KWU Sports Information
It was the same school, same coach and several of her teammates who were with her on the Kansas Wesleyan women's basketball team last year were also present.
For Caila Hill (SR/Rossville, Kan.), though, the start of the 2022-23 season was different. Much different in some aspects.
Most notable was the fact she's the only senior on the roster. Four seniors on the 2021-22 team had moved on including All-Americans Kelcey Hinz and Amanda Hill – KWU's career scoring leader and Caila's older sister by two years. Hinz and Amanda Hill combined for 29 points and 18 rebounds per game last season.
Caila had grown accustom to Amanda being with her during every practice session and game for three seasons. Time expired for Amanda after five seasons, though, and Caila has had to fend for herself as KWU's starting post player this winter.
"It's definitely different," she said. "I don't have someone to bounce things off of like I used to but I still get her little inspirational texts before and after the game whenever she can't be there. I've learned to rely on my other teammates a little bit more because I don't have her."
The degree of separation is minimal, though – the Hills still share a house, Amanda a nurse at Salina Regional Health Center and Caila following closely behind in her career choice.
There were other adjustments beyond her sister. Being the lone senior meant additional leadership responsibilities for a young Coyote team. Hill said her teammates have made the job easier.
"I feel like everyone realized that I was the only senior so LaMyah (Ricks) and Cat (Bowman) did a really good job of taking the other guards under their wings and telling them the ropes and teaching them how to play together," she said. "I think it was more of a team effort than just me.
"I have definitely have had to be more vocal this year because I don't have the other seniors to rely on to say things. I've had to be the one to step up and say things to everyone on the court."
Coach Ryan Showman said the difference is apparent.
"Caila for many years has always just led by example – 'I'm going to do things the right way, I'm going to play really hard, I'm going to practice really hard, do what I'm supposed to do, do my job and that's it.'
"This year she's done all of that plus become more vocal. We had conversations that she was going to have to take on a little more of that vocal leadership role and I think she's found a great balance between not totally getting outside of her comfort zone but playing to her strengths as a leader."
Hill averaged 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds as a starter a year ago and those numbers have improved this season. She entered play Wednesday against Saint Mary averaging 9.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and is shooting 53.5 percent from the field.
The improvement is partially due to the presence of backup post player Tylieea Wallace (SO/Overland Park, Kan.) who leads the Coyotes in scoring (11.9 points) and rebounding 7.8. Their battles during practice have been mutually beneficial.
"Those two going against each other is as the old saying goes iron sharpens iron," Showman said. "They have made each other better. They're good teammates, they do a lot for our team in terms of production and they make each other better."
Hill concurs.
"We definitely go really hard on each other in practice so that when game time comes we're equally prepared," she said. "She's just a really hard worker. She pushes herself, pushes the whole team and is very positive as a whole."
Playing with and against Amanda her entire life also helped, the duo honing their skills at Rossville High School.
"I learned a lot," Caila said. "She was always more guard-oriented, I was more post oriented so we played really well together."
And Amanda's best advice?
"To always believe in myself," she said. "She's just always that inspiration in my corner."
"She's the benefactor from playing with her sister," Showman said, "just being able to watch her and see how she handled herself in certain situations on the court and off the court. She's been able to take some of that and turn it into a really great senior year for herself."
Like her sister Caila is balancing the rigors of playing college basketball along with the demands of the nursing curriculum. Long days and short nights are the norm but she has learned to cope. Her interest is in emergency and critical care nursing, like her sister.
"My big thing is time management," she said. "With nursing it's a lot of class time, a lot of early mornings at clinicals after a game. Being able to get my homework done when I have an hour gap instead of waiting until 10 o'clock at night when I have clinicals at 5 a.m.
"I was raised to never quit anything so I think it's important that I tell myself that I can do it and then you can. You get tired but you just have to keep pushing through because it'll be worth it when you're done."
Showman prefers not to think about the time when the KWU roster doesn't have a Hill listed.
"She is just amazing in what she's able to do academically and then turn around and give her team everything she has athletically," he said. "She's special. I won't see very many players like that come through.
"We're going to try and prolong the season as much as we can for her because I want to continue to coach her."