Oct. 15, 2013
Media Day Links
- Lady Lion Media Day Photo Gallery
- Lady Lion Blog Media Day Sights & Sounds
- Maggie Lucas One-on-One Interview
- Talia East One-on-One Interview
- Head Coach Coquese Washington Quotes
#33 Maggie Lucas
Sr., G
Q: Do you feel like there's even more weight on your shoulders in terms of leadership this season?
A: I think every upperclassman and every returner has kind of picked up their leadership role. With having so many newcomers it's important that we're all setting a very high, good example of what is expected in this program. I think every returner has done a phenomenal job of doing so.
Q: What have you seen from the new faces?
A: Tremendous energy just every day. These girls get after it. They come in here and get loud. They push themselves really, really hard. They're probably the hardest working group of freshmen I've ever been around.
Q: Is there opportunity for a lot of young players to make a new brand of this team?
A: I think so. They really just seem to come in with great energy. That's the biggest thing I can say about them. Their energy is just through the roof.
Q: How much focus are you putting on the non-conference schedule?
A: We're very excited about our schedule as a whole but right now our number one focus is the first game of the season, which is coming up against Lock Haven. That's our number on focus right now. One game at a time.
Q: Where do you see the other scoring coming from as far as players you've seen so far?
A: I think Ariel [Edwards] has been doing a lot of post-season work and she looks great from practices so far. She looks awesome. I think we could see it from anyone. We have so many talented freshmen. The posts we have some very talented scorers in Candice [Agee] and Talia [East] and Tori [Waldner]. They balance each other out in the different ways in which they score.
#15 Kaliyah Mitchell
Fr., G/F
Q: What has it been like adjusting to the life of college basketball?
A: It's been nice just getting organized and being around campus and getting used to class and basketball. Scheduling everything and how it's going is a great adjustment from high school to college.
Q: How's the game transitioning for you?
A: It's different and it's faster, but I'm getting used to it. It's coming along great; I'm enjoying it.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about getting the season started?
A: I'm looking forward to the games and the first game on the schedule. Just getting the season started and getting used to the crowd and the fans and everything.
Q: How do you feel about the expectations for you coming into the program?
A: I'm comfortable. I just come into practice everyday working hard and working to get better than the day before.
#23 Ariel Edwards
Sr., G
Q: What have you been working on in the off-season?
A: Mostly, I've just been working on my shot and getting that more consistent and just being able to play longer stretches of a game or in practice without getting tired.
Q: Did the postseason last year show you a little bit of what you're capable of?
A: The postseason definitely helped me out a lot. My coach has a lot of confidence in me and she wants me to play all the time. It's definitely something I'm looking to do this season.
Q: How has it been integrating all the new faces on the team this year?
A: All the new faces are great. Our freshmen are just a great group. They have a lot of energy and bring a different kind of energy to the team that we've never had before, so I'm really excited to have them with us.
Q: Being a senior, how does that maybe change your role this year?
A: Being a senior definitely just means being a leader. I'm definitely going to help them come along as fast as possible and give them some advice about what I've been through at Penn State and playing on the Division I level.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about what you have been through and how it helps you going into your final season here?
A: One of the things I've been through is changing my role on the team. I've been the sixth man. I've started some games. I've had to play the two, the three, the four, and the five. Definitely things like that are what I can share with the girls because they're all going to go through similar things.
#1 Candice Agee
So., F/C
Q: How has your off-season been?
A: I did a lot of work over the summer to get right and dropped almost twenty pounds. I'm just trying to prepare myself to really be a presence on the floor this year. I'm a little bit faster, and a little bit stronger this year but I'm trying to continue to improve.
Q: What did you learn from last year as what you need to do as a player to make that impact this year?
A: It was all just taking care of my body. I didn't realize how much of a big aspect that was and how rigorous our workouts and practices are. Over time it builds up and it can take a toll. Being smart, eating right and taking care of your body and making sure your body can perform for you day in, and day out every day, every game.
Q: Is it kind of a discipline thing?
A: Yes. It was about 75% discipline and that all comes with maturity. I did mature a lot and there are a lot of things that come hand in hand with that. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm going to continue working on my discipline as well, just staying focused and having good practices and getting better every day for the season.
Q: What do you anticipate your role to be on the team this year?
A: I anticipate my role to be a presence at the post. We lost very great scorers and great defenders at the post and that needs to be filled. That can't be a void and I anticipate my role to be just that. Getting in shape is a huge thing for me.
Q: Do you look at that as a big opportunity for you to be able to fill something like Nikki [Greene]?
A: Of course it is. I take nothing for granted. I'm very happy with where I am and the level I'm at right now while continuing to grow. It's just me knowing that there's a responsibility that I need to take on. I'm pretty excited. My coaches are behind me 100 percent. They're confident in me and I'm confident in myself that I can come through for my team.
#41 Jenny DeGraaf
Fr., G/F
Q: Are you excited to put on the Lady Lion's uniform for the first time?
A: I'm very excited to play for such a prestigious program with a great group of girls. We have great senior leadership, and I'm really looking forward to playing under this coaching staff. I think just getting out there and competing at the college level with a new group of people, whole new team, and with, like I said, a prestigious program is really exciting for us and all the newcomers.
Q: How has the transition been from high school to college basketball, is it really different?
A: Yeah, I think all the freshmen have had their different things that they've struggled with but we've all really made big strides in our adjustments. The game is a lot faster, there's more talking, and the energy is a lot higher. I think we've all adjusted to that really well and we all really like the atmosphere that we've been in so far.
Q: How is the senior leadership on the team so far, and is that really helping you out with that transition?
A: Yeah, it's great. It's easy to come into a group of seniors that really have great pride for this program, and really want to see us succeed. Getting through things with them behind our back is way easier than without someone supporting us.
Q: Is there a certain game you're looking forward to the most?
A: First game! I'm looking forward to that, I think we all are. It's basically going to be a whole new roster. For the first game, just to go out there and see what we got, see what we bring to the table, we're really excited. We've got great positive energy flying through the gym every day, so I think it's going to be a great time to kick it off and get the season going.
#44 Tori Waldner
F/C, Jr.
Q: Will you look to the basket more this year?
A: Definitely. I want to put points up. We lost Nikki [Greene] and Mia [Nickson] and they put up points every game. We're going to need someone to fill that gap, so I definitely want to be one of those people to do that.
Q: There are a lot of players here. This team looks almost bigger than last year's. Will you guys be stronger inside?
A: I think so, we definitely are bigger. We have Candice [Agee], we have Talia [East] and me, and even our guards are big. Kaliyah [Mitchell] and Ariel [Edwards] are borderline six-foot. We're definitely a big team and we were big last year but I think we grew.
Q: How are you going to stop teams from ganging up on Maggie and spreading things around?
A: I don't know if we're going to be able to stop teams from ganging up on Maggie [Lucas]. Maggie's a great player and they're going to play her their hardest. Whether that's just moving the ball or whatever we have to do. I know that other players are going to be stepping up. Ariel [Edwards], Dara [Taylor] and a lot of people are going to be putting up a lot of points.
#2 Dara Taylor
G, Sr.
Q: You guys are playing the best of the best this year. Are you excited for that?
A: You can't be the best without playing the best. When you make it to the NCAA tournament, these are the kind of caliber teams that you're going to see. To be one of the top teams in the country you have to face the UConn's and the Texas A&M's, so having them on our schedule is a blessing. It gives us a chance to see them early in the season so that when we go to make our run in March we've already seen them and it will be our second go-round with them.
Q: What are you going to have to do differently with this young team compared to what you did last year?
A: We just have to be very consistent. As a senior point guard, I have to be the rock for the freshmen. There are a lot of underclassmen. I've been here and I've been in the college game for five years now. I've pretty much seen everything. So really it's about being even keeled the whole season so they can lean on me.
Q: What kind of defense are you going to play this season? Who is going to take on the number one player from the other team?
A: We're going to play team defense. I don't think we've ever really had to single out one person to stop the best player on the other team. We have athletes from top to bottom so we can send two, three or even four different people. We have different matchups. I think the best thing about this team is how diverse we are. We can match up with a tall player, a small, fast player, or a strong player.
Q: Are you going to pretty much run the way you did last year? Do you think this is going to be as fast a team as you had previously?
A: Absolutely. Like I said, everybody is an athlete. That's why people come to Penn State to play. Coach [Coquese Washington] wants to play up-tempo so all the recruits that we bring in, that's the type of game they want to play. So I'm going to push the ball, they're going to run with me and we're going to play just as fast.
#12 Lindsey Spann
G, Fr.
Q: Tell me what it's going to be like when you put the Lady Lion uniform on for the first time.
A: It will be a great feeling representing something bigger than myself. I'm pretty excited and I think the rest of the freshmen are as well.
Q: Are you excited to play some of the marquee programs in the country like UConn or Texas A&M?
A: We're all pretty excited but we're all just taking it day by day, practicing and preparing for the first game.
Q: How have the upperclassmen treated you so far?
A: They've all been very supportive. They help us get through practice and things like that. They help us learn the material and pick it up. They've been a great help and we look up to all of them.
#11 Alex Harris
Fr., F
Q: What has been your biggest adjustment from high school to college basketball?
A: Longer practices and more endurance. There's a lot of learning that you have to go through so that's the biggest challenge.
Q: How much are you looking forward to the first game and say that this is finally here?
A: I'm looking forward to the first game, the first scrimmage, and every practice. The first game is going to be a big game for all eight of us coming in here new and we are all really excited.
Q: How much of an opportunity is it to have the chance to break in with so many first year players?
A: There are a lot of us so we all learn from each other. It's a really great opportunity. Some people don't come in with such a big class.
Q: What's the biggest thing you learned from the seniors?
A: How to stay mentally strong. They are very good at keeping our composure on the court.
#25 Peyton Whitted
Fr., G/F
Q: Do you guys as freshman see this year as a big opportunity?
A: Yes. We have good leadership coming in so they are helping us get ready for when they leave next year. We'll have an idea of what it's like to be playing 40 minutes.
Q: How do you like playing with Maggie so far?
A: She pushes everyone and she pushes herself. She really motivates me to work harder in practice. Same with all of the seniors: Ariel [Edwards], Dara, and Talia.
Q: From a leadership standpoint, this team last year lost a lot of leaders so there have been a lot of players jumping in and becoming leaders. Who's reached out to you and taken you under their wing?
A: I would say Tori Waldner. She's also from my state so we both kind of know what it's like to be far from home. Also just taking in the workouts. Same with Ariel [Edwards], she has also helped me.
Q: And what does it do for you to have those two players to help you transition?
A: I'd say patience with myself and just getting ready for workouts.
#5 Talia East
Sr., F/C
Q: Obviously a lot of the people on this team have left and you are one of the ones still here. Coach said that in order to become a good leader you have to be a good follower. How has your experiences from past years influenced you this year?
A: From my freshman to my junior year, I've had great leadership every year, including phenomenal captains that went on to be in the WNBA. It was easy to follow along. That definitely helped me to be a good captain. Basically I am just trying to lead by good example.
Q: How important is that as a freshman to have a leader to groom you into playing Big Ten basketball?
A: Seniors: they've been there. They have that experience. They know how tough and grueling it is. Just hearing as much as you possibly can because it's everything. So we are talking to the freshman and giving as many tips for them to develop as quickly as possible.
Q: And how have you improved from post season up until now?
A: In this offseason I just worked on things that I am good at. I worked on my rebounding and defending and getting deep in the paint and hopefully that will benefit this team.
#10 Keke Sevillian
Fr., G
Q: How has this year been going so far for you?
A: It's been a great experience. I've had an awesome time getting adjusted to everything. Everything has been great.
Q: What have you been looking most forward to for when you step onto the court for the first time in a Lady Lion uniform?
A: Just the experience of being a part of the team. As a freshman, just being able to learn from different players on the team and the coach who have had all different types of experiences overseas and in the WNBA. Just that knowledge, especially from the captains.
Q: How specifically have the upperclassmen helped you to become a better basketball player?
A: Knowledge. Everything that they've experienced from freshman all the way to senior year. Everything that they've been able to teach me and all of the freshman to help become better players. And just being able to adjust to everything that college basketball has to offer.
Q: In one word, what are your thoughts so far?
A: I don't want to say breathtaking. But amazing. Quite an experience. I don't know if I could explain everything that we've experienced in the last couple of months of being a freshman Lady Lion basketball player in one word.