JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The University of North Florida (UNF) Ospreys entered their second season under head coach Erika Lambert, and while the season was still young, Lambert emphasized the importance of "trusting the process" from the top down.
Lambert overhauled her coaching staff during the offseason, retaining only one coach from the previous year.
"We knew this wasn't going to happen overnight," Lambert said. "To take this program to where we want to be—where we're competing in the top three every season—it's a process, and we're just learning to fall in love with that process."
The Ospreys' roster included six returning players and nine new faces, a mix Lambert believed held potential for significant growth.
"I think the ceiling for this 2024-2025 squad is higher than what we had last year, but it may take us some time to get it together," Lambert said.
One of those new additions, graduate student Grace Hunter, transferred to UNF and quickly embraced Lambert's coaching style.
"I've been part of some very talented teams," Hunter said. "This is probably the most athletic group I've been a part of."
Hunter noted the team's defensive focus this season and its plan to generate points through that intensity.
"We have a lot of athleticism, which is exciting. There's a lot you can do with that," she said. "We've got some snipers from three. Spence and Jamisyn Stinson are great shooters for us, and we have a lot of attackers at the rim."
Lambert expressed excitement about the community witnessing the team's hard work pay off.
"This is a great group," Lambert said. "People love women's basketball because of the accessibility—you get to know the players. I'm telling you, this '24-'25 squad has some really great young women on it. You're going to want your daughters to get to know them."
As of now, the Ospreys stood at 1-5, but fans still had plenty of opportunities to catch them in action. The team was hosting a Thanksgiving tournament, with their next game scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday in Jacksonville.