By Henry Schneiderman
Last Saturday, Feb. 8, a sea of green flooded the familiar confines of Wooster’s Timken Gymnasium as the women’s basketball team hosted conference opponent Denison University. The game aimed to promote mental health awareness in athletics. The match was sponsored by Wooster’s chapter of The Hidden Opponent (THO), a nationally recognized group with the mission of raising awareness about mental health struggles within athletic communities through various activities such as panels, active listening training sessions and community events.
Maddie Moran ’25, one of the College’s Hidden Opponent members, stated the organization’s goal is to “destigmatize mental health in athletics” and reflected on how “everybody sees the physical side of injury, and nobody sees the mental side of it. So, [The Hidden Opponent] is bringing awareness to people on that … It was really nice to have so many people show up specifically for the mental health game.” Players performed on a court bathed in green to promote the mental health message in a hard fought match that saw the Fighting Scots ultimately fall to the Big Red, 91-56.
“It felt great to be a part of a game promoting the Hidden Opponent’s Mental Health Awareness message,” Mackenzie Riccitelli ’28 stated. “Athlete’s mental health, and mental health in general, are extremely important and I think it’s amazing to be a part of helping bring light to it.” Around the gymnasium were a number of green decorations, a design choice in tune with the color’s status as a signifier of mental health used by The Hidden Opponent. “I think it is important that we promote The Hidden Opponent because of all the education and awareness behind the organization,” Ella Biondi ’26 said. “Our campus captains … [Nick Bostic ’26, Sarah Lodge ’25] and Maddie Moran did an excellent job setting up this event and helping us highlight how important it is to have support for athletes, no matter the age or playing level. It was also nice that Denison participated in the event as well, putting green ribbons in their hair, on their shoes, or tied to their water bottle like we did! Coming together for a cause is always so special and nice!”
Within this green landscape were the clashing teams in a faceoff that ultimately ended in the Big Red’s favor. This came due to a pair of Denison scoring runs at the beginning of each half and a number of strong defensive efforts from the visiting team. Despite the outcome, the match found itself home to a number of highlight performances from the Scots. Riccitelli led the team’s offensive efforts with an impressive 17 points and a team-high 6 assists. Next on the scoring sheet was Ellery Kloek ’28 who amassed 11 points, 9 of which came in a dominant second half performance that capped off her night’s strong 75% field goal percentage and 100% free throw percentage. Ella Dean ’26 and Kylie Parsons ’27 both put forth a strong showing, scoring 7 and 6 points respectively. On the defensive end, Biondi locked down the paint, collecting a team high 7 rebounds and 4 points. This effort was assisted by Riccitelli and Dean’s 3 rebounds each.
Four players scored in the double digits for the Big Red, as the visitors shot 51% from the floor compared to Wooster’s 38%. The Scots were efficient from the foul line as they converted 18 out of 21 free throws to amass a strong 86% completion rate and capitalize on the penalties. The Scots also towered over the Big Red under the rim, picking up more rebounds than the visiting team, 31-29.
“The game was a great matchup for us to be able to compete at a high level,” Biondi said. “When Denison went on their runs, we came together in our huddles and talked about the importance of communication. We support each other through communication which helped keep the confidence of ourselves and the team high!”
At the day’s conclusion, Denison walked away victorious following a hard fought match from each side. Despite the result, the Scots’ and the Big Red’s shared stage remained saturated with green as the Hidden Opponent match up delivered a strong message about mental health in athletics. The decorations enveloping Timken Gymnasium served as a constant reminder to both the players and audience of the importance of looking after oneself, and taking the time necessary to prioritize mental health even when buried under what may sometimes be overwhelming responsibilities.
“The Hidden Opponent looks at all different kinds of mental health, we do different things for each month,” Moran stated. “It was nice seeing that other people were also so passionate about bringing awareness to mental health.”
There are currently plans for another Hidden Opponent event this spring as the organization and its student representatives seek to continue their message of taking the time to focus on and nurture one’s mental health. Future events will take place at sporting events in the next few months with similar methods of decoration as well as incorporating activities and potential Hidden Opponent gear. For the Fighting Scots, the Hidden Opponent’s message serves as a reminder of Wooster’s student-athlete commitment — a style of athletics that prioritizes academics over athletics and allows athletes the time they may need to rest, reflect and thrive.
The Fighting Scots will continue their campaign on Sat. Feb. 15 at 5:00 p.m. as they host the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops in Timken Gymnasium. Go Scots!
