Chi Omegas win Griner, Sims as coaches in basketball competition
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor
By Kasey McMillian
Reporter
Brittney Griner and Odyssey Sims will coach Chi-Omega’s “A” basketball team in its game Tuesday at the Student Life Center, after the sorority won their help in a competition. Chi-Omega will play Pi Beta Phi’s “B” team at 5 p.m.
On Jan. 11, the Lady Bears defeated Oklahoma State 71-44, and the numbers of students present representing their sorority letters and wearing Greeklife T-shirts brought a variety of color to the stands. The girls’ basketball team was seeking student involvement and had wanted to find a way to encourage fans to show up to cheer on the No. 1 ranked team to another victory at home.
The Lady Bears decided there was no better way to do this than awarding All-American players Griner and Sims as coaches for one of the sorority’s intramural basketball games this semester. The group with the highest attendance would have the chance to work with some of Baylor women’s star athletes.
The sorority with the most attendance was Chi Omega, with 69 members present. Moments after the winning group was revealed, students jumped on Facebook and Twitter to spread the news.
“We were all over social networks, and everybody not there was tracking the results; it’s a pretty big thing for our chapter because we are so passionate about intramurals,” Waco junior Hannah Abbe, the captain of Chi-O’s “A” basketball team, said.
Abbe leads her team this season as a shooting guard. She has past experiences with both Griner and Sims.
“I grew up going to basketball camp at Baylor, playing with and against Odyssey Sims, and trying to guard Brittney Griner in a zone,” Abbe said. “It’s really cool getting to see their skill level progressively improve.”
Aside from coaching, Griner and Sims will get a feel for what Greek-life on campus is like. Abbe said the group hopes to make the experience as memorable for their new coaches as it will be for the team.
“They will get coaches’ shirts for sure,” Abbe said, “We want to give them something to remember our chapter by because they are supporting Chi-O.”
Chi-O has a young team this year, with three new freshmen. However, they all played high school ball and have the experience and skills to be strong assets to Chi-O’s A team, Abbe said.
The team is in 2nd place, based on a total number of wins in all sports throughout the year. The other clubs in Chi-O’s bracket are anxiously awaiting the debut of the team’s new star-studded coaching staff.
“Of course it’s something to be aware of,” Austin sophomore Ashtyn Mathews, a member of competing Pi Beta Phi, said. “But I’m really excited for Chi-O, and it goes without saying that any match-up involving Brittney and Odyssey’s new team will be entertaining to watch.”
“I will definitely be there to witness the big game and to support my Chi-O sisters,” Dallas sophomore Kat Robanson, a member of Chi Omega, said. “I wouldn’t miss it.”