A SALUTE TO THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SENIORS

WRITTEN + EDITED BY JORDYN BONTRAGER

Flash back to the Spring of 2020, and you will recall the fondness that accompanied Chloe Moore-McNeil’s commitment to begin (and inevitably end) her collegiate career at Indiana. Flash forward 2x years, and it was former Indiana Miss Basketball Sydney Parrish whose decision to transfer to IU yielded joy in the hearts of the Hoosier faithful. Flash forward another 2x years, and it was Tennessee transfer Karoline Striplin’s election to escort her services to Bloomington which brought yet another sense of bliss to this fanbase + program alike.

Travel back to the present, and it is crazy to believe that last night’s unfortunate L was this trio’s final regular season home game as collegiate basketball players.

While the phenomenal 5th-year pair of Moore-McNeil and Parrish have been around a bit longer than their starting center, there is no mistaking that Striplin has also come in and left her mark on this program even if she has only been with the team for a single season. Where we collectively had the pleasure of watching CMM + Saucy P grow up throughout their eligibility timelines, Striplin arrived in Bloomington as a battle-tested, highly experienced player. She has instilled a collected sense of calm for this team all year long, and has not looked back since (rightfully) replacing fellow talented center Lilly Meister in the starting unit.

Through and through, these Hoosiers have proven their immense value on the court for the Indiana University women’s basketball program. And through their gritty performance night in and night out, they have simultaneously helped inspire the younger generation of up-and-coming female ballers. If we are lucky, that inspiration will extend a branch further in swaying some of those future stars to follow in Moore-McNeil x Parrish x Striplin’s footsteps.

The entire state of Indiana loves you, ladies. Keep going!