Coach Beth Cunningham begins her seventh season at the VCU helm. The winningest coach in VCU women’s basketball history led the Rams to the best season in school history last year. I sat down with the coach to help preview the season ahead.
Q: Obviously a very successful season last year; how do you use that as inspration for this year?
A: I think the experience of getting to play in the NCAA tournament and the success that our senior class has had has really motivated us in the offseason. I don’t think we’re satisfied or complacent and that’s what you want: your kids to come back and have the sting to get better.
Q: I know you are happy to have D’Andra Moss back. What does she bring to the team?
A: I can’t tell you all that she brings to the team. She is obviously very talented; she has the ability to score and really presents a mismatch for our opponents. But more than anything she just such a great leader for us. She just has that presence with the team.
Q: In retrospect, what did you lose when you lost her last year (Moss tore ACL during the 2008-2009 season)?
A: It was really a blow. When any kid gets hurt it is always unfortunate-your team always takes a hit. But especially someone like D (Moss), and all that she brings to the team. Her intensity, her passion and her enthusiasm every day in and day out in practice and in games.
Q: What do you do to replace Q’s (Hollingsworth) scoring and what else she brought to the team?
A: I don’t think we’re going to replace her. I don’t think you just replace someone who has done what she has done for us. But I think our team learned how to play when she got hurt as a junior, but my biggest concern is from a rebounding standpoint. What we have been working on is a way to replace those boards she got for us.
Q: Who has stuck out in the front court so far in practice and who might be able to be a presence down in the paint?
A: I wish I knew right now, I think we have a number of different options. Chelsea Snyder from a physical standpoint has made a lot of progress. We have a couple other options such a Stephanie Solomon who is more out defender and rebounder for us, Bree’Ana Perry is more of a big-body physical player. I also think we might play D (Moss) at some five. We are going to do some different things with some lineups based on who is playing well.
Q: I know one name that really stuck out last year was Jennifer Lane playing as a freshman. What have seen in her in terms of improvement.
A: The best thing she has now is experience having been through a whole college season and understanding the length of that. The biggest thing for her taking the next step is being more assertive. With us losing our top two scorers, she has got to be more assertive on offense because she is capable of putting up numbers.
Q: La’Tavia Rorie, what is her status right now?
A: She is doing well. She loves to play and loves to be at the gym. I think she is going to have huge season for us and for us to do what we want to do she has got to. She proved at times last year that she is able to score. The issue for her is having consistency: She tended to play better at home than she did on the road. But she looks good, she is in great shape and I think she’ll have a great season for us.
Q: Looking down at the schedule I see a lot of big name programs on the list. What did you guys try to do with the out-of-conference schedule to get prepared for the CAA slate?
A: I think what we have tried to do every year, and this year is no different, is try to put a schedule together that prepares you for a conference season and a post-season berth. We’re on the road a lot, but if we’re successful it will gives us a chance to prepare for bigger competition down the road.