By Chris Parker
Mt. Vernon girls basketball has a new head coach in Alexis Cauthon this season.
It is Cauthon’s first season as a head coach, but she has familiarity with the program after serving as an assistant the past two seasons.
“After serving as an assistant coach in the Mt. Vernon girls basketball program the past two years, I’ve grown to love the players, community, and culture here,” Cauthon said. “When the head coaching opportunity came up, I felt called to step forward and continue building on the historic foundation already in place. I’m grateful to the Mt. Vernon community for trusting me with this program and excited to help our athletes grow both on and off the court.”
Cauthon is excited as she looks ahead at the potential of this team both this season and in the future.
“I’m most excited about the potential of this group,” Cauthon said. “We have a young, talented core that’s hungry to learn and get better. Their energy, effort, and buy-in make me really optimistic about where this program is headed. The foundation we’re building now will set us up for something special.”
One all-conference player returns for Mt. Vernon this season in Emily Schubert who earned second-team all-conference honors as a sophomore.
“Having a returning starter and leader like Emily is a huge asset, especially in my first year as head coach. Her drive for success, not just for herself but for her teammates, is unmatched. She sets the tone for our program every day with her work ethic and commitment to improvement, which makes everyone around her better,” Cauthon said. “Emily’s leadership and competitiveness stand out the most. She’s continuing to grow in her efficiency in the post offensively while being a great defender and rebounder. Her ability to impact the game in multiple ways makes her a cornerstone for our team this season.”
Fellow juniors in Mary Fields (guard), Jocelyn Liss (guard) and Isabella Hernandez (guard) along with sophomore guard/forward Kenley Eidemiller return.
Cauthon on Fields: “She has the ability to be an unstoppable guard. She is quick and works hard especially on the defensive end. Her role will continue to increase as we will rely on her leadership and look for her to be more of a scoring threat this season.”
Cauthon on Liss: “She is a multi-sport athlete that brings energy and enthusiasm to this team both on and off the floor. Her role grows on the varsity side as we rely on her athleticism as she continues growing in both basketball and leadership.”
Cauthon on Hernandez: “We will rely on Bella to bring the ball down and continue to grow in a leadership role on and off the floor. She has worked hard this offseason to improve as we will look to her to expand our offense.”
Cauthon on Eidemiller: “As a freshman last year, Kenley stepped up and played valuable minutes. Her role continues to grow as we expect her to produce more on both offense and defense with her solid basketball IQ.”
Junior Keira Barrett (forward) along with freshmen Elli Eddington (forward), Ella Hoff (guard), Mollie Tudor (guard) and Hadlie Post (guard) will be newcomers to watch.
Cauthon on Barrett: “We will rely on Keira to provide valuable minutes in the post, using her height and strength to dominate the boards and play hard-nosed defense. She also is continuing to grow in her role as a leader this year along with the other juniors.”
Cauthon on Eddington: “Multisport athlete that has a bright future ahead of her. She is a strong player with an all-around game. Works hard on both sides of the floor. We expect positive things from Elli at the varsity level as she continues to learn and grow as a player.”
Cauthon on Hoff: “Determined player with a basketball mindset and high IQ. Her ball handling and aggressiveness to attack the basket as well as her hard-nosed defense will be her focus this season as we expect her to learn and grow on a varsity level.”
Cauthon on Tudor: “Works extremely hard on the defensive side and can be an effective scorer on the offensive side. Smart player and could push some players for varsity minutes as she continues improving.”
Cauthon on Post: “She may be sidelined most of this season due to injury but has a bright future ahead with her skillset as a point guard and lock down defender. She is expected to make an impact once healthy.”
The team will look to overcome its youth by being a united group with good chemistry.
“Our biggest strength will be our unity and willingness to compete for one another. This group truly embraces the “sisterhood” mentality—we’re focused on being connected, communicating well, and putting the team first. Even though we’re young, our chemistry and collective effort give us a strong foundation to build on,” Cauthon said. “As a young team, our biggest area for growth is gaining experience and learning how to play with consistency at a high level. We know there will be a learning curve, but our players’ eagerness to improve and willingness to be coached stand out. Their attitude and work ethic give me a lot of confidence that we’ll continue to develop and compete at a higher level as the season progresses.”
Mt. Vernon travels to Cassville for a jamboree on Nov. 18 with Cassville and Blue Eye. The Mountaineers open the regular season on Nov. 24 at Hillcrest.
“Success for us isn’t defined just by the scoreboard, it’s about growth,” Cauthon said. “I want to see us improve every week, compete fearlessly, and build habits that will serve this program long term. If our girls walk away from the season proud of their progress, stronger as teammates, and more confident as players and people, then we’ll have had a successful year.”
