I see you TIERNEY LAWLOR!

[CocoHusky]

Tierney Lawlor has not played a single minute in the first two UCONN games but no player has been more engaged and invested in the success of her teammates. During the Florida State she can been see standing taking a knee encouraging every UCONN player and anticipating their success.

I see you Tierney Lawlor, & I love what I see.

 

[DriveLH]

Usually, when UCONN hits the floor, it's shortest to tallest. However, at the Baylor game, Tierney led them out.

 

[psconn]

Tierney Lawlor has not played a single minute in the first two UCONN games but no player has been more engaged and invested in the success of her teammates. During the Florida State she can been see standing taking a knee encouraging every UCONN player and anticipating their success.

I see you Tierney Lawlor, & I love what I see.

x10 on this one! When I watched the game replay I noticed Tierney INTENSELY engaged in the game 100% of the time. She seemed to be holding up hand signals to the defense mirroring what GA was holding up. I could see her coaching someday... she's got a real Jen Rizzotti vibe going.

 

[CocoHusky]

x10 on this one! When I watched the game replay I noticed Tierney INTENSELY engaged in the game 100% of the time. She seemed to be holding up hand signals to the defense mirroring what GA was holding up. I could see her coaching someday... she's got a real Jen Rizzotti vibe going.

When you watch the game again at the 1:00 4th quarter stoppage Geno is holding a clipboard and Tierney is holding the eraser for the clipboard! Talk about INTENSELY engaged & Useful!

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

The CowGirl is doing her job. She knows it, understands her place, and is thrilled just to BE there. Straight from her mouth.

She played VERY well in pre-season. She'll get some minutes, but right now, Geno has scouting to do. Of his own players.

 

[Farney]

For the past 2 years she's spent most of the game on 1 knee in front of her seat. When a timeout starts she grabs the dry erase board and has it ready when he wants it. She's as engaged as any of her teammates and coaches. Top to bottom there isn't a team more invested and she proves that every day.

 

[bags27]

I love this thread, but I'm sure anyone who is just beginning to lurk here will think we are entirely nuts.

 

[psconn]

I love this thread, but I'm sure anyone who is just beginning to lurk here will think we are entirely nuts.

... about Tierney, you mean? I guess it might be a little odd to be waxing rhapsodic about the bench behavior of the last player off the bench, but this kid takes her role seriously and exhibits every trait that GA and CD (and we) hold dear. Whether she's running the bench giving high-fives, carrying the white board, greeting her teammates at timeouts or actually playing, Tierney is all-in on the job, earning that scholarship money in every way she is given the opportunity to. GA and CD know it matters to the team dynamic, and Tierney knows it too. Great role model for the younger kids, and as we older folks like to say, her parents must be very proud.

 

[JordyG]

Tierney seems to me to be future coaching material. Anyone else think so?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Tierney may be the most intense player on the team. She saw action today.

 

[UcMiami]

This all brought to mind a late game situation last year - Uconn was playing zone with a large lead and Lawlor and Pulido were playing at the top - they were both in the text book defensive stance, slightly bent knees and hands up and outstretched, and as the opponent passed the ball back and forth at the top of the zone, the two of them did the hop-slide back and forth in perfect unison and keeping their ideal spacing. It lasted maybe 10 seconds and it looked like a ballet. It just made me smile at the time, and I can still picture it.
They may not be the most talented players, but they both took the coaching to heart, and they were never going to make a mistake in anything that they could control.

As Geno said about them both last year - they are the perfect example for all his highly recruited players, no one takes practice more seriously, nor brings greater intensity, nor expects fewer minutes in the spotlight. If you want more minutes than them, you better bring it every day at their level.

 

[FairView]

I love this thread, but I'm sure anyone who is just beginning to lurk here will think we are entirely nuts.

And they'd be right.

 

[ThisJustIn]

And they'd be right.

You say that as if it's a bad thing...

 

[uconnfan68]

... about Tierney, you mean? I guess it might be a little odd to be waxing rhapsodic about the bench behavior of the last player off the bench, but this kid takes her role seriously and exhibits every trait that GA and CD (and we) hold dear. Whether she's running the bench giving high-fives, carrying the white board, greeting her teammates at timeouts or actually playing, Tierney is all-in on the job, earning that scholarship money in every way she is given the opportunity to. GA and CD know it matters to the team dynamic, and Tierney knows it too. Great role model for the younger kids, and as we older folks like to say, her parents must be very proud.

She's the bodyguard too.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Tough to expand on anything said in this thread as it's all so spot on. What an incredible young lady. I know a bunch of kids, mostly soccer kids, who excelled in high school, even for premier and elite programs who wanted to go to high profile D1 schools and play at that level but soon found out their position was on the pine and they've stuck with it, an incredibly tough pill to swallow for some, especially after being the go to person for so long. My hat is off to Tiernay and Briana before her for not only what they've done but how they've done it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I love this thread, but I'm sure anyone who is just beginning to lurk here will think we are entirely nuts.

LOL. Even lurkers gotta know we are just part of UConn's unique culture. "When I got there, it was different from all the other schools in a way that's hard to describe," Gordon said. "You have to go there to understand what I'm talking about."

Women's basketball signing day roundup: L.D. Bell's Lexi Gordon emotional after signing with UConn; One school gets first Division I recruit ever | SportsDay

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

People that's why we all love UCONN WBB because from star player to last off the bench, from A to Z, the staff holds everyone to a higher standard! Every member of the team MUST be executing the game/practice plan toward perfection or they suffer the consequences! There's no, "that's ok Tierney, you'll get it right next time, hang in there!" If she screws up she'll hear about it big-time and she expects nothing less!
And that's why Pulido's last second basket in the Championship Game struck such an earth-shaking core as she was rewarded for all her hard work over 3 years with a UCONN MOMENT that'll be talked about for years & years!

 

[UcMiami]

Pulido had her moment of ecstasy at the end of last years championship game and everyone remembers it like they remember Heather Buck's.

Just in case people have forgotten it - Tierney had her quieter moment of ecstasy on the court too - late in a game where the coaches had set the goal of 'taking a charge' before the game, and no one had yet done it - and there was Lawlor under the defensive basket, sitting on her keister and pumping her fist after reaching that goal - with her teammates rushing to lift her to her feet!

 

[Blarney76]

Coco Husky – I am loving this thread in recognition of a tremendous individual, both off the court and on. Thank you for posting!

I know I speak for so many back in the Valley, CT area, where Tierney is from, when I say she has been an incredible source of pride and inspiration for our community. The morning following a game, whether she saw minutes or not, she is the breakfast talk at the local restaurant (and the reason for two sold-out bus trips (with a waiting list!) heading up to Gampel for Senior Night in February), the talk at high school hoops practice that afternoon (where her UCONN team posters hang proudly in the halls of Ansonia High School), the talk at recreation league games that night or on weekends (where young female players are vying to get the #20 uniform at the start of the season and aspiring to be a UCONN Husky "like T") and even the talk after church on Sunday where "the local girl" earning a spot on this team has managed to further broaden the UCONN fanbase, if that’s even possible!

While her impact in terms of effort, intensity, perseverance, grit, support and a "team-first" attitude, always, is not something that her stat sheet will reveal, her whole team contributions have not gone unnoticed and are immeasurable. As a champion of TLAW and all that she embodies as a phenomenal person, a scholar student and a deeply committed player (and she was quite a player in high school too), it is heartwarming to read that so many Boneyarders are cognizant of those contributions and attributes as well.

Go Tierney, go TLAW, go T!

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm still watching TLAW. Nice assist in the ND Game!
When Gabby got karate chopped in the throat by Maybrey everyone was losing their mind except TLAW. It was TLAW who anticipated and grabbed Gabby a cup to clear her throat. Remember there was no time out called or break in the action but there was TLAW handing Gabby a cup so she could gather herself to make two free throws. I'm not even sure it was legal but how much into the game do you have to be to pull that off. Great Young Lady!

 

[bags27]

Great catch, Coco! And it was ice in that cup that Gabby kept sucking on as she sunk both foul shots and when play resumed. All because of TLaw! So why is she never in contention for the Badass?

 

[ME Husky Fan]

There was a moment in the UCONN/ND game where Geno was talking to the team and Tierney was so focused on what Geno was saying it was incredible. She did not take her eyes off of him the entire time and it gives you a sense of just how vested she is in the program. A class act..

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

As a HS Wrestling Coach I loved the athlete maybe with less talent but big enthusiasm who went from low ability to where he could be competitive on the JV level!
My favorite is John who came in suicidal, 120lbs, thick coke glasses, and parents thought that wrestling would give him a workout! J got pinned early 1st year but time he graduated he was ECC JV champ and 150lbs and contacts!
Parents we're crying at final banquet that his whole life had changed!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

There was a moment in the UCONN/ND game where Geno was talking to the team and Tierney was so focused on what Geno was saying it was incredible. She did not take her eyes off of him the entire time and it gives you a sense of just how vested she is in the program. A class act..

That's what she does. Every game you'll see that. She may never get in, but she's an absolute gamer and she's going to be ready. A real lesson to whole teams of "stars".

 

[Scud49]

Great observations everybody, I really love it - what a contribution she is making to the effort, just like Ms. Pulido last year