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BIG TEN CONFERENCE MEDIA DAYS (WOMEN)

October 29, 2009

Sharon Versyp

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

SHARON VERSYP: I'm very excited for our season to start. We've had the injury bug, we've had the flu, we've had concussions, we've had everything possible. About seven players on the court, and we've just got to now be very, very patient and hopefully by November 1st we'll get quite a few players back.
But we're very excited. We are a young team, but I think our three guards, they say we have only two starting guards back, but I think Brittany Rayburn could have started for us last year, and I think we did an exceptional job of bringing her along. But I feel our three guards will really help us.
And then our inside down low, Sam Woods will really step up for us. She's a red shirt, and she's got some amazing skill, and when Chelsea Jones and Alex Guyton joins us in December, I think our inside game will grow just as well, and just looking for a good, exciting year.

Q. FahKara is certainly kind of bringing K. K. Along. How do you think Sam O and Chelsea is doing, and who's bringing them along?
SHARON VERSYP: Well, I think Chelsea Jones learned a lot from our three seniors last year. I think just understanding how to push -- Chelsea has transformed her body, has transformed her mindset, is performing at a high level for someone who didn't play a lot last year. We have a transfer in Drey Mingo who is one of the top players in the country going into Maryland, and she is going to make Chelsea better every day. Her job is to be the best practice player in the post every day to elevate her game. But I think Sam Woods also will help Chelsea and some Ostarello because Sam has now been able to red shirt and learn a lot, she can play inside and outside. But I think the biggest thing is just empowering their confidence because Chelsea Jones definitely can score down low.

Q. Could you just update us on Ashley Wilson and Alex Guyton as far as timeline now? I think they've had a few doctors' appointments since the last time we talked to you.
SHARON VERSYP: Ashley Wilson just started doing some practice with us last week. She's done nothing for five months basketball-wise per se. She can just do half court. We're starting to do some full-court stuff with her today. Just gradually bringing her back.
So I think she's excited to be on the court. She's the body that we need. She's extremely physical. She's extremely quick. She's going to be able to bring that three-guard position to have five guards or four for us. So we'll take baby steps with her because we want to make sure we have her the entire year. But I feel that she'll be able to play in our first games. May not be a long length of time, but ten minutes would be fantastic. That's my goal.
As for Alex Guyton she will not be able to start doing basketball skills until December 10th. So she'll be ready for the Big Ten, but within a month she has to get in shape and get the skills and get the kinks out. But again, her timeline is like a month behind Ashley's right now.

Q. In your opening statement you mentioned seven players. Have you encountered another injury recently?
SHARON VERSYP: No, we had the flu, Antoinette had the flu, so she was out. Drey had a concussion, so she was out for a while. So I mean, there for a while we had seven players. But we have 11 right now, so it's exciting. For us everyone gets more excited when the kids come back. Sometimes when you have everybody there, other kids have to step up. So I think we've grown in a lot of areas because a lot of people have gotten a lot of rest and can build their confidence obviously a little bit more. But we'll be fine. I'd rather have it now than later.

Q. You guys had a pretty impressive away record last year, even better than Michigan State and things, and a lot of teams have trouble away. I guess you guys don't seem to have that trouble. Do you think there's any reason for that?
SHARON VERSYP: I think it's our preparation, but I also think the last three years we've had experience. I think our first year we had two experienced seniors and just have that mentality, us-against-the-world mentality, and our back is always against the wall. No one has ever thought Purdue was ever going to be good the last three years. We use it as an advantage, that reverse psychology, and then it just kind of becomes contagious. You have to be tougher, you're more focused on the road than you are at home. You have less distractions. And we hope that continues for our young group. I mean, we have seven sophomores, three freshmen and three seniors, so we're very young. About four of those sophomores cannot play this year.
I think it's just our coaching staff does a great job of getting their mind exactly where it needs to be.

Q. How do you assess teams at the bottom of the Big Ten Conference such as Michigan, Wisconsin?
SHARON VERSYP: I assess that the entire Big Ten, the parity is going to be amazing. I think people don't give our coaches and our program enough credit. I think that we have a very young conference in players and a very young conference in coaches and a lot of coaching changes. So I think competitively recruiting-wise, everybody has done an exceptional job. Every year it's going to continue to get better. You're seeing a different style. So I don't think the bottom of the Big Ten is going to be the bottom of the Big Ten. I think they're going to have some wins and losses.
But from top to bottom, I think we're going to be exceptionally good for the next -- starting from here on in.

Q. Can you talk about the challenges of playing a Big Ten game in early December right in the middle of your non-conference season and how you go about getting a team prepared for something like that.
SHARON VERSYP: I think it's a difficult challenge for us because we play the Big Ten-ACC Challenge right before then, so it's not like you're having an opponent that you get to choose and pick. I think if you're on the road and you're flying back and you have two days to try to prepare, I think it's going to be difficult. I think it's going to be a pivotal game for everybody. I don't think people realize how that one loss could cause you not to get to the NCAA or maybe not get seeded the right way.
I think for young teams like ourselves, it probably has more of a challenge because you have to prepare young people's mindsets so different. I think if you're an experienced team you do have an advantage. It is what it is, and we have to prepare. But I guess for us how I'm going to prepare is that we're playing an ACC to prepare for our Big Ten, so now that's how I'm going to be coaching and changing the psychology of it.

Q. With most of your team's experience out on the perimeter, how is the development of some of the younger post players on your squad?
SHARON VERSYP: I mean, for us we know that that's -- with Alex Guyton being out, it hurts us. Alex had a lot of experience, and so now when she comes back, it's like she starts all over a little bit. So I think that will hurt us.
We have talent. And sometimes when you have talent and kids that want to work exceptionally hard, those two things are a good combination, and they're always eager to learn.
However, I think our guard experience is only going to elevate the post players because we know how to pass the ball a little bit better. We know how and when to get them the basketball in position where they can do and be successful. So I think our guards will enhance that.
But you will see this year that we will go four guards and one post a lot.

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