3rd national championship
Lady Chaps do it again By DAVE WOHLFARTH A year does make a difference. The Lady Chaps went from kicking balls to kicking butts. Flashback to March 2020. The Lady Chaps had won 12 straight and took the Lone Star Conference Tournament title with ease. At 28-3 they were aiming to take the South Regional Tournament championship next, advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight and defend their national championship. Didn’t happen. The day before LCU was scheduled to play its first regional game, the tournament and the season were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Five minutes into their practice, the Lady Chaps were in- The Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps celebrate at the end of the NCAA Division II national championship game March 26, 2021, as they defeated Drury, 69-59, before a small COVID-19 crowd in Columbus, Ohio, for their third national formed that there would be no title. (Photo by LCU Athletics) game the next day. The 2019-20 season was over. The premature ending of the 2019-20 season played into the “We were called in by Coach (Steve) Gomez, and he lays out Lady Chaps’ success last year. the truth,” Laynee Burr, a sophomore then, recalled, “and we “So there was a lot of unsatisfied pent-up, and so from the played a game of kickball to try to get our minds off it.” start, you want to make the most of every day. Last year’s (2019Now look at March 2021. The Lady Chaps were unbeaten 20) senior team didn’t get that chance,” Gomez said. “They (the and had just won the LSC tourney again. They not only won the 2020-21 Lady Chaps) thought they were playing with a bigger South Central Regional, but they kicked aside all their remaining purpose than just winning a game. They wanted to play well.” opponents and captured the big prize. Burr, from Stratford and now a 5-9 senior guard, called the It was the Lady Chaps’ third Division II national championship end of her sophomore season devastating. in six years. Really, in five national tournament years because of “We were at the spot where we were rolling and rolling and the 2020 cancellation. That’s remarkable. But even more amazing hitting our peak point, and our seniors were really important to us is the fact that two of those national champs were undefeated. that year,” she said. “It was a big sting. I truly believe we could LCU is the only Division II team to have two unbeaten seasons. have made it back, but it was just bad. We just hurt for each other.” Gomez has guided the Lady Chaps to titles in 2016, 2019 and For teammate Channing Cunyus, the termination of the 2019 2021. The 2016 team (35-0) was heavily favored and squashed season was personal. everyone in sight. The 2019 squad (32-5) was a surprise winner “That was really sad for me personally because I was never with a fast finish. Last year’s team (23-0) survived some nervegoing to get to play (again) with my sister,” she said. “I thought wracking situations on and off the court. I had at least eight more games to get to play together.” Because of continuing COVID-19 concerns, LCU’s schedule Channing was a sophomore in 2019; her sister Caitlyn was a was reduced to practically a conference-only slate. The LSC senior. Caitlyn now is in dental school at UT-San Antonio. The teams played the same teams twice on most weekends and game Cunyus sisters had played on five state championship teams at postponements were frequent, often with late notice. Canyon High School. Channing, now a 5-9 senior forward, was a standout on three of Strange, adventurous year those state title squads. But she said playing on a college national On the court, the Lady Chaps, even though they did eventually championship team was on a whole different level. kick their opponents in their south ends, had to rally from their “I don’t think there’s much comparison to winning a state own behinds several times late in the season. tournament. I feel so much work and time goes into a national “The adaptability of our kids was so key to just handle the championship,” she said. “It kinda feels like our job. I mean, we constant changing,” Gomez said, “so it was just a fun year ... strange, adventurous.” (Continued on next page) 2021-2022 Panhandle-Plains Basketball
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