Busing down to Maryland

The Penn women's basketball team (22-6, 12-2 Ivy) will be making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in a decade, following this year's Ivy League championship. Senior Courtney Wilson and freshman Sydney Stipanovich are writing a daily diary for the Daily News throughout the team's run in the tournament.

Yesterday afternoon after practice at the Palestra, our team made its way to the bus. We were about to leave for Maryland, but before we boarded, we were greeted by an energetic crowd. The band was playing, cheerleaders were cheering, and friends and faculty were there as well. It was the perfect send-off to get us pumped for our road trip. Need not forget, as we pulled away our mascot, the Quaker, ran along-side the bus for a final cheer.

Compared to some of our Ivy trips, this trip was a breeze being just 2 and a half hours. We ate snacks, chatted and watched a movie - the typical routine of our bus rides. Even though the circumstances of this trip are different from our previous games this year, we are not treating it any different. Coach McLaughlin highlighted throughout the week that the game is still the same: 40 minutes of play, 94 feet of court and the same goal in mind. We are focused on staying true to ourselves, playing our game and seizing the moment.