2002-03 Women's Basketball Media Day Quotes
Oct 23, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Oct. 23, 2002
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH DEB PATTERSON
On combining men's and women's media day...
"I truly appreciate the opportunity that both the administration and, particularly, Coach (Jim) Wooldridge present to our program in allowing this to be a combined media day. I think that's extremely significant. It's something that in the past probably would never have happened here. I do appreciate Coach Wooldridge's willingness to allow both programs to bring the media here on the same day... I expressed that to him last year and want to publicly express that today."
On the start of the season...
"We're extremely excited about where we find ourselves in the preseason. We find ourselves preseason pick No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference, and that is truly something that we take a great deal of pride in, we're very pleased about and consider a great challenge as we head into this next season.
"Nicole Ohlde continues to assert herself on the national scene as one of the nation's best post players. We're extremely excited about her recognition as preseason Player of the Year in the Big 12, and also the recognition that both she and Kendra Wecker received (Tuesday) as players on the Naismith Player of the Year watch list. This is a tremendous achievement for both of those two. We're very proud of them and very excited about what may lay ahead for both of them."
On building on the success of last season...
"Certainly, we hope we can build upon the momentum generated last season. I think across the board, the fan support that was generated here, the turnaround with respect to wins and losses, the improvement in our record, the improvement in our road record and our ability to win on the road, all of those things in my mind are areas in which we hope to establish some measure of consistency now.
"We had great success in each of those areas last year, but I think the challenge now for this basketball program is consistency. It's about learning to become what the great programs are about, and that is doing the job year in and year out. I hope we can grab hold of that concept. I'm very optimistic that the players we have in the program, with so many of them being returners, are very focused on bringing that consistency. Certainly that's where we're generating the majority of our goals."
On any added pressure for this season...
"I don't necessarily look at it as pressure. I look at it as an opportunity. I think every step you take as you're building a program, as you're attaining new levels of success, opens the door for new opportunities. For us to be able to string together two very high-quality years in terms of wins and losses in this league and on the national scene would be tremendous. Certainly that's where we're directing our efforts.
In having the opportunity to host the first and second rounds (of the 2003 NCAA Tournament), we've created a scenario here at Kansas State by virtue of our administrative support, by virtue of our great fan base, of being in position to be one of those 16 hosts. So that gives us a great deal of direction as we head into the NCAA Tournament. It's that thought of, we know where we're going to play. We know we're going to play at home. Now the chore is to make sure we're going to be one of those (64) teams that are selected.
"But it's a good place to be. As opposed to pressure, we talk about the opportunity - the opportunity to get better, the opportunity to establish consistency, the opportunity to grow in our game and to grow in new challenges. We are a different team. We've lost Kristin Rethman, a four-year starter, and we need to find someone to step up, or several people to step up and fill the shoes that her departure creates."There's a lot on the table for us, but it's very exciting for us."
On her sense for the whole program at this point...
"I feel very good about the internal dynamics in our program. We have players now who are in the gym by virtue of self-motivation. They're not necessarily being reminded to be there. They're not necessarily there because they're encouraged to be there. They're there because they want to be there and that's an important step in the inner growth of your program. That shows and demonstrates that there's leadership in place from within. I truly believe that there is no greater voice than the voice from within that group of your team.
"As a coach and a staff, you're constantly providing a leadership of sorts, directing and marking out the plan. But I think the team really takes hold when you find a Nicole Ohlde or a Laurie Koehn, in particular, who every day are setting a standard with their peers. Their peers recognize that, they validate it and they tend to follow it. That's a much better lead to follow than the coach instructing the players on how they should behave or how they should operate during the season or the off-season. I feel very good about finally having that true sense of leadership. My perspective is that all begins with Nicole Ohlde."
On the guard position...
"I think our outlook on the guard position is it's going to be very dynamic. I don't at all feel as though we have all the answers today. I would like to think that by the time we're through the preseason and headed into conference play that some of these questions will be answered.
"I'm a coach who prefers things to be set. I don't really like to experiment a lot with personnel as we begin to proceed through a season. I'm hopeful that we can come up with a five-player rotation and two or three beyond that five that we feel very solid about. But right now, I'd say it is dynamic. It's very open-ended at this point. I don't by any stretch of the imagination feel that any one is set in stone at this point in that fifth spot.
"I think that Chelsea Domenico, having had some experience a year ago playing on the perimeter for us, some significant minutes, is someone we'll look to. If we don't go with a lot of minutes there from a guard perpsective, I would think Brie Madden would assert herself as that next most dominant post player if we determine that we want to go big. If we go big, it involves moving Kendra Wecker, it involves Laurie continuing to play that point position and maybe Megan (Mahoney) moving over to the two spot.
"So we have a lot of unanswered questions there. We're having a good time at least this first week or two, working through our system a little bit and trying to figure out some of those answers."
GUARD/FORWARD MEGAN MAHONEY
On her role this year compared to last year...
"One of the things we have talked about is losing Kristin Rethman. You lose 69 three-point shots she made last year. That's the thing I have been working on in the off-season is shooting the three, and I know Chelsea has been working on that too. So that is one of the things I am going to have to step up and do, in addition to rebounding and passing out assists to our scorers."
On working on her three-point shot...
"It's not a major shift, it is just something that is going to come with time. And once we get into the flow of offense, I'll start to feel where there is going to be open passes and spot up for the three."
On the experience gained from last season to this season...
"Well, I've been through it. It has only been a year, but you can learn so much in a year. And I think that year of experience under my belt is going to help all of us a lot."
On living up to expectations...
"We are definitely honored to have the rankings that we have so far. It's just a matter of working hard and taking it game by game."
On the point guard responsibilties...
"I think Chelsea has been working real hard at the point guard spot and I think that will be good, if she can come in and do that. It will free up Laurie from those responsibilities. We can also switch it around, and Kendra can play guard as well. During practice we switch with different guards taking the ball up, so I think any of the three or four of us could run the point if we had too. We just have to see what combination has the best flow."
GUARD LAURIE KOEHN
On the effect Kari Hanson not being able to play at point guard this season has on her...
"I think, more than anything, it is more about her as a person that you are worried about, than anything on the court. Also, Chelsea is ready to go too, so I think it is alright, but we would love to have her back."
On going what it will take to go beyond the Sweet Sixteen this year...
"I think the main thing is we just have to come into the gym, kind of like we did last year, just everyday, ready to learn and to get better and to listen to what the coaches have for us. We have great coaches and they've been there, as coaches and they know what we need to do and how we need to improve. I think we just need to come in every day at practice and come in ready to learn and ready to get better and not be satisfied with where we are at."
On not being able to sneak up on people this year...
"It is going to be a lot different than last year because we won't have that little element of surprise we had on some teams last year. I think it is fun and exciting to be in a position where you know people are going to come out and respect you, and really prepare to play us. It is going to be fun and challenging and I think all of us are excited about it."
CENTER NICOLE OHLDE
On developing a left jump hook...
"Coach told me at the end of the year that I really needed to work on not putting the ball down and turning over the right shoulder or left shoulder, so I am trying to work on that a little bit. Hopefully, I will be able to incorporate that into practice and then into a game."
On being instinctive inside with the ball...
"Sometimes I think about it to much, but sometimes I just put the ball on the floor and I am not suppose to do that all the time. Sometimes I still get a little rattled, because I am not the type that knows what I am going to do the whole time or what the defense is going to do. I need to be able to feel whether the defense is playing high side or low side or behind me. That is something I need to get better at."
FORWARD KENDRA WECKER
On Kansas State's depth...
"We didn't play a whole lot of people last year and we are going to miss Kristen, but I think we have players who have picked up their game over the summer and have worked on some things that will definitely help us out. I think it is basically the same. We need to go in and play hard for the minutes that we are in and play as a team and whatever happens, happens."
"I definitely think they (bench) didn't get a lot of playing time last year, but over the summer it was unbelievable the strides that they made. They just stepped up their game and all of us being together the whole summer, working out and playing pick up everyday, helped us get more comfortable with each other and I think that will help out a lot."
On the teams versatility...
"Our whole team is pretty versatile, in that we can all handle the ball decent. I think it makes it a little bit easier. We have our two positions that we play, but we can also change things up a bit and bring a post player back if our point is having trouble bringing the ball up the floor.
On the inside game...
Ohlde will do an awesome job, as usual, inside. Brie will come in and give some great minutes and be a big presence in there. Jessica, as well, being big, strong and physical like she is. If we establish an inside game, like we did last year, then that will open up a lot of things on the outside for Laurie to do her usual thing, and hopefully a couple other players stepping up and hitting some three's too."
