who is getting her first taste of basketball at the collegiate level.
 
"Freshmen are having that typical adjustment period of gaining new skills to play at this level and being a student," Haney said. "Something we talked with Jalisa about is how some of those things are going to take time."
 
Once the official squad was solidified, preparation for a successful season began back in July. The athletes came together to work out and get settled in before school was in full swing.
 
Despite having jitters about stepping into a new team, the mix of returners and newcomers came together nicely. "Our first meeting was at a team barbeque over the summer before everything started," Hawks said. "We began to bond, going to the weight room together and now we hang out outside of basketball."
 
It has been apparent to Haney and his coaching staff that the veterans, especially Jones and Hawks, have really stepped up as leaders to their younger teammates. Regardless of spending most of their collegiate years playing elsewhere, the two are helping guide in more ways than one.
 
Hawks is spending her last year of eligibility in a JU uniform. While her time as a Dolphin is going to be short, it is clear she has earned the reputation for being a role model to the younger girls in a variety of ways.
 
Hawks earned player of the game in her JU debut and currently leads the team in minutes played, and scoring.
 
"I remembered Taylor from when we played JSU a few years ago and thought she was a savage on the court," Haney said. "But another important thing about her is she is showing the girls how to be a respectable young lady."
Jones is also shining across the leader board, landing in a top five slot in the rebound and scoring categories. Her collegiate career started at the University of Southern California before she transferred to Virginia Tech and eventually made her way to the Sunshine State.
 
She achieved stellar performances at both institutions, motivating Haney to keep track of her playing career.
 
"Asiah was the first big transfer commitment we received, I had been following her for a while and knew when she entered the portal," Haney said. "She's a bit older and more mature and really shows how disciplined she is on and off the court."
 
Similar to Jones, Dunlap is another athlete Haney kept a watchful eye on. Dunlap had a unique recruiting experience due to the pandemic that did not allow for much in-person interaction. Her eyes were set on JU once she knew she wanted to pursue a career in nursing and felt a connection with players who were already on the team.
 
"Since I could not go in person I talked to Haney on the phone and I thought he was very genuine, which I really appreciated," Dunlap said. "I did zoom calls with some of the girls who were on the team and after talking to them I knew I wanted to join the program."
 
While she is only in her first season as a college athlete, Dunlap has already started making a name for herself. In the game against Minnesota, she was a member of the starting line-up and was dubbed freshman of the week by the ASUN conference for her performance. Her highlights include scoring in double-figures, playing 22 minutes, and adding a rebound, an assist and a steal.
 
"I remember coach Jess came over to me and told me they needed me to get ready to be in the starting lineup and I was really nervous," Dunlap said. "Once I hit my first shot of the game I settled in and felt more comfortable."
After the head-turning result in Minnesota, the team brought its success to Swisher Gymnasium. JU escaped with a home-opening victory the following week, and later garnered five consecutive victories before entering conference play.
 
The seven victories earned before competing against ASUN opponents is almost twice the amount of wins the team had last season in total.
 
"I think the win in Minnesota was a huge confidence booster for our program," Haney said. "It really showed them that they have the talent, skill and heart to dominate anyone they compete against."
 
With conference play in full swing, the Dolphins have been able to continue their success, with the newcomers leading the way to a 5-2 conference record as of the end of January. For a team that had just four wins in total last season, the new-look Dolphins have provided a new standard for the program and the fresh 'phins look to be key contributors for the next month and beyond.