Northwestern University Athletics
Ready Or Not, Hoops Is Here!
10/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 2, 2011
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EVANSTON, ILL. -- With 40 days before Northwestern tips off the 2011-12 season at Central Michigan on Nov. 11, NU took to the courts at Welsh-Ryan Arena for the first time Sunday in its opening practice. Due to a change in NCAA rules, women's basketball programs are allowed to begin practice 40 days before their first game.
Head coach Joe McKeown, entering his fourth season with the 'Cats, had his first official chance to watch his talented freshman class begin to blend with a solid group of experienced players.
"The biggest thing for us is just to get on the floor and continue to reinforce our system, especially with the newcomers coming in," McKeown said after the workout. "The effort was great, the attitudes were where they should be, and for the first day I was pretty pleased."
Three-year starter Brittany Orban agreed. "I thought practice went really well today," the senior said. "Everyone seemed in top condition and ready to go. We are all really excited to get started, and everyone had a lot of energy today. As a group, we are all buying into what the coaches were saying, which is key. It was a long day today (with a lift afterward), but a good day."
The new Wildcat faces are those of three highly-touted freshmen in Morgan Jones, Alex Cohen and Karly Roser, a trio looking to add to the experience of veterans Kendall Hackney, Dannielle Diamant, Tailor Jones, Allison Mocchi and Orban. Junior Kate Popovec and sophomore Anna Cole, transfers who watched from the sidelines last season due to NCAA rules, are hungry to make their presence felt in the frontcourt immediately. Meanwhile, sophomores Meghan McKeown, La'Terria Taylor and junior Inesha Hale enter the season eager to contribute valuable minutes.
Northwestern's first home contest is against Western Kentucky at 7 p.m. on Nov. 15. Get your tickets today by clicking HERE.
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