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BIG 12 CONFERENCE MEDIA DAYS


October 20, 2010


Kelsey Bolte

Sydney Colson

Monica Engelman

Lakyn Garrison

Melissa Jones

Dominique Kelley


KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

THE MODERATOR: We will ask everybody to introduce yourself, your year, your university, but also add your hometown and how many people were in your graduating class from high school.
Lakyn, do you want to start?
LAKYN GARRISON: I'm from Wickes, Arkansas. That's my hometown. I play at Oklahoma State University. I am a senior this year, and I graduated with 50 students.
DOMINIQUE KELLEY: Hello. I'm Dominique Kelly from the University of Nebraska. I am a senior, originally from Lincoln. And I graduated with about 15 to 1,600 students probably.
MONICA ENGELMAN: I'm Monica Engelman, I am a sophomore from the University of Kansas. And I graduated from San Antonio, Texas, with about 900 students.
SYDNEY COLSON: I'm Sydney Colson from Texas A&M University. I'm a senior. I'm from Houston, Texas. And I think I graduated with 900 people. I don't really remember.
KELSEY BOLTE: I'm Kelsey Bolte from Iowa State University. I'm from Ida Grove, and I graduated with about 70.
MELISSA JONES: I'm Melissa Jones, I go to Baylor University. I'm a senior from Thornton, Colorado and I think there is a little under 500 in our graduating class.

Q. You are a veteran up here, Melissa. I want to ask you a question first. Following off of something that Coach Mulkey said when she was up here giving the synopsis of the team this year, she said you are a player that has tremendous drive that will not want to stand on the sideline, even though you have greater depth and talent than Coach Mulkey has ever had at Baylor. What is it about your makeup, your personality that allowed you to overcome the injury last year, to help your team get to the Final Four and then this year with all the talent you have, what is it that's special about the way that you play that stands out to all of us that watch you?
MELISSA JONES: Did she pay you to say that?

Q. No, she didn't.
MELISSA JONES: I don't know what it is. I think I just -- the love for the game really. I just -- I love basketball, and I love just being out there, playing with my teammates and knowing what kind of potential we have and just wanting to do the best that we can.

Q. Is there something specific about your drive or what motivates you? A lot of times there are things that have happened to us in the past that bring out the best in us when we step on the floor.
MELISSA JONES: Well, you just never know when the abilities you have can be taken away from you. And so I think just knowing that there is people around the world that aren't as fortunate to be able to be playing or being able to play at this level even and just go ahead and using that ability to its full potential, I guess.

Q. Dominique, this summer you went to the NCAA in Indianapolis to be a part of a leadership conference. Can you tell us a little bit about that experience and some things that you took away from that.
DOMINIQUE KELLEY: Yeah. I attended the Career and Sports Forum in Indianapolis. I was there for about four days. And I'm interested in pursuing that profession of coaching, so I went to the coaching aspect of it.
And I just listened to coaches from all sorts of sports share their experiences, how much time goes into it, and I also did a lot of networking and met a lot of really awesome people.

Q. Lakyn, you said 50 people in your high school graduating class. We hear that you are a big hunter and fisherman. Tell us about your experiences, where you grew up and some of the other things that you do to hone your basketball focus out on a boat.
LAKYN GARRISON: Well, all there really is to do beside hunt and fish is play basketball. The gym is the only big facility we have. That's where I spent most of my hours, I enjoyed playing the game. That's all there was to do.
I was telling my teammates on the way up here, I was telling her the closest mall is an hour and a half. You don't have much of a choice but to go out and fish. You don't have a choice but to like those things.
And I was telling a story about my first cast when I was about 5. My first cast when I started fishing, I didn't get the line out and I pulled it back and the hook got caught in my eyebrow and my grandma had to pull it out with pliers. So I had a pretty bad experience the first time, but I have come to enjoy those activities other than basketball. But there is not much to do where I'm from.

Q. Do you actually get in a stand and hunt deer? What do you hunt? And from a fishing standpoint, I have never met anybody who fishes that doesn't have a big fish story to tell.
LAKYN GARRISON: I really -- I am a horrible fisherman. I try. I really enjoy it. I do the whole worm thing. I put my worm on the hook and whatnot.
But I have killed two deer, no bucks. One buck that I did shoot at, I couldn't find it. But other than that, I mean, I just -- I just do it to pass time most of the time because there is nothing else to do. But I enjoy it.

Q. I love watching the reaction of everyone else as they get to know each other better up here on the stage. We need to do this more often. We need to do this throughout the season. Monica Engelman is sporting a new haircut this year. Decided to go with the Mohawk. Is this the Jayhawk Mohawk that you are sporting and why did you decide to make the change?
MONICA ENGELMAN: Over the summer, me and my teammates were going to go swimming. I kind of woke up and I was like, I am kind of bored. It was really random. I hadn't planned to do it. I woke up and it was spontaneous and I got my haircut before we went swimming. I tried to grow out my hair, but it got annoying with the curls and flipping. So I am going to try to keep it throughout the season.

Q. Will you ask your other teammates to do it?
MONICA ENGELMAN: I wouldn't dare.

Q. You will not ask Bonnie to go with a faux hawk?
MONICA ENGELMAN: No. I think she should keep her hair that she has now.

Q. Sydney, you have battled some injury throughout your career. You have shown tremendous leadership on the floor. You guys have a lot of talent coming back. You always talk about how your family inspires you. What is special about your family that is such an inspiration for you as a player?
SYDNEY COLSON: It is just I grew up, I guess when I was around 10 years old my parents separated. Just seeing my mom, she is such a hard worker. She fought for everything she needed and she really inspires me and makes me want to do better in whatever I am doing.
My brother and sister are always there. My dad are always there to support me in whatever I want to do.
In high school I didn't really want to play basketball my senior year. They were there to support me whether I wanted to or not.
I think really it is just having their support and having them to have the best for me, wanting me to do whatever I feel is right. I go out and play for them most of the time really.

Q. Family is important from you, too, Kelsey. You said you are from a very small town, Ida Grove. Iowa State Fair is a big deal. You were telling me earlier about some interesting activities in your county fair. You want to share with everybody?
KELSEY BOLTE: I can say exactly what Lakyn said. There is not much to do. So when you have the opportunity to go to the county fair, it is something completely different. Like I was telling you earlier, they have different things, like hog and pig wrestling where you can do it with one of your friends and compete for T-shirts or prizes or trophies or just gift certificates around town, which in Ida Grove isn't a ton. (Laughter).
But it is just something fun you could do with your friends in high school. I don't think I was ever part of a winning group because at the end it would just be a part of where you would just want to throw the other person into the mud or push someone else's face into the mud or most of the girls were scared of the pig. It was fun.

Q. So the hog and pig wrestling, does that get you ready for action in the lane in the Big 12?
KELSEY BOLTE: No.

Q. Monica plays a couple of instruments, including the guitar. Dominique, you are a pretty good player.
SYDNEY COLSON: I play the harmonica.

Q. Anything else? Backup singers? Dancers? I think we might get a theme here. We could develop a Big 12 band. What is it about music that you two enjoy?
MONICA ENGELMAN: Well, I listen -- I listen to a diverse mix of music. And I don't know, it's fun for me. I was in jazz band when I was growing up and I'm attracted to the sound of the guitar. It was just fun for me and easy for me to pick up so it kind of stuck with me.

Q. What do you play? Do you have any original music?
MONICA ENGELMAN: I make up stuff. I don't really write songs or anything like that. I'm into metal, I'm into rock.
SYDNEY COLSON: Why don't you sing us a little something?
MONICA ENGELMAN: I can't sing.

Q. We are looking for theme music for the Big 12 basketball. Maybe you can collaborate on something there. What about you, Dominique?
DOMINIQUE KELLEY: I don't sing, but my sister sings very well. So it is just kind of a little inside joke that her and I have going on. She gives me a hard time about it. That's it.
SYDNEY COLSON: I do sing.

Q. What do you sing?
SYDNEY COLSON: In the shower. I got to be in the shower.

Q. I personally know all the girl parts to "High School Musical" at my house. Kelsey, everybody played in the band. Didn't we all play an instrument in the band?
KELSEY BOLTE: I did. It was just the first year, fourth grade, we get the option and you get to pick your instrument. And I picked the French horn. It didn't stick with me.
MONICA ENGELMAN: I love the French horn.
KELSEY BOLTE: I didn't work real hard with the notes. I gave it up after the fourth grade year.
SYDNEY COLSON: Didn't we all get a recorder?

Q. You have been on some missionary trips, Melissa. Can you tell everybody about what you have done with that.
MELISSA JONES: Sure. This past summer was the second year that I went to Kenya in Africa and we were actually in Nairobi. It is just such a great experience to get over and set up sports clinics, go to some orphanages, schools, and just play with some kids and really to spread God's word and have a good time.

Q. How long were you there?
MELISSA JONES: About two weeks both times.

Q. Kelsey, the devastating floods in your community and how those floods and the changes that happen in your community, how has it affected you guys as a team? Not just your day-to-day and practice and things you had to do, but just overall the camaraderie of your team and inside the community because Ames is such a wonderful basketball town.
KELSEY BOLTE: I think that's something everyone asks me, whether it is at the grocery store, at Wal-Mart, a fan comes up to me and asks, Is Hilton going to be ready, how is everyone doing?
That's one of the biggest things. We are not really -- the biggest thing is not knowing if we will be ready or if it will be ready. But the people are doing a great job getting it ready. Hoping for sure that we will be in there for our first game. Especially for the volleyball team and their seniors on their team, you kind of feel for them because they have played in Hilton all four years and having to play not somewhere where they have a really good fan base. Now they are playing where they don't get as many fans or can't fit as many fans, I should say. Really feeling for the volleyball team. Hopefully they will be able to get in there by early November. Keep your fingers crossed.

Q. Does that mean we will have new luxury suites, new media accommodations for Ames?
KELSEY BOLTE: Probably not for you and me. But maybe in a couple years.

Q. Dominique, I was thinking about wearing that same shirt but I'm glad that I didn't today. Showing off your guns. I know you are a very strong athlete. Why don't you just brag a little bit. Can you tell us what you bench and what you squat, some of your top lifts.
DOMINIQUE KELLEY: Griesch was having a really hard time coming up with a fun fact about me. I decided to go ahead and let him put that I can bench over 170 pounds. But I was kind of born like this. I had these muscles when I came out of my mother's womb. So Nebraska has just helped me be able to tone up. Thanks, Griesch. (Smiling)?

Q. Lakyn, something that everyone wants to know is what Oklahoma State basketball is going to look like without the Big 12's all-time leading scorer in Andrea Riley. What will we expect to see in terms of style of play or anything new? I know Coach Budke has done a great job of getting you guys ready with a scheme and system. What will be new and different?
LAKYN GARRISON: First of all, you can't replace Andrea Riley. She is a very great player and I enjoyed playing with her very much.
We do have a young team. However, this team is very talented, they work extremely hard. I have never seen a group of kids work so hard. Being that I am a senior, you know, I'm very fortunate to have such a hard-working team. As me being -- fixing to leave, they come with energy every day. Our chemistry is wonderful. I think you are going to see a lot more defense out of us. The girls are very quick, and their passion for the game is really high.
So, I mean, you are just going to see a whole different team. We are going to move the ball. Everybody is going to get to shoot.

Q. We can all laugh at that because that is funny. Everybody will get to shoot.
LAKYN GARRISON: I mean, we don't have a scorer like Andrea Riley. You have to pass the ball. She did what she had to do last year which was shoot the ball. She is very good at it.
This year we are going to have to work the ball around to get shots up.

Q. No question a great player and one of the greatest we have seen in the history of the Big 12. Your range, am I going to have to carry a tape measure with me all season to measure how far beyond the arc you are going to be dropping 3s?
LAKYN GARRISON: You can bring one. I'm anxious to see. I really don't know how far some of my shots. I know I am way back there.

Q. There are a couple of players in the league that I need a tape cache for. Maybe Kelsey Bolte. 84 3s last year. Can you get 100?
KELSEY BOLTE: I can try. I will take 100, I know. (Smiling.)

Q. Monica, I know you are not allowed to do this anymore, at least during basketball season. I understand you are a skate boarder.
MONICA ENGELMAN: I'm an ex-skate boarder. I'm retired.

Q. Are you going to pick it back up after basketball is over?
MONICA ENGELMAN: That's something I would have to worry about after I graduate. I had to retire that. I haven't been on a skate board since my freshman year in high school when I got serious with basketball. That's something that I think can be put on hold until afterwards.

Q. Is that something that you were pretty serious about?
MONICA ENGELMAN: Yeah, I was a tomboy growing up. I was always with the boys in the neighborhood. And as soon as I woke up, I would be outside skating. And it was something that I was really passionate about, something I can do, go out and find. I wouldn't be in trouble. It was something that I loved and enjoyed.

Q. Besides Monica, everyone else is a senior. Postgraduate expectations, plans, Melissa, next for you?
MELISSA JONES: I was hoping to win the lottery. (Smiling.)

Q. You didn't eat anything this year or do anything crazy? I know you can't jump out of an airplane anymore, Coach Mulkey cut that off.
MELISSA JONES: Yeah, right. Haven't done anything like that since.

Q. What would you like to do?
MELISSA JONES: I don't really know. I mean, if I could still play after, that would be great. But I just don't know what's in store for me. It is still a big question mark at this moment.
KELSEY BOLTE: Same with her. If I have the opportunity to play, I definitely will. And I'm not really sure otherwise if I don't have the opportunity. I guess I will have to start searching for a job. I don't really want to go home and live with my parents.
SYDNEY COLSON: Yeah, I want to play overseas if I can or find a good man that's willing to take care of me for the rest of my life. (Laughter).
DOMINIQUE KELLEY: I am actually hoping that Coach Yori is going to find me an awesome graduate assistant job somewhere. That's my plan.
LAKYN GARRISON: I'm in the same boat as them two. I really am not sure what I want to do. I may want to counselor coach, but my ultimate goal is to go to law school one day eventually before I die.
SYDNEY COLSON: That's good before you die.
LAKYN GARRISON: One day when I have time.

Q. Sydney, we also know you want to go into broadcasting. Have you had a chance to have any experiences in front of or behind the camera there at A&M?
SYDNEY COLSON: Wade Robinson works for FSN, and I got a chance to watch some Astro games and went to see everything that went on behind the camera. Even though I want to be in front of the camera, I guess I want to do some work behind if that's possible. And, you know, he was just showing me the ropes a little bit, introducing me to people.
Whenever he is in town in College Station, he told me he will let me come on the truck and see everything that happens. So I'm blessed to have that opportunity from him.

Q. We heard about Kelsey from Twitter that maybe you were hypnotized at your high school prom or something like that.
KELSEY BOLTE: I was hypnotized.

Q. Tell us about that experience, any funny stories you want to share or that you were embarrassed about?
KELSEY BOLTE: I wasn't on stage when I got hypnotized, but all of a sudden I would pass out in the audience. So everyone is pointing at me that I was hypnotized. They snapped me out of it. I got back on the stage and they told me to come up. And I think -- like, I started crying when I was hypnotized. Someone was killing puppies, so I was devastated.
And they told you to imagine you are in a convertible and you are driving down Sunset Boulevard and I was making a fool of myself. You are supposed to act like you were at a strip club or something like that and there was people around me throwing dollar bills out. I was so embarrassed when everyone told me what happened. I started crying because of, like -- someone was -- a puppy got hit by a car or something. It was awful. It was so embarrassing.

Q. And then, Melissa, congratulations, we hear you have just been nominated as a student-athlete representative to the homecoming court, is that correct?
MELISSA JONES: Yeah. I don't know how that happened, but --

Q. It speaks to a lot of things about your character and how you represent Baylor, doesn't it?
MELISSA JONES: Unless someone like Coach Mulkey had something to do with it or it is a big prank.

Q. There is one coach in this league that has been a former homecoming queen. I won't tell you who it is and see if you can figure it out before. I'm not saying right now.
SYDNEY COLSON: In the south or the north?

Q. No hints. It might have been Coach Blair actually. He might have been in the homecoming court, I'm sure he was during his day.
SYDNEY COLSON: Homecoming queen for sure for him.

Q. How much does he talk to you guys about the ties he wears? We know his ties are something that's really special and important when he is getting ready for a game.
SYDNEY COLSON: Sometimes he doesn't run the idea by us. I wish that he would because we would tell him what we thought and help him out a little. He doesn't talk about his ties. Sometimes they are nice.
That one is nice, Coach. I like it. Give me some playing time, yeah. (Laughter.)

Q. I think you have already earned your playing time.

End of FastScripts




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