SEC Media Day in Birmingham, Alabama 10/30/02

Photo Gallery

Head Coach Melanie Balcomb

On this year's schedule...
"It's a tough schedule. We play some great teams. I mean we play Tennessee
twice this season. I have a realistic idea of how tough it will be game in
and game out. That excites me, though. I think that's a sign of a great
conference. Hopefully, we'll be right there in it and competing with
everyone else."

On the goals of the team...
"They dream (of the Final Four). They think about it day and night. They
visualize it because they are natural leaders. There are such strong
leadership qualities in some of the girls that we should have a good year.
What happened last year is still in their minds. That has nothing to do with
the coaching changes, but it has everything to do with them as people and
competitors. They wanted to get farther than they got last year. That put
them on a mission for this year."

On the season...
"The girls have been really open to change. It has helped us greatly as
coaches by them doing that. They have been adapting to everything we have
been teaching. Our goal like every other team is to compete for the league
championship and make it to the Final Four. I think that our players are
striving for that because of how our season ended last year, but also
because they have had that experience and they want to get back to it."

Guard Ashley McElhiney

On the new style of play with Coach Balcomb...
"It's fun, exciting and definitely a change, but we're adjusting to it each
day and improving."

On continuing success and taking it to the next level...
"We have great players coming back. I think each player has improved over
the summer and really worked on their game. That's going to carry over into
the team atmosphere. As a team, we are really well bonded off the court,
which makes us better on the court."

Center Chantelle Anderson

On differences in style from Coach Foster...
"I'd say the difference is we're looking to throw it ahead more. We're
throwing it ahead to the post sprinting down the middle or to the guard for
open shots. I think that's the biggest change. You would never see us shoot
on the first pass or on the second last year, even if it was wide open,
unless it was a post feed."

On adjusting to the new offense...
"It's fine. It hasn't been difficult to adjust to at all. I've had to get
used to catching and finishing on the move. Other than that it hasn't been a
big adjustment."

On the first days with their new head coach...
"At first we were really nervous when Coach Balcomb got there, but she and
her staff did a great job of coming in and putting us at ease. They did a
great job of making us comfortable with them. That's why our team trip to
Italy was so important for us, both on the court and off the court.