Oct. 17, 2000

Q: After the first couple days of practice, how are things going?

A: I'm really excited about everybody's intensity and how hard they're working. I think there's a lot to be learned, especially when you have seven new faces. There's going to be a lot of patience, but then again we don't have a lot of time to waste. So far it's been real positive.

Q: How difficult is it to start the season as highly regarded as you are?

A: It's not difficult because rankings are nice, and I'm excited for the kids that they've been acknowledged in that matter. But again, what matters to us is where we stand in March. We're taking it one day at a time and one game at a time and we haven't really talked about the rankings. They really mean nothing. Everyone has their expectations, their ideas and thoughts on how we should be and what we should be. We have our own aspirations and expectations, and we'll focus on our own, not everyone else's.

Q: Is it going to be tough to keep the freshmen's minds off all the national attention?

A: Not really. I think that basically as you lead they will follow. As long as our leadership comes from our five seniors and as it comes from our staff and myself, and as long as our energies are in a certain direction, their energies will follow. I think what you need to understand is there are a couple of these freshmen that couldn't tell you where they are ranked. All I want them to do is be themselves, and that's going to be good enough.

Q: Can you talk about how you feel coming into this year as opposed to last year?

A: I am comfortable with my surroundings both personally and professionally. I know where everything's at in town and at Purdue. I am so much more comfortable the second year and I definitely know it's an exciting thing for me to be able walk on the floor and see the depth and the things that we're going to be able execute offensively and defensively. As far as the recruiting picture and how that's made us better, it's going to be more my system and more what I want to do offensively and defensively because we recruited those players, so that's exciting. It's been an exciting summer for me to have the opportunity to sit down and think and prepare. It's fun for me to finally have the chance to get out there.

Q: What did you learn about yourself in your first year as a head coach?

A: I learned an awful lot in being patient with myself, first and foremost. That will carry over with this basketball team whether it's recruiting, whether it's X's and O's, or in the community. Just continuing to take it one day at a time, and setting some priorities knowing what's important and what's not important.

Q: How much has having a baby helped you or affected your life, and what are the challenges of being a mother and a basketball coach?

A: I think that there are definitely different challenges. Everyone can talk about how special it is and how much it changes your life, but it really does. It's been the most unbelievable experience I have ever had. I always wanted to coach, and I've achieved that goal at this level and I hope to stay at it for many years to come. But one of the things I've also always wanted to do was to have a family on top of that. I look across the country at people who have done that and been a success. Just look at the Big Ten - there are more babies in the Big Ten than there are in any other conference in the country, and I think that's pretty special. I've often been told that it will make me a better basketball coach, and being a basketball coach will make me a better mom. I think that both of those go hand in hand. It certainly puts things in perspective when you walk through that door and had a bad practice or a bad thing in recruiting that day. You just walk through that door and realize that there really are more important things. I think that's been a happy balance for me. I've gone so hard for so long that's this has been a really good balance for me.

Q: Who are you looking at for the point guard position?

A: It's going to have to be a combination of people. Definitely Erica Valek is a pure point guard, but yet she's a freshman and she's got an awful lot to learn. Not only are we spending time in practice, but we are spending time in the office watching practice film, talking chalk talk. I'm spending a lot of time with her one-on-one and also spending a lot of time with Cherrise Graham, who also plays some 1, but yet is very versatile and can play the 1, 2 or 3. I couldn't be more proud of anybody than Kelly Komara. She took more criticism than anyone last year but had a pretty good year. I would love to play her more at the 2, but she will see some time at the 1. I would love to see Valek come along and play the 1 for us along with Cherrise, and let Kelly shoot the basketball. That's the direction I'd like to head in. But again, you have two freshmen who are trying to learn the system and are going to make some mistakes. It's going to take some time.

Q: Where does Shinika Parks fit in?

A: Well, Shinika's never been a 1 and had to be one for us at times last year. So I definitely see her playing the 2 and the 3. She is the best on-ball defender we have. She needs to decide if she's going to bring her work ethic day-in and day-out on the court and off the court, and her minutes will come from that. I see her being her being very, very good in certain situations for us this year.

Q: After her ankle surgery how has Katie Douglas' progress been going?

A: Her progress is great. I think she is physically stronger and I think she is in better condition than she has ever been. I am extremely pleased with her off-season training. She looks great. I think the thing you will see that will benefit Katie more than anything is instead of going through two straight hours in practice without coming off the floor, she will have time to rest in practice. That will help her come game time, and she will be ready to play 28 to 30 minutes per game. If we have to play her more than that than there are people not getting the job done. I think that will benefit her in the long run and elevate her game, and come March she will be ready to go.

Q: What is this team's style?

A: We would like to press for 40 minutes and we would like to push the basketball for 40 minutes. But yet at the same time we want to be structured and disciplined when we need to be. I think we can do a lot of things on both ends of the floor and it is going to be an exciting brand of basketball to watch. I want it to be fun to watch.

Q: With a fast type of offense and defense, where does Mary Jo Noon fit in?

A: I think she is not given enough credit. She is much quicker and stronger than she was last season. She has trimmed down and she will be fine in the style of basketball we will be playing. I look for Mary Jo to really contribute this year. She is light years ahead of where she was a year ago.

Q: How do you plan to take advantage of your talented roster?

A: Each and every year you take what you have offensively and defensively and you adapt those things to what you think is best. It has been a lot of fun to plan and think about those things. We may not start the same five, night-in and night-out. It may depend on whom we are playing and what we are facing. It is a lot of fun to go out there and look at depth. But again, the goal is to stay healthy and continue our depth throughout the season.

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