In her third season at the helm of Bradley women’s basketball, head coach Kate Popovec-Goss leads a program determined to climb back into contention.
After two challenging seasons with more than 20 losses each, the Braves showed clear signs of growth this past year, winning their first conference tournament game in three seasons and steadily increasing fan engagement. As Popovec-Goss gets deeper into her tenure, she focuses on building culture, player development and community outreach.
Popovec-Goss spoke with The Bradley Scout and discussed her responsibility toward her players and the Bradley community, the team’s strides this season and the areas that still need improvement. The Braves’ head coach also spoke on recruiting strategies, the impact of the transfer portal and her outlook on next season.
The following interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.
Q: After back-to-back seasons with 20-plus losses, did you feel any pressure from the athletics program or fans to show major improvement heading into year three? If you did feel pressure, how do you think you and the team handled it? If you didn’t, what about you makes you able to stay confident through adversity?
Popovec-Goss: I didn’t feel pressure, but I did feel a responsibility, especially to the players who believed in Bradley and me as their coach. Peoria is a basketball city, with people who take pride in this institution, and I want them to be proud. In the same respect, I felt that the community and administration had confidence in what we were building and were supportive, and still are.
In terms of me remaining confident through adversity, I feel that’s one of my biggest strengths. I’ve always been resilient, and I learned to be resilient through the hard times. I want our players to embody that mindset as well, and again, I felt the most responsible to be tough for them.
Q: The team made a number of improvements this year, individually and as a team, winning the first conference tournament game in three years. Relative to the amount that you guys improved this season, do you feel that the team got the recognition that you deserved from local media and the fanbase?
Popovec-Goss: I think our fans have been awesome and continuing to grow in their support of us. A lot of that responsibility falls to me, and ensuring that our program is visible and we positively represent ourselves in the Bradley and Peoria community. We’ve done an excellent job there, and the community has welcomed us with open arms.
I would love to see more students. WBut we elevated our attendance 50% this year, and I’m hopeful that trend continues. In terms of coverage, I’m hopeful we [can] get more. Our radio crew has and continues to do an excellent job covering us, but I would love to get more press amongst the local media. I feel like we give the people a lot to talk about.
Q: What did that moment (winning the conference game against Valparaiso) feel like for you after all you’ve been through over the last few years?
Popovec-Goss: I just was so happy for the players, because they have worked so hard and committed to each other. It was really gratifying for me as a coach, and this has been one of my favorite seasons of my entire career. A lot of it goes beyond the wins and losses and into the culture that we really built this year. Winning culture comes before winning on the court, and this group truly fought, even when it got really hard.
I challenged them to trust the process, and it’s hard to do that when the results aren’t what you hope. But it started to come together in the months of February and March, and that’s all credit to the team believing in what we are building. In terms of that game, just to see our players be able to stick Bradley on the bracket and move on, it was a culmination of all the effort and heart they showed the entire season.
Q: The team obviously improved a lot defensively, but still was at the bottom of the league in offense. What steps will you and the team take to become a more balanced team next year?
Popovec-Goss: I think that injuries limited our offensive success to a degree, and I also knew that as we were building our team with nine new players, that offensive chemistry takes time. Defense has always been the identity that I want our program to be known for, because to me, it’s controllable.
It’s about effort, toughness, communication and grit. It’s what allowed us to be so competitive. Offense is a lot more complicated, and I knew with this group and our lack of point guard depth, it would take time. We need to really improve, but with our core of the roster returning, and some focus in the portal, we feel we can make a big improvement on the offensive side of the ball. Our kids know our system now, and we have a lot more maturity.
Q: You went out and got veteran experience in the transfer portal last year. What type of players will you be looking to add through the portal this offseason?
Popovec-Goss: I can’t credit our transfers enough with the shift in our program. They took a chance on Bradley, and they each believed they could help to elevate our program. We need scoring guards in the portal, as we lost a lot of that in Soleil’s graduation, but more importantly, we need the right kids who fit our culture and our values. We’re working hard to find kids that can elevate our offense, but more importantly, enhance the locker room.
Q: This season saw significant improvements from young players like Claire and Amy. Who are next in line to make similar improvements?
Popovec-Goss: I’m really excited for the league to see Inia Jones, whose ACL tear was a huge blow to our program. She’s been working so hard on her return, and I have a ton of confidence in who she is and how she will help us. I think that Ellie McDermid was fantastic for us this year, and I think she’s just scratching the surface of who she can become as a player. I could spend the entire time talking about all of our returners, because there isn’t a single one who has maximized their potential. So expect each of them to elevate.
Q: What type of players did you target in terms of high school recruitment and what makes you excited about their future as Braves?
Popovec-Goss: We always start by position—but in this class specifically, I was looking for more athleticism in our guard spot and a skilled big who fits our offensive system. We found that in Maya Foz and Anya Coulibally Garcia. The biggest thing they each bring is they both come from winning backgrounds and have a really strong level of competitive experience. I think they will enhance the competitive culture of our locker room as soon as they get to campus.
Q: Finally, what is your message to anyone underrating, overlooking or counting the Braves out next season?
Popovec-Goss: I don’t really have a message. I tell our players and staff every day, it’s truly about us. The only thing that matters is what we believe we are capable of accomplishing and us continuing to challenge ourselves to meet our standards.
If we aren’t doing this for ourselves and for outside validation, we aren’t doing it for the right reasons. I know who I do this for, and it’s for the fifteen young women in the locker room who believe in me as their leader. Their belief and development is my main focus. I want their focus to be on their growth individually for the benefit of their team.
But I would like to take a minute to thank you, The Scout, our fanbase and all of those who supported us this year. I do hope that to anyone reading who hasn’t seen us play takes the time to come and support us. You won’t regret it.
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