Senior guard Charise Wilson is looking forward to her fourth and final year on the Rhody women’s basketball team. With 1,420 career points scored she is only 523 points away from Michele Washington’s school record of 1,943.
Always being the leader on offense during games, it is expected that freshman point guard Marta Vargas will be taking over point guard duties, moving Wilson to shooting guard.
“I’m learning this new role but it’s gonna benefit all of us,” Wilson said. Wilson still looks to be the leader both on and off the court, however, on a team in which she is the lone senior and a captain for her second straight year.
“Being more vocal is something that I have to do,” Wilson said. “My role is to share my experience, teach the girls the do’s and the don’ts and be someone they can look up to when things go wrong.”
For Wilson, the potential of being the program’s highest scorer is exciting, but that is not her main focus.
“If I do beat Michele Washington that’d be great, but I’m not going to force it, I just want things to come naturally,” Wilson said.
Wilson has the most points scored in a single game in school history, a 38 point output last season against Samford. She also has the fourth most points scored in a season with 515 in the 2015/2016 season. Along with that Wilson has the most three pointers made in a season with 82, she is tied for first with most threes made in a game at 7, and also has the most field goals made in a single game with 15.
“My biggest strengths I have in my game is the drive that I have, scoring abilities and switching my speed,” Wilson said.
Rams head coach Daynia La-Force spoke highly of her senior star.
“What stands out most to me about Charise is her competitive spirit,” La-Force said. “She works hard every practice and every game to make sure she puts her team in the best position to win a basketball game. From a coaching perspective it’s really easy to buy in and support someone who works so hard and does all the right things.”
It is safe to say Wilson has a special bond with La-Force, after being released from her National Letter of Intent when La-Force left Northeastern. Wilson was recruited by La-Force to come to Rhode Island. She ended up picking Rhody without even seeing the university.
“I didn’t even visit the school,” Wilson said. “I put my trust in Coach La-Force and when I got here it is exactly what I expected. I’m grateful for my decision.”
After a disappointing season last year, the young University of Rhode Island women’s basketball team and Wilson are locked and loaded for the 2017-2018 campaign.
“The talent on this team currently is the best I’ve seen since I’ve come here,” Wilson said. “We definitely have the talent, this is a special team and a special season and I feel like we’re going [to] surprise a lot of people.”