Guard Savanna Holt from Upper Township, New Jersey is one of the veterans on the Rowan women’s basketball team.

As a freshman in the 2019-2020 season, she averaged 9.8 points per game, 18.4 minutes per game, shot 43.6% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range in her 29 games played. 

This season as a junior, Holt has been a consistent scorer for the Profs, despite coming off the bench in a majority of the games. 

Holt ranks third on the team in three-point attempts with 66 attempts, shooting 31.1% from the field and 83.7% from the charity stripe. 

Head Coach Demetrius Poles discussed Holt’s role on the team and how much of a threat she can be coming off of the bench for the Profs. 

“She’s finding her way, and her role on the team, and that’s her role ever since she’s come in here [to Rowan], to be a spark off the bench and give us some scoring punch, and always be a threat when she’s on the court offensively,” Coach Poles said. “I think she’s maturing in that role, and I think she likes it. It’s good for the team, and we need her to do just what she’s doing.” 

As of late, Holt has been heating up on the court, scoring in the double digits during the last three games for Rowan. Against Ramapo, she scored 18 points in 17 minutes. Against The College of New Jersey, she scored 19 points in 21 minutes, and most recently, against Kean, she dropped 14 points in 21 minutes played. 

Holt has fit into her role coming off the bench quite well and is willing to help out her team in any way wherever is needed during the games.  

“I think when I come off the bench, I like to watch how the game rolls out and I can see our little weaknesses, and if we need a little bit more on defense or we need a couple more points offensively, I can hopefully spark the energy that way,” Holt said.

Despite starting in four games for the Profs this season, Holt feels she can bring the energy off the bench in a more impactful way. 

“When I started, I was over-excited. It wasn’t like I wasn’t doing too well, I was just over-excited going out onto the court and playing,” Holt said. “Where I like to see how the game is flowing in the beginning, and when I go out there I can bring that spark to the team.” 

Holt has averaged 17 points in the last three games for the Profs and Coach Poles cites that as her greatest contributing factor to the team.

“It’s her points off the bench, it’s offense, a spark, some energy we need,” Coach Poles said. “She gives us a lot of energy generating plays with big three pointers, with some good defense and we just need her to continue to do what she’s doing.”  

Holt’s defense has also been a strong point this season, amassing 29 steals so far, while grabbing five steals in a 66-41 victory over Eastern University earlier this season. But it still remains, Holt’s greatest strength is the energy she brings onto the court.

“My greatest contributing factor I would say is my energy, I think I bring a lot of energy positivity to the court. I’m never bringing anybody down, even if they’re not having a good day,” Holt said. “I think that’s what brings everybody that little excitement and that confidence to play. I think that’s probably one of my biggest contributing factors, just bringing people up and giving them that energy so we can go out there and play.”

As the playoffs draw near, Holt’s energy and efficient scoring off the bench is going to be key for the Profs. Besides her shooting abilities, Holt has also proven her basketball IQ, driving inside the lane and drawing fouls against her opponents, which has allowed her to go to the free throw line 19 times in the last three games, where she has hit 18 of her 19 attempts. 

Holt attributes her successes as of late to the team successes. With the 11-6 record overall and 9-2 in conference play, Holt has been feeling more confident as the team approaches their final seven games of the season. 

“We’re moving the ball around more, so I’m getting more opportunities to score. We’re just playing more as a team, and I think that’s why my stats are going up scoring wise,” Holt said. “I feel more confidence when I’m shooting; I feel more confidence when I’m playing.”

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