Coach Coale, Sooners Meet Media

October 25 | Media Day Interviews
Coach Coale Media Day Press Conference
Junior Center Courtney Paris (Piedmont, Calif.)
Junior Forward Ashley Paris (Piedmont, Calif.)
Sophomore Guard Jenna Plumley (Red Rock, Okla.)
Sophomore Center Abi Olajuwon (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Sophomore Forward Amanda Thompson (Chicago, Ill.)

NORMAN, Okla. -- The Oklahoma women's basketball team held its annual media day Thursday evening at Lloyd Noble Center. Head coach Sherri Coale and members of the two-time defending Big 12 champion Sooners previewed the upcoming season before participating in an intrasquad scrimmage which was open to Fast Break Club members and season ticket holders.

View video of Coach Coale's press conference in addition to student-athlete interviews by clicking the links above. A complete transcription of Coach Coale's press conference and quotes from the student-athletes are available below, courtesy OU Athletics Media Relations.

OU hosts its first exhibition game vs. Henderson State next Thursday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.

Tickets Still Available
Reserved level tickets for the 2007-08 season have sold out, but general admission season tickets still remain. Fans interested in purchasing tickets should call the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (405) 325-GoOU or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU.

Fast Break Club
For information on becoming a Fast Break Club member, contact the OU women's basketball office at (405) 325-8322.

HEAD COACH SHERRI COALE

Opening statement:
"I am excited we are about to kick off the season and I am excited about scrimmaging tonight. We have had only 10 practices so far. We have not had a lot of live play and we are not sure how we are going to look with only 12 players on the floor. We are going to get after it for a couple of hours tonight. We appreciate the coverage and we appreciate you guys being as excited about the start of the season as we are."

On the effect of losing the large senior class from last year:
"I think we have a great deal of depth. Maybe not a lot of experienced depth, but I think we have a sophomore class that has matured and a group of freshmen that have come on and been really, really impressive in these early practices."

On this team being more athletic than past teams:
"We are definitely more athletic. We have more team speed, there is no doubt about that. The thing I am most excited about it -- we had some athleticism on our bench last year but we just weren't ready to play yet. We didn't have the basketball IQ to accompany it. We didn't have the work-ethic and the discipline yet to play at that level at that time of year. Those girls have made a very big push over the spring and the summer to improve their skill level and polish their game.

"It is typical that they have become sophomores and the fog has lifted. One thing about freshmen is they become sophomores and that is the case with this whole group. I think they are making sense of some things. Last year they would do the things we told them to do. This year they do things because they understand why they should do them. That is the beginning of the offensive and defensive IQ. Their commitment level is better. Those players who had tremendous athleticism who were not on the floor last year are ready to be on the floor. Our freshman class is more athletic yet again so we are going to add depth there as well."

On what aspect of the game will see most improvement because of greater team athleticism:
"It is sort of a quandry. You never want to play too fast because the best player in America is on your team and she might not be there yet. We have to let her have an attempt to catch the basketball. We do want to pick and choose the times that we run. Courtney and Ashley (Paris) are both more than capable of running the floor. I think you are going to see the most improvement from our team speed on the defensive end. We were a terrific team last year -- top-three in field goal percentage defense. But what we didn't do was generate a lot of offense off of our defense and we didn't get many easy baskets. We had to go down and really execute to get a basket. Sometimes speed and athleticism can make a big difference in creating offense and I expect for us to be able to do that."

On the perimeter game this season:
"Obviously we are going to miss a barrage of three-point shooters. Last year we could go to Erin Higgins and if she wasn't making them we could go to Chelsi Welch. If she wasn't making them we could go to Leah Rush, then we could go to Kendra Moore. You could just go down the list. In that group of six seniors that we lost, we graduated a lot of long bombs. I don't know that we are going to have as many weapons, but we will still be very dangerous from there. Jenny Vining can shoot it as well as any kid I have ever had here. I know it has only been 10 practices and she has to prove she can do that when there are 12,000 people in the arena. She has a polished shot that she has over-practiced in Marshall, Arkansas. We also have a guard in Jenna Plumley that can shoot it from anywhere anytime she wants to. I think we can get that one-two punch. I think we will have some options, just maybe not the depth of "pure" three-point shooters that we have had in the past."

On Courtney gaining so much experience on the International circuit.
"The question about Courtney always playing basketball is, 'Am I worried about her playing or getting hurt or getting tired?' The answer is always no, no and no. She is 19 and she can play forever. Look at the opportunities she is getting. She has come back edgier than she has ever been. She had an opportunity to play a big role on one team and win a gold medal. She also had a chance to play on a team where she only played four or five minutes in the game and be a role player and play with the National team. To be able to be a young player and be a surprise instead of being a focal point was invaluable for her."

On playing a tough non-conference schedule:
"Yeah, we thought we would start off slow. We like it. We are actually very excited about it. If it does nothing other than intensify the first 26 practices of the year, then that's great. Our girls understand we can't have a bad day in practice, we can't even have a bad 30 minutes. We only have 26 days until we play Maryland. That is the idea and the mind-set we have start the season with."

JUNIOR CENTER COURTNEY PARIS

On if this team seems new to her with all the new players:
"I think it seems like it's a new time. I played on three different teams since the loss to Mississippi. I feel like I have something to prove and just get back out there."

On the make-up of this team:
"We lost six people who played a big part in me being here and playing the way I did. This year, I see so many different faces so it is definitely going to be new and different this year."

On if her role has expanded being an upper-classmen:
"Certainly. The past two years I could take days off of practice and be alright. Coach Coale would notice, but I got away with it. But now if I take a day off I feel like it is more of a hit."

On the addition of the freshman class:
"I think they are great. They are hard-workers and they are fun. They have a lot of energy and they are really, really good. I think they are going to do some great things at the college level and I am really excited for them."

On if she notices this team having more athleticism than last year:
"I think with our speed, even in practice it is a lot different. We can get up and down the floor a lot more. I think the game is more athletic now, and I think we are going to have the people to fit that."

On how she has improved in the off-season:
"I think I am a lot smarter. I know there is a lot more work to be done for my team and myself. I know that there is a whole lot more that needs to be accomplished, that's the biggest thing."

On if she likes the tough non-conference schedule:
"Yeah, I think our schedule is going to be fun. I think any great player or great team wants to be challenged, and we are going to have the opportunity to do that."

JUNIOR FORWARD ASHLEY PARIS

On her growth since her freshman year:
"It feels weird being a junior. I remember coming in here my freshman year and it feels like six months ago, not over two years. I am definitely a lot wiser. I have grown a lot since high school just as far as how to be on the court and how to think about the game from an X's and O's standpoint. I just feel like I have completely changed physically and mentally."

On what the identity of this team will be:
"I think last year our identity was kind of weird because we had a bunch of young kids who were athletic and talented, but inexperienced. Then we had a bunch of old kids who were fundamental and had a ton of experience, so it was kind of like we had two different identities and it was kind of hard to mesh all those different things. I think this year we will be young and talented and have the chance to be pretty successful."

JUNIOR FORWARD CAROLYN WINCHESTER

On her expectations for the team:
"I have very high expectations. I think as a whole we are very capable of doing a lot of really great things this year. With the personalities we have and how we are coming together and the natural athleticism we have, it is really exciting."

On the freshman:
"They bring so much to the table. They bring crazy, silly energy which is great to have during practice. They are all talented. They are all very athletic. I think they just bring so much youth and excitement."

On what she wants her role to be:
"For myself I want to become solid. I want to be fundamental and reliable every day. I am probably not going to play as much, but players come in and out and have slumps, so especially in practice I just want to be solid and help keep everyone on the right track."

SOPHOMORE GUARD ROSE HAMMOND

On the improvement in her game:
"This summer I think I have really improved my game. Last year I was really disappointed in myself. I don't think I came out of my comfort zone. I was very passive. I have worked on my game a lot and I feel like I have adjusted to Division I basketball now. I am ready to do what ever Coach Coale needs me to do."

On the difference in the squad compared to last year's squad:
"It is different not having any seniors, not having Erin (Higgins) or Leah (Rush). It is different not seeing them. But our freshmen are great so I am not worried at all. We have leaders on the team like Jenna (Plumley) and Courtney (Paris) who are always stepping up."

On what her role will be this season:
"I think I am going to be more of a threat. I feel like I have adjusted and I am going to play my game and do what I was recruited for. I have been working hard this offseason on getting to the rim."

SOPHOMORE GUARD JENNA PLUMLEY

On her goals this year:
"My goal personally is to shoot a higher percentage in 3-pointers. As a team we are focusing on being in the top three field goal percentage on defense and then in the top three assistant-to-turnover ratio. That is something that we look forward to and that is something that we keep in the back of our mind every day."

On if she is surprised by where she is at now:
"It is a surprise. It caught me off guard. But I think what Coach Coale sees is it's not what you produce but how you work. I feel like in practice I have to work extra hard on every possession or every drill. I make it a point that I am going to be the one to do the best at what I am doing. I think that is what she noticed last year and that is why I got thrown into the fire."

SOPHOMORE GUARD NYESHIA STEVENSON

On the freshman:
"The freshmen are great. They are really, really quick learners. They are playing like they are experienced already and that is what we love. We don't have to take much time out to teach and that is always a good thing."

On the advice she would give the younger girls:
"The fundamentals are very important at this level. You can have all the talent in the world and if you don't have the fundamentals, it would be very hard. Also, just come to every practice with a positive attitude."

On playing for Coach Coale:
"It is great. When she comes in positive then you are positive on the court. If a coach comes in negative then you aren't going to want to be there. If it feels like the coach wants to be here, then you want to be here."

SOPHOMORE FORWARD AMANDA THOMPSON

On how she is feeling after surgery:
"I'm feeling good. I am glad I had surgery. I feel way better than I did at the end of last season. My shoulder is getting stronger and I am just ready to show that I have been working."

On how she feels about her playing now compared to last year:
"I feel much better because it is my second year and I know a lot more of what's going on. I still have a lot to learn, but it's better. I feel more comfortable out there. It is kind of like that cloud opening up."

On the athletic ability of the team:
"We have a lot of athleticism this year, a lot of quickness. I see it every day in practice when we've got kids like Danielle (Robinson) going to the rack every day. All the new freshmen -- I am just loving their energy. They are going to bring a lot of excitement to our team this year."

FRESHMAN GUARD DANIELLE ROBINSON

On what she is looking forward to this season:
"I am looking forward to everything about the whole season. It has already been such a great experience, a new and different experience, and I just can't wait to see what comes next."

On adjusting to college basketball:
"For me, the biggest thing is just the physicality of the game. I am already small as it is. We play against bigger guys on the scout team and that has been the biggest thing for me, just trying to get around the bigger bodies."

On Coach Coale:
"It is amazing. It is pretty much the best thing. I couldn't imagine playing for a different coach. All the other places I visited the coaches were cool or the team was cool but I didn't have the feel of both and right here I get that."

FRESHMAN GUARD JENNA VINES

On what she is looking forward to most this season:
"I really couldn't tell you what I am looking forward to most because I am just excited about everything that is going to happen. I am just interested to see what opportunities we are going to have."

On the adjustment to college:
"I think the hardest part has been being away from my family. I am a real family-oriented girl. I am real close to my family. But my teammates and the coaches have made that a lot easier than what it could be because they are such a great team on and off the court."

On the differences she has seen so far between college and high school basketball:
"The energy level of practices is a lot more intense. In high school we would just go through the motions and in college it is a lot more upbeat. It is all fun and great and I love every minute of it."

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