Gators Host Annual Media Day
Friday, October 2, 2015 | Women's Basketball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators held their annual media day and talked about the 2015-16 season
The following is a quick summery of what the student-athletes had to say:
#1 Ronni Williams:
With how many games you all were right there in, and actually could have won, is that encouraging to know that there's just a few things you need to correct to get those wins? “It's a great thing, knowing that we played the way we played and were only down by five, or lost by only two. It means we are right there; we just need to get it over the top.”
Do you consider last year's season a disappointment? “It was a learning experience. We had to learn from it. Now it's time for us to better ourselves.”
What are you all expecting from the team this year? “We just have to play our game. It's time for us to win. That's what we are going to do.”
On the team's boxing training sessions: “I did pretty good. I had a certain technique, didn't come out of the gates swinging. I liked to move around and get my opponent tired. (The quick footwork) helps a lot. We started off with a 10-minute jump rope session, which is tough if you're not used to it. That gets you in your groove, it's good footwork, we run, take care of our agility; it's like three workouts in one.”
#2, Isis Young:
What are your personal goals for this season? “I want to play, get in the game and make an impact. That's really what my plan is.”
What's it like for you coming back from rehab and what was it like sitting out last year? “Sitting out was a blessing in disguise. I got to take notes during a lot of the games, get accustomed to our style of play … I learned a lot. It prepared me mentally for what I'm going to go through this year more than playing and trying to learn at the same time would have.”
What was the hardest thing about sitting out last year? “Just going through the rehab. I rehabbed for about a year, just because I had time to. It's hard to stay motivated when you're constantly doing rehab, when you have to watch practice, can't play and things like that. That was really tough, but I learned a lot. It's really going to be awesome to have that extra year.”
#3, January Miller:
How much of a bond does this senior class have? “We have a really good bond. We are definitely close and have always been a close team. Definitely a strong bond.”
Last year wasn't what you all wanted it to be. How are you taking that year and making it so that you know it doesn't happen again? “We are definitely using it as motivation. The coaches have new outlooks on how we can do things, so, as a team, we are not letting that happen again. It has made us way more focused.”
#4, Carlie Needles:
Do you think your strength, personally, is more on offense or defense? “I've always been a defensive player. I've always loved to get in peoples' grills, play that nitty-gritty defense and be that girl that everyone hated to play against. But putting the ball in the hole is obviously gratifying.”
What has to change this season for you to look at it as successful? “Well, it's my last season ever playing basketball, which is crazy to think about. I just want this season to be something that I'll never forget. I want us to get into the NCAA Tournament, I want us to do everything we need to during the season, but really just take it one game at a time. I just hope the team, in general, comes together and we do everything we need to in order to be successful this year.”
How important is it to you to finish your career in the O Dome? “It means a lot. I can't imagine having to play anywhere else. I love that place. It means a lot that we are the last group of seniors that will play in that original dome. That's pretty cool to think of it that way.”
What's the continuity like on this team with so many returning players and upperclassmen? “I've experienced that before, but this fall … it makes it a little bit easier for practice. We don't have to start all the way over. Everyone knows what to expect. We know what rules we have, what expectations we have as a team. It helps having several veterans, in that regard.”
#11, Dyandria Anderson:
What's the biggest thing you've improved on this offseason? “My shot got a lot better, and my confidence in myself as a player definitely grew a lot this summer.”
What was it like staying here for the entire summer? “It was rough at first, but it was definitely worth it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The best part about it was just coming in here and working out all summer.”
What're you looking forward to most about this season? “Just getting the season started and showing what we can do and how good we are.”
#13, Cassie Peoples:
On the preseason trip to Camp Crystal Lake: “It was kind of crunched at times, but it was a ton of fun. You're never really without technology until you're stuck in a cabin with no air conditioning and you're just with each other. It makes everybody find ways to have fun.”
Did you consider last year a disappointment? “Any trial that you have, I don't always see it as a losing situation. You can always pull positive information from past mistakes. If we sit here and just dwell on the fact we had a losing season, we aren't going to have the open-mindedness to look into other things that may give us insight into what we can do better.”
What are some of the positives you can take away from last season? “We found a way to support each other and to be there for each other. During times like that, if you're alone and don't have each other, it's going to make it that much harder. We really had to rely on each other for support and uplifting. Not many people were uplifting us.
#15, Viktorija Dimaite:
What's the experience been like for you as an international student-athlete? “For basketball, I've gotten used to it. My career has been a little rough with injuries, but I got adjusted. That's good right now. Mentally and emotionally, I would say it's hard, but you get used to it. I talk to my parents every week. But it gets hard around Christmas time (when) everyone is going home.”
What's the connection like between you and (Greece native) Eleanna Christinaki? “It's really good. Her English is getting a lot better. In the beginning, I felt like I was the only one who could understand what she was saying, but it's been good. We've talked about classes and everything. Emotionally, I tell her it will get better and that she will get used to it.”
What're you most excited for this season? “This whole season, making sure my last one is my best one.”
#20, Simone Westbrook:
Who have you seen take on the biggest leadership role from the players' standpoint? “Definitely our seniors. We look up to them; they've been here, they know how (Coach) Butler wants things done. And, because they've been here, they get us in line real quickly. They have a high expectation of us. We just follow under their wing.”
As the season opener gets closer, does time seem like it's going slower, or does it feel like it's speeding up? “It feels like yesterday I was signing the paperwork to get my schedule for my classes. In the blink of an eye, it's approaching. We are ready for it. We've been preparing for months now. We can't wait to get on the floor.”
What's the thing you're looking to improve on? “(Settling into) more of a point guard role. At Northwest Florida State College, I played more of the two-guard, coming from the wing. (Coach) Butler wants me to have the ball in my hands a little bit more, be a distributor and a scorer. I'm ready to take on that role of being the floor general.”
#21, Eleanna Christinaki
On what she's looking forward to her freshman year … “I'm looking forward to the opportunity to play basketball in America with a new set of teammates.”
Is there anything specific she's excited for … “I'm excited to be a member of the Gator program and compete in the SEC this upcoming year.”
#23, Brooke Copeland
On her sophomore season … “I'm looking forward to showing the world how incredible we can be after all the work we've put in for this upcoming season.”
On what she specifically worked on during the off-season … “After transitioning from post-play to becoming a guard, I've worked on my guard skills well as my dribbling, shooting and every asset that will help me become more beneficial to this team.”
#24, Tyshara Fleming:
On what she is looking to improve this season… ”I just want to continue to get better and become a more consistent rebounder.”
On what she is looking forward to being a Florida Gator… ”I am looking forward to seeing us being successful and playing as a unit.”
#32, Carla Batchelor:
On what she is looking to improve on in the season… “I will be working on my ball-handling, my conditioning level and my defense.”
On what she is looking forward to this season… “I am looking forward to being able to play with my teammates and being able to show the SEC what I am capable of doing”
On how the team has bonded the past few months… “We do boxing as a team. We went on retreat to Crystal Lake so we have done a lot of things as a team.”
#44, Haley Lorenzen:
On the commitment to stay in Gainesville this summer and get better as a player… “We stayed here all summer. We stayed here for Summer A and Summer B and we just got really close and really worked hard. We were conditioning and lifting weights all summer and flipping tires and fun things like that.”
On the outlook of the team… “I see a new opportunity and I see a brand new year. I see a blank face. I think people are just going to be really excited to see what we have to offer because we know we can put a better foot forward this year. We can really step up our expectations.”
