By Jim O'Hara

ROME, Ga. – The concept of needing a senior athlete assume a proactive leadership role in the final year of their career has long been a key component in a team's quest for success.

This season, the Shorter women's basketball team has found itself being blessed with a three-fold increase in that philosophy as a trio of veterans – Maggie Peeples, Madison Rice and Tamarr Williams – wrap up their time playing for the Lady Hawks knowing they have been a constant in the program for four years and seeing what have already been leadership roles put the Lady Hawks into the NCAA and Gulf South Conference spotlight.

"Those three chose to come here knowing that it would be our first full year as a Division II program and that we would be on probation and not be allowed to play in the NCAA postseason," Shorter head coach Vic Mitchell said about the threesome that has morphed into a triple-headed monster on the court – they have combined to score more than 1,000 career points and play in more than 300 games between them – and take an active lead role in the Lady Hawks' transition to the NCAA Division II level.

"They've given us character and leadership on and off the court," said Mitchell. "I'm thankful they were willing to stick it out for four years, and now we're seeing their commitment come to fruition."

When the three arrived at Shorter four years ago – junior Grace Rogers was a part of that recruiting class and was red-shirted her freshman year – they immediately committed themselves to the Lady Hawks.

Peeples, Rice and Williams – they have all earned starting roles throughout their careers – tasted success early when in their first season at Shorter when the Lady Hawks competed in the GSC in a provisional status, rolled up 18 wins and in their only postseason opportunity won the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) South Region championship and went on to post a sixth-place finish in the NCCAA national tourney.

The next year, however, the pendulum swing the other way as Shorter closed out the 2013-14 campaign winning just six games.

"It was tough," Williams said about the disappointing season, but we all stayed positive and focused on working to get better."

 "We knew that we were in it together," Rice added.

Together is how they played last season when, in Shorter's first year as a full NCAA and GSC member, the Lady Hawks secured the program's first-ever conference postseason berth and advanced to the quarterfinal round.

And this year it appears that the three Lady Hawks, who have been joined by senior transfer Shakierya McClendon, have helped put the team in position to do even more as Shorter heads into the final five games of the regular season in a legitimate race for a GSC championship.

"Maggie, Madison and Tamarr have had such a big part of where we are right now and I'm excited about the opportunities they have ahead," said Mitchell, who will see his team that has already notched a spot conference tourney and take a 15-6 overall record and a 12-5 GSC slate – they are one of five teams that are within three games of each other and battling for the top spot in the league – into Thursday night's home game at the Winthrop-King Centre against conference foe West Georgia.

"We're a more compete team," said Williams.

There's little question that the trio will make the most of the opportunity they have in front of them having already taken advantage of the opportunities they have had.

Peeples, an accounting major who decided to come to Shorter and play close to her home in Dalton, has turned in a career that has seen her produce points, rebounds, assists and defensive gems both as a starter and coming off the bench as a 5-foot-6 guard.

Considered one of the Lady Hawks' best three-point threats – she led the team in that category last season – the 5-5 Rice who will earn a nursing degree has shared that same kind of a multi-purpose role in the backcourt for four years.

"We've all had different roles each year," she said. "For me, I'd do whatever the team needed me to do."

Williams has answered the same call the Lady Hawks have made as the 5-9 Dacula product who will graduate with a marketing degree, who paced the team during Shorter's late-season drive to the GSC tournament, is currently having her best-year ever averaging seven points a game.

Mitchell feels, however, that the contributions Peeples, Rice and Williams have had for the team as players is second only to the examples they set when they're not playing the game they so love.

"We know they are all good players who are high-character kids not only on the court, but off of it as well," the coach said, noting that all three have taken part in every mission trip the team has had during the off-season for all four years. "On every mission trip, you can't help but notice how involved they become with the kids we work with. To me, that stands out the most and tells you just how special they are."

All three realize that in order to make this season even more special, the Lady Hawks must focus on closing out the regular season on a positive note in order to gain a high seed for the upcoming GSC tournament and possibly host a first-round game before the event shifts to Birmingham on March 4-5.

After facing West Georgia on Thursday, Shorter remains at home for a Saturday GSC clash with West Alabama, then hits the road for the last time for a pair of conference tilts at No. 22-ranked Delta State on Feb. 18 – the Lady Statesmen are tied for second place in the league standings one game behind No. 11 Union – and at Mississippi College on Feb. 20.

The Lady Hawks cap their GSC regular season schedule on Feb. 25 with a home showdown against rival Lee, who like Delta is just a game ahead in the standings of Shorter, who are tied with West Florida for fourth place.

"Consistency – that's what we have to improve on," Peeples said about what the Lady Hawks are seeking down the stretch. "We need to be more consistent on the court."