University Of New Orleans Women's Basketball: Not Just a Cinderella Story

It has been almost three months since the LSU board of supervisors approved the move of the University of New Orleans from Division I and the Sunbelt conference, to Division III athletics.

Since that day, perhaps the darkest in UNO history, there has been a complete apathy for the University athletic programs. Realizing the cutbacks the school was facing, and the odds of a successful season, the student body had for the most part forgotten about the athletic programs.

Last week with the Women's basketball Sunbelt conference tournament quickly approaching, I asked senior guard Kathy Kassabian as to what her expectations were.

"We're long shots. I mean we started off the season 6-3, and then lost a bunch in a row. It’s not that we can't compete talent wise but, so many players have been injured."

We are now in the semi-finals of the Sunbelt tourney, and the No. 12 seed 12-19 lady Privateers are facing the No. 1 seed University of Arkansas-Little Rock, who dealt Middle Tennessee State their only conference loss.

While the lady Privateers may be long shots to win it all, they are certainly firing up the student body. At the University of New Orleans student government president Eric Gallitan has been actively advertising this historic feat via Facebook and word of mouth. 

These young women, hoping to make the most of what could be their final season in Division I college basketball, now carry the hopes of the entire student body on their shoulders as they attempt to bring a miracle end to not only their season, but the end of an era in the history of UNO athletics.

If this season and era end today, just short of the finals, than these young ladies will return to UNO with their heads held high, but this UNO student can only hope that the clock hasn't yet struck midnight.