Maryland Women's Basketball Player Quotes from Media Day
10/29/2007 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 29, 2007
Senior Crystal Langhorne
On playing the USA Basketball team on Wednesday:
"They have great players and I know that our whole team is very excited to be playing the U.S. National Team. It's players we have watched since we were younger. So the chance that we have to play people like Lisa Leslie is going to be a great experience."
On watching Lisa Leslie growing up:
"I remember watching how good she was and even today, just watching how much better she has gotten from when I first started watching her; her game has grown over the years. Hopefully, I will be able to do that with my game."
On individual goals for this season:
"I try not to focus on individual goals because its really about winning championships, that is what people remember."
Senior Laura Harper
On her summer and her confidence:
"My summer, for me personally, was invigorating. I was at a low point in my game and my confidence [last year]. Coach instilled all of the confidence in the world in me. Just leaving the country and playing with different people was just what I needed to bring me back to focus on this team and on basketball."
On regaining her confidence by playing with USA team players:
"I think just playing with that caliber of players, just playing with them every day, having people just tell you `just relax and play' is just what I needed. It was an amazing experience."
On what she learned about herself this summer:
"I think I learned that I'm the kind of person who can't stress out. I can't think too much I just really have to love what I'm doing and have fun. That's our team motto this year; we're going to have twice as much fun. We're just going to go out and play and have fun."
On the aftermath of last year:
"I personally took it so hard. I know I talked to Coach B afterwards because I was so disappointed and I felt like I personally let the team down. I was going to do everything I could to regain the team's confidence in me. We're too good to waste our talent. We have to keep playing."
On how her game has improved:
"It's grown a lot. I felt like I was a stagnant player at the end of last year, just lacking confidence for no reason. Now, if I miss a shot, then so what? That's one thing we're trying to do as a team. We don't want to focus on our mistakes, we just want to move on to the next play."
Senior Ashleigh Newman
On playing as a senior:
"I don't know that I've taken it all in yet, I obviously know that this is my last year here but just looking back when I was a freshman first stepping out here and not knowing what to expect. I would have never imagined that I would have accomplished the things I and my teammates have accomplished together."
On goals for the season:
"Our goals are really high right now, as they are every season. We want to win an ACC Championship, we want to win the national championship, we want all of those things and, with this being my last season, I just want to go out with no regrets."
Senior Jade Perry
On Coach Frese's pregnancy:
"To be having twins is so amazing for her. I'm just so excited. I wish I could be here for a few more years so I could see her kids grow up. I'm happy for Coach because I know she wanted this for a long time."
On the seniors for this year:
"We're the leaders on the team. This is our last year so we've got to work hard. Of course, we want to finish the season out strong, get an ACC Championship and win another national championship before we all leave."
Senior Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood
On playing as a senior:
"I've been here two years and I sat out because I was a transfer student. Just being here I have gotten so close with my coaches and the other players, and it feels like a family. I definitely don't feel like I am a senior, it went by so fast and I still feel like I am a freshman. I am definitely excited about this year"
On goals for the season:
"We had about two seniors last year that graduated and this year we have four starters that are back, so our entire team is basically still here. This year we are looking to win the national championship again."
Junior Marissa Coleman
On last season:
"Any time you have such an extreme high as winning a national championship and not follow up with it, it's going to be disappointing. I think even if we had lost in the sweet sixteen or the Final Four, it still would have been disappointing. It was a learning experience. We have an advantage that a lot of teams don't have and that's the extreme high of winning a national championship and then we came back the next year and lost. We know what it takes to win and we know how it feels to lose."
On the ACC:
"When you have three teams in the Final Four the year before, we're going to garner all of the attention. The ACC, from top to bottom, is definitely a great conference. We have to be competitive every game."
Junior Kristi Toliver
On participating in the point guard camp this past summer:
"With Point Guard College, it was conveniently in my hometown. It was just a way for me to improve my game from fundamental stuff, to working on approaches, to different defenses and offenses. It was a really good thing for me."
On expectations for this season:
"We definitely ended last season on a bitter note, we felt like we let our seniors down because we didn't want them going out on that kind of note. But going into this year, we have to put that behind us, but keep it in the back of our heads to keep us extra motivated so we don't allow that to happen again. We are truly excited about this season and to get the chance to re-introduce ourselves."
On feeling pressure:
"I think we put the most pressure on ourselves last season. We wanted to perform and do really well and I think that pressure is what led us to not playing as well."
Junior Christie Marrone
On this season:
"I think we're expecting a much better season from last year. We're looking to come out on top again. The hard work this summer and preseason I think was some of our best. We're expecting to do big things. We have a really tough schedule and, with the help of the freshmen, we can be a lot more successful."
Redshirt-Freshman Emery Wallace
On playing this season after a medical redshirt:
"I am really excited about this season. It was hard sitting out last year, going through rehabilitation and not being able to play because of my surgeries on my knees. I am excited to be able to contribute and help the team win a national championship this year."
On individual goals:
"My goal is to stay healthy all year long. I haven't been able to play basketball for a year and a half between my three knee surgeries. So my goals are to stay one hundred percent back into shape, stay healthy and focus on my guard game. I just want to be on the court and have fun."
Freshman Marah Strickland
On looking forward to playing this season:
"I look forward to just playing with the girls, its going to be a great experience, we're going to have a lot of fun and the coaching staff is excellent. So I'm just very excited."
On the high school basketball vs. the college level:
"I think the major thing playing on the college level now versus the high school level is the excellent talent and the strength of the players. Everyone is very strong and the training is definitely more difficult but a great learning experience."
Freshman Drey Mingo
On coming to Maryland:
"It's been awesome. Campus is huge, but being with the teammates I have makes it so much smaller. Practice is good, it's tough, but it's about what I expected. We do a lot of running, that's for sure."
On facing the USA National team:
"To be on the floor with people from the national team is just phenomenal. It's going to be so surreal. I'm just going to have fun with it."
On her role on the team:
"I'm just coming in and trying to work as hard as I can, whatever playing time I get, make the most of it and help the team. I am excited to do the best that we can to help the seniors go out with a championship because we do have the best seniors."
Freshman Kat Lyons
On feelings towards the start of the season:
"I am looking forward to playing with the seniors and all of the other players. We have a lot of talent on this team and I am excited to play with all of them."
On the high school basketball vs. the college level:
"The game in college is faster and the time spent in the gym, with the team and with preparation is so much more than high school."
Freshman Anjalé Barrett
On feelings toward the season:
"I am looking forward to being with the team and having fun, that's the main thing. Having fun, working hard and learning from the upperclassmen because we have a great group of upperclassmen and now we have a great new group of underclassmen so we can just have fun and learn."
On the high school basketball vs. the college level:
"The game is faster in college and everyone is just as talented as you are, so you have to take care of yourself physically and mentally so that you're prepared every time you step on the floor. There is not a time where you can come and not bring you're `A-game.' College is more challenging because everyday you have to be prepared to battle."
Freshman Kim Rodgers
On looking forward to the season:
"I am excited to learn from the upperclassmen and being able to sit back and watch, but at the same time learn the system."
On the high school basketball vs. the college level
"In college you have to take care of your body a lot more because of the physical demand. You have to understand that you have to get more rest and watch what you eat."
