(Peru, Neb.) – It was with some optimism that the Peru State women's basketball team entered their 2020-21 season. With several players returning and a strong freshman recruiting class, the reason for the optimism was legitimate.
 
However, some departures throughout the season and an injury to a projected starter, made the season more challenging than expected. Add in the COVID-19 challenges which not only sidelined some before and during the season and then the entire team which actually forced the suspension of a game, the challenges grew.
 
The 'Cats finished 6-16 overall and 4-13 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). They missed the Heart post-season tournament for the third straight year since the conference reduced the number of teams participating.


 Peru State started the season with a tough loss at Doane as they had led most of the game, but were topped by the Tigers at the end. They came back with two straight non-conference wins before facing perennially-tough Concordia who handed them a loss.
 
The Bobcats then started the Heart conference season, which had been revamped, with a win at home over Graceland (Iowa). That was followed by seven straight losses – several of which the 'Cats were in, but could not pull out the win.
 
Another win over Graceland broke that string, but it was followed with five more losses. As the conference season was closing, the Bobcats kept their chances of playing in the post-season alive with back-to-back wins over Missouri Valley and Park (Mo.). However, losses to Mount Mercy (Iowa) and Culver-Stockton (Mo.) squelched the hopes.
 
At the time of this release, the team was 50th in the NAIA team rankings in three-point field goal percentage (0.328). In addition, two Bobcat players were ranked in individual Top 50 categories. Freshman Maddy Duncan (Hamburg, Iowa) was 17th in three-point field goal percentage (0.447) and was 48th in total three-point field goals made (51). Freshman Mackenzie Shupe (Lenexa, Kan.) was 22nd in free throw percentage (0.857).
 
In the Heart, the following were listed among the top 20 individuals in the statistical categories:
 
Duncan – first in three-point field percentage (0.447), third in three-point field goals made per game (2.32), third in three-point field goals made (51), 16th in scoring per game (11.64), tied for 16th in most points in a game (26 against Mount Mercy), and 19th in total scoring (256). 

 
Shupe – first in free throw percentage (0.857), 16th in three-point field goals made per game (1.27), and 18th in three-point field goals made (28).
 
Dayna Dewitt (Mansfield, Texas) – 12th in free throw percentage (0.699), 15th in offensive rebounds per game (1.91), tied for 17th in total rebounds (129), 18th in defensive rebounds per game (3.96), and 19th in rebounds per game (5.86).
 
Samantha Stewart (Mount Ayr, Iowa) – 16th in steals per game (1.60) and tied for 17th in double doubles (2).
 
Julie Miller (Easton, Kan.) – 16th in blocks per game (0.91), tied for 16th in total blocks (20), and 19th in offensive rebounds per game (1.77).
 
Duncan did earn honorable mention recognition all-conference at the end of the season.
 
Bobcat Records
 
As a team, Peru State did break a long-time record as they established a new mark in free throw percentage. The Bobcats made 301 of 419 for 71.8% which broke the previous record set by the 2007-08 team who shot 67.8% from the charity stripe.
 
Duncan's hot hand behind the arc puts her second for a single-season shooting best mark.
 
Shupe's free throw shooting percentage moves her into third in the all-time single season marks. Duncan's 75.4% free throw shooting percentage puts her 16th in a single season.


 
Bobcat Junior Varsity
 
The Bobcats did have a ten-game junior varsity season. The team finished with a 6-4 mark in just its second season back after about 25 years of not having a junior varsity program.
 
Outlook for 2021-22
 
Peru State only loses two seniors – sisters Dayna and Kristian Dewitt. They will be returning ten players for next season which includes a previous player who was recovering from an injury this past season.
 
The 'Cats have signed several players for next year already and are recruiting many others to fill both the varsity and junior varsity spots.