UT Arlington Mavericks women's wheelchair basketball

The UT Arlington Mavericks women's wheelchair basketball team, commonly known as the Lady Movin' Mavs, is the women's college wheelchair basketball team representing the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Established in 2013, the team plays under the auspices of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). It has been coached by Jason Nelms since its establishment.

The Lady Movin' Mavs in action against the Great Britain national team in 2019

The Lady Movin' Mavs have won two National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NIWBT) national championships, in 2016 and 2018. Two of its players, Abby Dunkin and Rose Hollermann, have played for the United States Paralympic wheelchair basketball team. Two additional players of international note who have played for the Lady Movin' Mavs are Australian Annabelle Lindsay and Canadian Élodie Tessier.

History

The Lady Movin' Mavs were established in 2013.[1][2] Jason Nelms was named its head coach. He previously played as a member of UTA's men's wheelchair basketball team, the Movin' Mavs, from 2000 to 2005 and also competed in three Paralympic Games.[3] During its inaugural 2013–14 season, the team had no substitute players, instead playing all five of its players for the full 40 minutes of each game.[2][4] The Lady Movin' Mavs played their first games against the University of Alabama and University of Illinois during a tournament in late October 2013.[3] They also played in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Tournament (NWBAT) in their first season, but were disqualified because one of their players fell sick before the tournament and the team could not field a five-player lineup.[5] In April 2014, the team signed Rose Hollermann and Josie Aslakson in its first recruiting class.[6]

The Lady Movin' Mavs were initially a sports club at UTA and transitioned to full intercollegiate team status once sufficient funds had been raised.[7] It plays under the auspices of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA), which organizes intercollegiate wheelchair basketball tournaments across the United States. During the 2014–15 season, the team's roster grew from five to nine players, which allowed the team greater flexibility with strategy and opportunities to rest players.[8] That season, the team played in the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NIWBT), where it lost to the University of Illinois in its first game and then lost to the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater in the third-place game.[9]

During the 2015–16 season, just the third season in the team's existence, it won its first national championship by beating the University of Alabama and then the University of Illinois in the NIWBT.[10][11] The Lady Movin' Mavs finished with a 19–5 record on the season.[10] That summer, it also had its first two players make the United States Paralympic wheelchair basketball team roster for the 2016 Summer Paralympics: Abby Dunkin and Rose Hollermann.[12]

The Lady Movin' Mavs finished the 2016–17 season with a 57–48 loss to the University of Alabama in the championship game of the NIWBT after they beat the University of Illinois 68–19 in their first-round game.[13]

Annabelle Lindsay with the Lady Movin' Mavs in 2019

During the 2017–18 season, the Lady Movin' Mavs recorded a perfect 20–0 season record. The team defeated the University of Alabama 65–55 in the NIWBT championship game to win its second national title. It was led by the play of veterans Dunkin, Hollermann, and Morgan Wood as well as Australian freshman Annabelle Lindsay.[14]

The Lady Movin' Mavs finished the 2018–19 season with an 82–76 overtime loss to the University of Alabama in the championship game of the NIWBT.[15] In 2019, the team added Canadian freshman Élodie Tessier to its roster.[1]

The Lady Movin' Mavs in action against the Arizona Wildcats in 2020

As of 2019, the Lady Movin' Mavs are one of only five women's college wheelchair basketball teams in the country, along with the University of Alabama, the University of Arizona, the University of Illinois, and the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.[7]

Roster
PlayerHometownMajor
Elizabeth BeckerUnited States Charlotte, North CarolinaBroadcasting
Victoria CeballosUnited States Brownsville, TexasExercise Physiology
Alexus CookUnited States San Antonio, TexasCriminal Justice / Psychology
Jayna DollCanada Camrose, AlbertaTheatre Arts
Meagan LotzUnited States Redmond, WashingtonAerospace Engineering
Denise RodriguezUnited States Richardson, TexasSocial Work
Élodie TessierCanada Saint-Germain-de Grantham, QuebecInternational Business
Zoe VorisUnited States Chicago, IllinoisFine Arts
Angelina Elise WelfleUnited States Fort Wayne, IndianaPublic Relations

Coaches
Head coach Jason Nelms with the Lady Movin' Mavs during a timeout in 2019

Jason Nelms has been the head coach of the Lady Movin' Mavs since the establishment of the team in 2013. He is a UTA alumnus and a former member of the Movin' Mavs men's wheelchair basketball team.[3]

Season-by-season results
Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Jason Nelms () (2013–present)
2013–2014 Nelms NWBAT Disqualified
2014–2015 Nelms NIWBT Fourth Place
2015–2016 Nelms 19–5NIWBT Champion
2016–2017 Nelms NIWBT Runner-Up
2017–2018 Nelms 20–0NIWBT Champion
2018–2019 Nelms NIWBT Runner-Up
2019–2020 Nelms Tournament canceled
2020–2021 Nelms NIWBT Runner-Up
Total:

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References
  1. Vedia, Arianna (November 6, 2019). "Lady Movin' Mavs build off foundation, look to next generation of players". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  2. Logan, Cassie (March 5, 2015). "Lady Movin' Mavs to compete for 1st national championship". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  3. Manske, Canyon (October 1, 2013). "Women's wheelchair basketball to debut Oct. 25". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  4. Manske, Canyon (November 6, 2013). "Team to debut without substitute players". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  5. McKinley, Grant (March 6, 2014). "Lady Movin' Mavs disqualified, win anyway". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  6. DeTienne, Jesse (April 15, 2014). "Women's team brings in elite recruiting class". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  7. "Intercollegiate Women". National Wheelchair Basketball Association. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  8. Powers, Jevon (November 12, 2014). "Lady Movin' Mavs bolster roster". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  9. Logan, Cassie (March 7, 2015). "Lady Movin' Mavs fall in consolation game". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  10. Lopez, Selby (March 12, 2016). "Lady Movin' Mavs capture first national championship". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  11. Ciesco, Tim (March 16, 2016). "UTA Lady Movin' Mavs Bring Home First National Title". KXAS-TV. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  12. Kost, Kenney (January 27, 2016). "5 players head to Rio Paralympics". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  13. Gibson, Destine (March 13, 2017). "Movin' Mavs clinch tournament, Lady Movin' Mavs fall in championship". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  14. Mody, Abhijit (March 17, 2018). "Lady Movin' Mavs claim national title". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  15. Coyle, R.J. (March 16, 2019). "Lady Movin' Mavs lose national championship final in overtime thriller". The Shorthorn. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
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