A Summer Smidgen of Husky News

[Sluconn Husky]

I gotta ask. Who is the person shorter than Crystal?

The daughter of the lady who made the tweet. She and her daughters met the team and Diana T. Not sure who she is or why the meet though.

Everyone accounted for except a busy nurse.

 

[Carnac]

I gotta ask. Who is the person shorter than Crystal?

She is the daughter of Natalie Williams. Natalie is the lady standing in the back row between Mikayla and Lexi.

You should remember Natalie Williams. Here's a little back ground on her -
She attended the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and graduated there in 1994. She was a four-year letter-winner in both basketball and volleyball, and is the first woman to earn All-America honors in both basketball and volleyball in the same year. She also led UCLA to NCAA volleyball titles in 1990 and 1991.

In 2002, she opened a restaurant called Natalie's in Salt Lake City, Utah. She carried the Olympic Torch in the Salt Lake City area prior to the 2002 Winter Olympics. She also was named to the United States 2002 World Championship Games team. She considers Cheryl Miller as her basketball role model.

Natalie Williams Youth Basketball Academy - Natalie Williams Basketball Academy mission is to empower young athletes of all ages through positive and fun training. Teaching athletes innovative drills and skill work, as well as helping to increase their understanding of the game and build their self confidence. NWBA's goal is to help all athletes become better fundamentally and more well rounded as players, as well as teaching them to become positive leaders and contributors in society.

 

[Huskee11]

Great pic! What do I see:

1. Lou with a basketball shoe on, instead of an icepack the last time we saw her. Yay!

2. Z looking really, really tall. Yay!

3. Kyla looking in better shape - looks to have dropped some weight, toned up. Yay!

4. Depth. Yay!

5. The 2018 National Champs. YAY!

Man o man, this season is going to be something else!

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Carnac]

I certainly hope Dave follows this up with a detailed report of sights and sounds heard and observed at UConn's practice today. It would make very interesting reading for folks hungry for any news coming out of UConn's practices. This reporter being among them.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I certainly hope Dave follows this up with a detailed report of sights and sounds heard and observed at UConn's practice today. It would make very interesting reading for folks hungry for any news coming out of UConn's practices. This reporter being among them.

Seems he (Sacred Heart coach) and the Sacred Heart women observed practice. I think it would be contrary to protocol for him to say anything in any detail about the practice.

 

[Carnac]

Seems he (Sacred Heart coach) and the Sacred Heart women observed practice. I think it would be contrary to protocol for him to say anything in any detail about the practice.

If Geno allows visitors to view his practices with the understanding that what's observed in the practice gym stays there, then it is understandable. I was not aware that that type of protocol was in place, and the order of the day. Thanks.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Charliebball]

good thing it's early in the practice season............too many misses!!!!

 

[CTBballfan243]

What could the Sacred Heart Coach possibly say about the practice that would give some team an advantage? UConn ran practice drills. This isn't football where someone might see our playbook. Also, UConn doesn't run plays, except for maybe a set inbound play. UConn just plays basketball. They teach their players to read the defense and react. Maybe he could report on what position a particular player is playing, but so many of the players are interchangeable position wise that they can change position from possession to possession. At the end of the day it wouldn't matter what he reported from practice, no one is going to beat this team this year.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Lots of notes in this new Paul Doyle piece. I'll leave a Google link in case the direct one doesn't work.


The ability to begin basketball activities in August will give the team time to jell on and off the court. What has Auriemma seen in the early practices? It's been much of the same as the first practices in previous years.

"This is no different," he said. "It's been exactly what every other first week of practice looks like. Some good, some not so good. Some really good, some really bad. And that's to be expected."

...

Samuelson, Collier, Stevens and Williams participated in the U23 camp, though they weren't eligible to make the 12-player roster that will play in the Four Nations tournament next week in Tokyo.....

"Every one of them, I thought, was exactly what I thought they would be," said Auriemma, who was in Colorado Springs for the camp. "They represented our program really, really, really well. And my guess is, if they were eligible to go on the trip, they'd all be going on the trip. … They learned a lot in a lot of ways. They learned how good they are. They learned some other things. It served a purpose."

Auriemma said, at times, Stevens was the best player on the court. "There was no matchup for Azura," he said. "None."

....

Auriemma was in Italy for the U19 tournament, and he came away impressed with Dangerfield, who had an inconsistent freshman season at UConn. Dangerfield showed leadership and poise, he said.

But as the U.S. faced rosters with more seasoned players, some of the younger players struggled, including Williams (sic).

"Megan struggled a little bit, as most high school kids do when they're playing against pros," Auriemma said. "It was kind of a reminder to her. I don't think anybody cares over here that you were the national [high school] player of the year."

...

Samuelson was sidelined with a foot injury during the USA Basketball camp, but she hasn't been restricted since reporting to Storrs. Samuelson said it was a precautionary measure. "I'm good," she said.


UConn Women's Notebook: Geno Will Play Host As Team Visits Italy

uconn women geno italy - Google Search

 

[RockyMTblue2]

"There was no matchup for Azura," he said. "None."

Big Cheshire Cat grin here ... very big... er, uh, humongous grin.

 

[DefenseBB]

My neighbors went to Montana last week and they were able to take a look at RockyMTblue2 training regiment for the Summer to stay in top order for all the WCBB articles for this coming season-tracking 24 shows is mere fodder for our Rocky!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Lots of notes in this new Paul Doyle piece. I'll leave a Google link in case the direct one doesn't work.


The ability to begin basketball activities in August will give the team time to jell on and off the court. What has Auriemma seen in the early practices? It's been much of the same as the first practices in previous years.

"This is no different," he said. "It's been exactly what every other first week of practice looks like. Some good, some not so good. Some really good, some really bad. And that's to be expected."

...

Samuelson, Collier, Stevens and Williams participated in the U23 camp, though they weren't eligible to make the 12-player roster that will play in the Four Nations tournament next week in Tokyo.....

"Every one of them, I thought, was exactly what I thought they would be," said Auriemma, who was in Colorado Springs for the camp. "They represented our program really, really, really well. And my guess is, if they were eligible to go on the trip, they'd all be going on the trip. … They learned a lot in a lot of ways. They learned how good they are. They learned some other things. It served a purpose."

Auriemma said, at times, Stevens was the best player on the court. "There was no matchup for Azura," he said. "None."

....

Auriemma was in Italy for the U19 tournament, and he came away impressed with Dangerfield, who had an inconsistent freshman season at UConn. Dangerfield showed leadership and poise, he said.

But as the U.S. faced rosters with more seasoned players, some of the younger players struggled, including Williams (sic).

"Megan struggled a little bit, as most high school kids do when they're playing against pros," Auriemma said. "It was kind of a reminder to her. I don't think anybody cares over here that you were the national [high school] player of the year."

...

Samuelson was sidelined with a foot injury during the USA Basketball camp, but she hasn't been restricted since reporting to Storrs. Samuelson said it was a precautionary measure. "I'm good," she said.


UConn Women's Notebook: Geno Will Play Host As Team Visits Italy

uconn women geno italy - Google Search

I like the facial expressions of Batouly and Mikayla battling for a rebound--ferocious!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

"They represented our program really, really, really well.

3 reallies. That's Geno's highest praise I think. When you think about it, our players at U23 trials could be viewed as having extra pressure on them with their own coach running the clinics. KLS, though, said knowing they were not competing for the team took some pressure off. Sort of a wash.

 

[MilfordHusky]

3 reallies. That's Geno's highest praise I think. When you think about it, our players at U23 trials could be viewed as having extra pressure on them with their own coach running the clinics. KLS, though, said knowing they were not competing for the team took some pressure off. Sort of a wash.

Geno's kids generally thrive on pressure. Dee, Maya, and Stewie love it.

 

[DefenseBB]

Geno's kids generally thrive on pressure. Dee, Maya, and Stewie love it.

I think ultimately the ones that survive "the Geno process" thrive. Dee and Stewie are on record talking about those seminal moments with the struggles they had during the process. I don't remember Maya ever saying she had issues to be honest. While KLS is probably my favorite current player, I am looking forward to seeing her continued maturation in the game. I am also really anxious (in a good way) to see how Crystal Dangerfield looks this year as well as Megan!

 

[mdakota]

Why weren't any of our players eligible for the U23 team?

thank you.

 

[j66kicker]

Why weren't any of our players eligible for the U23 team?

thank you.

They're going to Italy instead - basically disqualified themselves.

 

[Charliebball]

 

[Charliebball]

 

[MilfordHusky]

Gabby looks pretty glamorous when she wants to.

Lou and Pheesa sitting next to each other. The Twins!

 

[UConnCat]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Dangerfield practicing with tape strapped over her middle fingers and hand.