SE: K-State WBB Make Large Gains in Offseason
Sep 02, 2019 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
When K-State women's basketball head coach Jeff Mittie talks about the progress of his team this offseason, the first place he goes is the weight room. For his Wildcats, it's been a summer of gains.
"The weight room was huge," Mittie, entering his sixth season with a record 100-66, said. "It's the biggest improvement we've seen in the weight room since I've been here."
From large dead lift increases to impressive gains in vertical jump measurements, the Wildcats took sizable steps to physically prepare themselves for improvement on the basketball floor.
Mittie said part of that improvement stemmed from what the summer offers the younger players. In short, they finally got a chance to focus more on the weight room than on learning offensive and defensive systems or scouting other teams.
Once strength and conditioning coach AJ Kloss got more time with them, Mittie said, "they had a ceiling to get to that was higher, so we saw good improvement there."
The other part of it was the leadership shown in the weight room. While the overall leadership void left from point guard Kayla Goth graduating, along with senior forward Peyton Williams, a two-sport athlete currently being in volleyball season, still has room to fill, Mittie said the weight room was taken care of in this respect.
"In the weight room Laura Macke's work ethic plays there. Chrissy Carr's work ethic in the weight room plays there. Jasauen Beard's work ethic in the weight room (plays there)," he said. "AJ would tell you that their work ethic sticks out."
Outside of the weight room, Mittie said he's looked to divvy out the leadership in small chunks. For example, Ayoka Lee has brought a consistency to her work that her head coach raved about.
"Ayoka Lee is a really steady presence, but she hasn't made a basket yet in college. So, it's hard for her to really (lead). And she's a quiet kid, but she's steady every day," he said. "I love the way she works, love the way she approaches practice, love her coachability."
K-State also added a graduate transfer in Angela Harris, whose experience should provide some leadership in time. As a point guard for Houston from 2016-19, Harris tallied 77 starts and left with a career stat line of 1,083 points, 281 assists, 280 rebounds and 216 steals. But she only arrived on K-State's campus last week.
"That won't be easy for her to be a leader right away. She'll have to establish herself right away," Mittie said. "Angela will have to come in and show the discipline, the work ethic, all those things, and that'll be my message to her. It's already been my message to her as a point guard: 'First you have to listen a lot, establish yourself as a hard worker, and then you'll have a chance to lead.'"
Along with Harris, K-State's backcourt regained the athleticism of Cymone Goodrich, the redshirt sophomore missed all but one game last season with a shoulder injury. Lee, a 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman who sat out last season while recovering from a knee injury, should help bolster the team's frontcourt.
Overall, the Wildcats returned nine letterwinners, including Rachel Ranke, a two-year starter, Carr, a 2019 Big 12 All-Freshman Team pick, and a First Team All-Big 12 forward in Williams. Statistically, 70 percent of the team's scoring and 64 percent of its rebounding from last year returns to a program that is one of four in the Big 12 to play in the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four seasons.
Plus, K-State adds in a freshman class of 5-foot-8 guard Jada Thorpe, 6-foot guard Emilee Ebert and 6-foot-3 forward Emma Chapman. Mittie said he has been pleasantly surprised with all three so far.
"All three have shown the ability to manage their time and work. Across the board, from academics to the training room to the weight room, it's been the most consistent freshman class (I've had) about being where they're supposed to be early, putting the work in, putting the extra work in," he said. "That has been a real positive."
When K-State women's basketball head coach Jeff Mittie talks about the progress of his team this offseason, the first place he goes is the weight room. For his Wildcats, it's been a summer of gains.
"The weight room was huge," Mittie, entering his sixth season with a record 100-66, said. "It's the biggest improvement we've seen in the weight room since I've been here."
From large dead lift increases to impressive gains in vertical jump measurements, the Wildcats took sizable steps to physically prepare themselves for improvement on the basketball floor.
Mittie said part of that improvement stemmed from what the summer offers the younger players. In short, they finally got a chance to focus more on the weight room than on learning offensive and defensive systems or scouting other teams.
Once strength and conditioning coach AJ Kloss got more time with them, Mittie said, "they had a ceiling to get to that was higher, so we saw good improvement there."
The other part of it was the leadership shown in the weight room. While the overall leadership void left from point guard Kayla Goth graduating, along with senior forward Peyton Williams, a two-sport athlete currently being in volleyball season, still has room to fill, Mittie said the weight room was taken care of in this respect.
"In the weight room Laura Macke's work ethic plays there. Chrissy Carr's work ethic in the weight room plays there. Jasauen Beard's work ethic in the weight room (plays there)," he said. "AJ would tell you that their work ethic sticks out."
Set the tone. #KStateWBB pic.twitter.com/mRtWLFTjJV
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) July 8, 2019
Outside of the weight room, Mittie said he's looked to divvy out the leadership in small chunks. For example, Ayoka Lee has brought a consistency to her work that her head coach raved about.
"Ayoka Lee is a really steady presence, but she hasn't made a basket yet in college. So, it's hard for her to really (lead). And she's a quiet kid, but she's steady every day," he said. "I love the way she works, love the way she approaches practice, love her coachability."
K-State also added a graduate transfer in Angela Harris, whose experience should provide some leadership in time. As a point guard for Houston from 2016-19, Harris tallied 77 starts and left with a career stat line of 1,083 points, 281 assists, 280 rebounds and 216 steals. But she only arrived on K-State's campus last week.
"That won't be easy for her to be a leader right away. She'll have to establish herself right away," Mittie said. "Angela will have to come in and show the discipline, the work ethic, all those things, and that'll be my message to her. It's already been my message to her as a point guard: 'First you have to listen a lot, establish yourself as a hard worker, and then you'll have a chance to lead.'"
Along with Harris, K-State's backcourt regained the athleticism of Cymone Goodrich, the redshirt sophomore missed all but one game last season with a shoulder injury. Lee, a 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman who sat out last season while recovering from a knee injury, should help bolster the team's frontcourt.
Overall, the Wildcats returned nine letterwinners, including Rachel Ranke, a two-year starter, Carr, a 2019 Big 12 All-Freshman Team pick, and a First Team All-Big 12 forward in Williams. Statistically, 70 percent of the team's scoring and 64 percent of its rebounding from last year returns to a program that is one of four in the Big 12 to play in the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four seasons.
Plus, K-State adds in a freshman class of 5-foot-8 guard Jada Thorpe, 6-foot guard Emilee Ebert and 6-foot-3 forward Emma Chapman. Mittie said he has been pleasantly surprised with all three so far.
"All three have shown the ability to manage their time and work. Across the board, from academics to the training room to the weight room, it's been the most consistent freshman class (I've had) about being where they're supposed to be early, putting the work in, putting the extra work in," he said. "That has been a real positive."
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