Terrapins Host Annual Media Day

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Maryland women's basketball team welcomed local, regional and national media to the XFINITY Center Tuesday for its annual Media Day. The Terrapins spent time with the media before holding an open practice.

Sophomore Kaila Charles was selected to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team by both the league's head coaches and media panel Monday afternoon.

Ohio State was selected to win the Big Ten by both the coaches and the media, with the Terrapins selected to finish second. Michigan was picked to finish third by the head coaches and tie Maryland for second by the media.

Quotes from Tuesday's Media Day are below.

Head Coach Brenda Frese

On what the excitement level is coming into the season:

"Everybody is really excited to get started. I think we are all ready to stop going against ourselves and our scout team and really start seeing how we match up against opponents. Hard work has been put in ever since the summer and the experience we gained from Taiwan. But we're really ready to go against the competition to see how we stack up."

On how she sees the dynamic of a smaller team meaning more opportunity for more players playing out during the year:

"We know how we're undersized in some positions, how much harder we're going to have to work to negate some of that. Obviously only having ten players i terms of our depth, everybody knows they're going to be counted on. They have the responsibility to be ready to play. They've really taken that ownership and have taken it heart."

On what she's looking forward to in the next couple of weeks to prepare to take on University of South Carolina:

"Obviously, you want to see how you stack up and where we're at that point of the season, I think for both teams. I think they have a lot more experience, obviously, under their belt, but for us we have the experience of Taiwan. So to be able to take that now to a high level opponent to be able to measure up to see where we're at."

Senior Guard Kristen Confroy
On some of the things the team saw they needed to work on from the Taiwan trip:

"I think just being consistent through all 40 minutes. We felt that we had some holes in and throughout the games- we know that for us to be successful, we need to play 40 minutes at our highest level and not really let ourselves drop off at all.

On if learning to play all 40 minutes is something you work on in practice or more of a game situation:

"I think it is a mentality and we've tried to bring that to practice. Knowing that we might be tired this day, but it doesn't matter. We have to force ourselves to push that wall and to really get better than the day we were before. I think that we've done a really good job at that for the most part. In preseason, it is 'were we better this practice than we were last practice?' That's what it really comes down to."

On what she sees as her role this year as a returning senior:

"I think just recognizing that it is my fourth year of this and knowing what is expected and what's going to make us successful this season. Really portraying that to everybody else, especially our freshmen and our new players who are still learning the system. In terms of me personally, just stepping up into a bigger role. Obviously, losing Shatori and Bri, two All-American top ten picks, really forced us as a team to all step a little bit. So I'm looking forward to doing that for myself to really help out the team."

Sophomore Guard Blair Watson
On what are her thoughts are moving into sophomore year that are different from freshman year:
"I would say confidence is a big thing. Getting to play in Taiwan, getting that cultural experience, and just knowing the challenge of everyone having to step up to be a leader is something that is really, really important moving forward."

Freshman Guard Channise Lewis

On how the transition has been from college to high school:

"It's been going pretty well. The coaching staff and the team has been there for me throughout the process, so I think I'm adjusting pretty well. I think time management is something that I have to work on more, from practice and class work and everything else- tutoring and everything, I have to work on that. But besides that, everything has been smooth sailing."

On what fans can expect from the team this year:

"Expect fun. It's going to be a fun season this year. Our chemistry is there of course, we're just going to be ready to play every game. It's going to be tough because we are limited with players, but I believe that this year is going to be one of those fun seasons that you're going to see all of us smiling on the court and off the court. Just encouraging each other each game."

On how Taiwan helped her get acclimated to her teammates as a freshman:

"Taiwan was a big help towards the season. I didn't know much about the individuals as players. Taiwan helped me to learn more about the players- learn more on the court and off the court. Now, we're just more of a family."

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