Dana Bandurick is first-year women’s basketball player from New Hope, Pennsylvania and a graduate of Council Rock High School North. Bandurick led the Garnet to a 61-55 victory over Washington College on Tuesday, November 26th. She registered 14 points, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 3 rebounds, and an assist. Bandurick was efficient, shooting 5-8 from the field and 4-6 from the free throw line in the 29 minutes she was on the court. On Saturday, Bandurick again led the team in scoring, this time going 13-18 from the field and dropping a whopping 29 points. The Garnet at currently sitting at 3-4.
Joe Barile: What made you choose Swarthmore above any other schools you were considering for basketball or academics?
Dana Bandurick: Swarthmore just really stood out to me as such a unique opportunity to receive one of the best liberal arts education and to be part of such a tightly knit community of people who genuinely love their school and the people there.
JB: How has the transition from high school basketball to collegiate basketball been?
DB:Collegiate basketball has definitely been more intense, but the team and coaches have been very welcoming and supportive in making the transition easier, and now I can’t imagine not having the level of intensity we have for our practices and games.
JB: As a first-year student playing a considerable amount on a college team, is there any added pressure to perform well?
DB:There is a little added pressure because I feel as a first-year I need to really play well to prove that I can help the team despite having less experience in college basketball, but overall the team is so supportive that I feel more just like any other player on the team, instead of an inexperienced first-year.
JB: What members of the team have helped you and your fellow first-years adapt to the college game?
DB: Every single member of the team has been very helpful in helping us adapt to the college game, especially the upperclassmen who have more experience with the program. Because our team is so close, everyone has really made us feel like we really belong to this great group and helped us with every aspect of our transition to Swarthmore, including academics, basketball, and any other part of our transition to college.
JB: How have you found balancing basketball and schoolwork so far?
DB: Balancing basketball and schoolwork has been somewhat difficult because of how time-consuming each can be, but as the season progresses it’s becoming easier to manage my time and focus well on both.
JB: Although you never experienced the program before your new coach arrived, how would say she is adapting to her new job?
DB: Coach Brown has adapted very well to being a coach at Swarthmore and has already shown herself to be an incredible asset to the team. She puts in so much extra effort into making us into the best team we can be with efficient practices, communication, and frequent reflection on our progress and goals for the program. I’m confident that with her help the program is only going to continue to improve.
