All Bark No Bite: How Delaware State Is Preparing to Succeed Today and in the Future

Coach Jazmone Turner has been the head coach of Delaware State Women’s NCAA Basketball since the 2023-2024 season. In the 2024-2025 season, the team had an overall record of 5-24. However, just in the 2022-2023 season, the record was 7-19, and a year before that season, the school had a record of 0-24. Yet, once Coach Turner came into the mix, the school was no longer losing all games, but rather winning some. Something that Coach Turner focuses on is team tempo, energy, and communication. Even though the team has yet to step up and make it to the postseason, this upcoming season may be the season where the process will pay off.

Throughout this process, the Delaware St. Women’s Basketball team, the Hornets, has struggled to translate its determination into victories, leaving many wondering what may lie ahead for this program. Throughout past seasons, the team has lacked offensive consistency, had defensive gaps, and the players have lacked experience and depth. While the team’s effort and heart are evident, these factors alone do not translate into wins. Critics point to a combination of inexperience, inconsistent execution, and a lack of standout players as a barrier to winning more games. Additionally, another obstacle that the team faces is the change in ball play. Specifically, how women’s basketball has intensified, with many programs boasting well-established recruiting pipelines and resources. 

Despite the current setbacks, there is optimism about the Hornets’ prospects. The coaching staff emphasizes player development and recruiting as key priorities moving forward. Recent recruiting classes have shown promise, which is demonstrated by the results after the 2021-2022 season, where they won zero games. With the continuation of incoming freshmen, the program may continue to improve, but for now, it is all bark and no bite. In this instance, the team shows grit, passion, and determination, but amongst that commotion lies the truth. The truth being that they are far behind others that have made it to championship games, or even championship tournaments. 

While the Hornets currently face challenges that prevent them from getting victories, their future remains open to potential. With the team's determination, anything is possible. It is up to the players to gain the experience and trust the process. It is also the coach's responsibility to bring in new key players, so they can once again compete and come out with wins.