Coach Aaron Rodgers has high hopes for the Bobcats despite slow start.
Sure, scorelines are reflective of how competitive a team is or how successful a coach is at the helm.
And one win in four matches is hardly considered “getting the job done.” But with second-year coach Aaron Rodgers, building the Ohio program is all about growth — something beginning to take shape.
When Rodgers left Kentucky in 2012 for Athens after serving as an assistant for four years, he left behind a program at its high point, producing its first-ever NCAA tournament win and tying its record for most wins in Southeastern Conference play, with eight.
In his words, the Wildcats went from one of the SEC bottom feeders to the one of the schools consistently battling for the top spots in the conference. He believes he can do the same in Athens.
Following a 3-0 loss with the Kentucky on Sunday, Rodgers reiterated that playing better opponents would inevitably lead to a better side for the Bobcats.
“Playing against good teams like Kentucky forces the girls to play under a lot of pressure,” he said. “Kentucky has become a very successful program, and we have the potential to do the same.”
It’s cliché to say the sky is the limit, but Rodgers truly believes Ohio is moving in the right direction.
“We don’t just want to win the Mid-American Conference,” Rodgers said. “We want to win in the NCAA tournament and compete as one of the top 40 or 50 programs in the country.”
While Ohio is sitting on a 1-3 record, the team has played, arguably other than Wright State, competition level or a peg above itself.
In its opening match, Rodgers’ side fought off a 2-0 deficit and took the contest into double overtime, where Ohio would eventually lose 3-2 to Butler.
The Bobcats then lost to the Boilermakers 2-0 at the school’s own tournament. Purdue is currently mid-table in the Big Ten standings.
Excluding a 1-0 win at Wright State, Ohio’s latest defeat came against Kentucky, who was voted to finish fourth in the SEC, behind No. 8 Florida, No. 6 Texas A&M and No. 9 South Carolina, respectively.
“We were put under pressure from four teams,” Rodgers said. “We’ve watched film, so we have a better understanding of where we can improve tactically moving forward.”
Rodgers hasn’t promised instant success, but he believes the previous performances should bode well heading into Friday’s home opener against Xavier.
“We’re still in a process,” he said. “We’re in a developmental stage and growing as a program, but I think our mentality is good, and we just need to go out and compete a bit more.”
@charliehatch_
gh181212@ohio.edu
