In March, the 6-foot junior guard from Easton captured her second straight NCAA Division 3 women’s basketball championship as New York University completed back-to-back perfect 31-0 seasons by destroying Smith, 77-49, capping a dominant campaign in which the Violets won every game by at least 19 points. NYU’s 62-game winning streak is the eighth longest in NCAA women’s history at any level, and they are only the third team in D3 history to post consecutive undefeated seasons. Coupled with the MIAA Division 2 girls’ basketball championship Peper won with Oliver Ames in 2022 , she’s captured three rings in five years. In her first year as a starter for the Violets, Peper averaged 11.8 points and 2.9 assists, drilling a team-high 57 3-pointers (on 38 percent shooting). She posted 10 points with four assists in 35 minutes against Smith. We chatted with Peper to discuss NYU’s historic run, her expanded role, and how she uses her math skills to identify mismatches during games. Let’s go right to the championship game ending. What was it like? It was the most surreal moment. None of us pictured it to be that way. It was just a great moment and capped off a historic run for us. Coming into the season, what were the goals or expectations you laid out as a team? Our expectations were relatively low as a team. I don’t think our coach [Meg Barber] anticipated us to have the historic run we did after losing some big components from last year’s team . . . Our gameplan was that if we didn’t have the same components as past years, we were at least going to be the most in-shape team to play. So we had the most grueling preseason running. Was there a point where you looked around and thought ‘This team might be just as good as last year’? There were a couple of games where that sank in. We played Middlebury and Tufts and — to play a NEPSAC opponent is an incredible opportunity, they always have such a great league and such good teams — we ended up destroying both teams [Tufts by 47, Middlebury by 24]. At that point we went, ‘I think we might be really good.’ In conference, we played [Washington] and I would consider them one of our rivalries and we beat them [by 34] and that’s when I thought we might go undefeated in conference. How do you stay motivated throughout the season when you’re beating teams by 30, 40, 50? It all comes down to the way our coaches prepare us. They don’t take any team for granted . . . I would also say the players are super level-headed about it. We probably have a camera crew at practice almost every week, but we don’t really care about any of the media. We just want to play basketball with each other. You jumped out to quite the lead [11-0, then 26-8 after one quarter] in the championship game, what was it like as you stormed out of the gates? We did not anticipate that beginning at all . . . I don’t think we missed our first six or seven field goals. We came out firing and Smith didn’t have many answers. After the first quarter it felt like we had already won the game. Then it was just about staying on the gas. Second college championship, how does it compare to the first one? And how does it compare to a high school championship? This year it felt more satisfying because the players who won this year have always been here. It felt like we had built this program from the ground up . . . In comparison to my high school championship, both are my fondest memories of my career. They’re completely different in the way I felt and the way the community surrounds you. My hometown was super supportive and now I’m in New York City, so it’s a little different, but we still get recognition. Two straight undefeated seasons, there’s going to be some pressure going into next year as that win streak gets into all-time territory in women’s basketball history? We’ll definitely try for it. We’ll be prepared. I’m super excited to push for that. Let’s go back to your recruiting process. Take me through what made NYU the right choice? A lot of kids don’t find the right fit at first, but it seems like you did. When I was being recruited I decided I either wanted to go to an Ivy League school or a high-academic Division 3 school. Late in my process I decided I no longer wanted to go Division 1 because I didn’t want the pressure of being an athlete 24/7 and through the summer. I didn’t want 365 days of basketball. I had sent an email to an NYU coach asking if I could tour while I was visiting Columbia. I toured campus and I immediately fell in love with it . . . The NYU coaches came up to see me at the Columbia camp and from then on it was a storybook. They offered me a week later. I accepted pretty much immediately. Were you nervous moving to New York City? Easton isn’t exactly a big city. I was so excited to be in New York and have so many opportunities. Not only the academic opportunity to be here at NYU, but the career after and the opportunity there. I have an internship in the city this summer [Haddad Brands]. The city to some people is scary but I’ve always loved New York City. You’re a math major, is there a certain career track you envision? Still figuring it out, but I would really like to do data analytics for a sports team or navigate the sports business industry. Currently I have an internship with a textile company, but they work very closely with Nike. Do you dive into your own team’s advanced stats? Yes. It’s something that’s always in my brain. I usually don’t even have to look at the stat sheet. I just have a ton of numbers in my brain and I’m always looking at the best probability on the court. Do you have an example of when that paid off? Most of the statistics in the back of my brain is what happens during game flow. Whether or not a certain person has been able to guard another person. It happens a lot with our lefties. If people don’t know their scouting well I’ll take note of it and call a play for one of them. Remember what the defense did on previous plays and how to attack that. What’s your advice to that next generation of girls’ basketball players hoping for the success you’ve found? Don’t stop working. Every year I’ve played high school or college basketball, I’ve had to prove myself. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t worked at it every single year. Figure out what you want in a college program or in your life with managing the expectations of being an athlete. Knowing what you want out of your college experience is super important.
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