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BIG TEN CONFERENCE MEDIA DAYS (WOMEN)October 28, 2010Lisa StoneCHICAGO, ILLINOIS LISA STONE: Well, I have really, truly enjoyed the preseason with this team. The early start for us I think was very beneficial, when you have a veteran team that we can come in and lean on in terms of our defensive abilities and our identity. Offensively I'm really pleased with our early post production in practice, and looking forward to building on last year. Our trip to the NCAA Tournament certainly was something that we'd like to build off of and play better. We've been motivated throughout the off-season, been a great summer for our kids, and I really am excited about our seniors. Two are with me today, Alyssa Karel and Tara Steinbauer, and Lin Zastrow. Those three have been to postseason for three years, last year being the NCAA Tournament, and looking forward to an appetite for a little bit more this year, and I couldn't be happier with our start so far. Q. You've got so many returning players. I thought you might have been in the top three of the poll. Do you feel snubbed at not being in the three, and how do you look at the top contenders this year? LISA STONE: First of all, I think our conference could be as strong as it's ever been. From top to bottom it's outstanding, great coaches, tremendous players. It's hard to pick the preseason players of the year and top players in terms of the best because there's so many. Do I feel snubbed? No. We were picked 10th last year. We utilized our ranking as motivation. It's really not where you start, it's where you finish. We've said that all along. Again, I'm really excited about this team. They have a taste in their mouths that keeps them motivated and keeps them working hard. Again, our practices have been very, very good, and the whole thing with everybody in this league is staying healthy. You're one injury away from a different look of your team. But I hope that this entire conference stays healthy because my hope is that there's our largest number of participants in the NCAA Tournament this year from our league. Q. Ohio State and Iowa, they were one-two in both polls. Are those the two? Ohio State is obviously the team to beat, but are those the two -- LISA STONE: I think without question, there's no doubt about it. Both had outstanding seasons. What Iowa did last year with a lot of injuries and not a lot of players, you just look at players like Jantel Lavender, Sammy Prahalis and Kacine Alexander. They're three of the best. They return everybody and they have an opportunity to continue to raise the bar for the entire league. I think there's a lot of teams. It'll be interesting to see how it all pans out February 1st, where are the standings at. It's exciting, and that says a lot about our league. Q. If there's one key to you guys really achieving and going further, is there a position or a couple players that have to really bring it more than maybe they have in the past? LISA STONE: Well, first of all, we must carry over and continue to have our team be one of the top defensive teams in the league. In terms of position, we have got to get points in the paint. We have capabilities with Zastrow, Tara Steinbauer, Anya Covington, her last ten games of the last year were outstanding, really made a difference for us. Ashley Thomas is a junior now, great defender. Her production inside we're looking forward to, and we've added 6'5" Cassie Rochel, a freshman. We need to have a presence inside. We've been very guard heavy in the past. Alyssa Karel speaks for herself. She's a tremendous player. Jade Davis and Taylor Wurtz, those three all can put up numbers from outside, but we have got to strike oil inside, and I'm excited about that. They know that's the approach. We've attacked our preseason workouts in terms of offense from the inside out, and we want to get up and down the floor a little bit, get a little bit more offense from our defense. I can't handle turnovers. So we're working hard on taking care of the basketball. But bottom line is that ball has got to go inside and we have to have some production in there. Q. Ohio State-Wisconsin Football game, and I know your program is close with the men's program and the football program. What did that kind of experience mean for you guys in practice? LISA STONE: For our entire institution, not just athletically and not just the victory, but that environment was unbelievable. To be a part of that environment was absolutely awesome. The coverage we've gotten nationally we've built on. Certainly our hats off to Brett and his football program. Bo had an event at the fieldhouse that they covered, and our hockey team was practicing. They went out and they covered our entire university. You saw our campus. The weather was beautiful. The goal posts they were trying to take down. The fans were unbelievable. It was a great day to have recruits on campus. I'm not going to lie about that. You couldn't have scripted it better. But from that game now, I mean, Wisconsin was on the map, but it's a credit to what that football team did that day to continue the visibility. End of FastScripts |
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