by Michaela Alfano '25
On Tuesday against Hiram, senior point guard Elizabeth Homan (Cincinnati/Anderson) cemented herself in the Ohio Wesleyan history books as the Battling Bishops' all-time assist leader. Homan's 464 assists breaks the record that was set in 2011 by Tyler Cordell, who has 462 assists to her name.
"Knowing that I have an opportunity to be number one in all-time assists is a pretty cool opportunity," Homan said. "But also, I wouldn't be able to do it if my teammates didn't make shots. Part of me is like 'How can I put their name also there with me?' because I can't get that opportunity without them."
When Homan joined the Ohio Wesleyan program, she came ready to grow, setting herself up to develop into the player she is now. This moment is ultimately a tribute to the commitment she has put in over these last 4 years.
During her time as a Bishop, Homan consistently showed up, starting in 85 of her 86 games. When it comes to assists, she has nearly doubled her average per game from 3.9 to 6.9 since her freshman season. Beyond that, she has averaged 32.5 minutes per game over the last 4 years, making a constant presence on the court.
"She really has committed to doing her best as a person," said head coach Stacey Ungashick Lobdell. "Her fitness level, her ability to just play 30 or 40 minutes a game. And not only playing that many minutes, (but the) the passion of it."
Homan's freshman season was cut short due to COVID, making this milestone even bigger. In 8 games during her freshman year, she put up 31 assists, setting a solid foundation for the years that have followed. After an impressive junior campaign with 167 assists, she has now surpassed that, sitting at 180 and counting for her senior season.
Not only is she dominating in the NCAC, where she has led in assists the last 2 years, but also in NCAA leaderboards. Homan ended last season ranked 13th in assists in the NCAA, but currently leads the nation in assists and sits second in assists per game across all of Division III women's basketball.
Coming into this season, Homan knew that there was unfinished business for the Bishops. They wanted to have a successful NCAC season again and accomplish goals that they didn't quite reach last year. A champion mindset is instilled in not only Homan, but all the other players on the team.
"There's a lot of people who talk and say they want to do it [win a championship], but these seniors in particular and, with Homan as the spearhead, are committed to getting to it," said assistant coach Susan Smith. "The standard that they show their teammates and how they inspire their teammates is so high that they just want to strive to be the best."
That speaks volumes about the kind of player, person, teammate, and leader Homan is. As much as she's had an impact on the court, it stretches so far off it as well. Homan bought into her role this year as a vocal leader to set the team up for success. She is always listening to those around her and learning so that the on-the-court product can succeed.
At the end of the day, the record book is a cool place to be, but Homan wants to leave a bigger legacy at Ohio Wesleyan. She wants to leave having made a positive impact on the team, both on and off the court.
"I want to not just leave a legacy that is going to be shown on statistics or records, but leave a legacy that people are going to remember based on personality," Homan said.
