Lou Lopez Senechal to UConn! (Merged thread)

[Charliebball]

Mom is French. Dad, Mexican. She has both French and Mexican nationalities. I found this article.

Fairfield basketball standout Lou Lopez Senechal is seeking new challenge. Could she land at UConn?

Lou Lopez Senechal, who averaged 19.6 points as a senior at Fairfield, is in the transfer...

www.ctinsider.com

Here’s the most interesting passage for me.

« Lopez-Senechal is the daughter of a Mexican photographer, father Carlos, and a globetrotting aspiring model, mother Sophie, who left France for Mexico and met her husband during a photo shoot.

Lopez-Senechal was born in Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city, and lived there until she was 5, when her parents divorced. She spent most of her childhood in Grenoble, France, surrounded by the Alps, near the borders of Switzerland and Italy. She played club basketball from ages 8-18 before spending a year in Ireland at the North Atlantic Basketball Academy.

That move helped her, once again, adapt to a new culture. Already fluent in Spanish and French, she studied English and, with great help from her stepfather, Tim Presto, an American expatriate who had met Sophie while working in France, continually reached out to colleges, setting up campus visits. »

Lou has a French accent when she speaks English.

For the most part Americans (me included) are really pathetic when it comes to mastering foreign languages...... I have many European friends and every one of them speaks a minimum of two languages, most speak three and some speak four or five.......

 

[Kaizen]

Dogstar copied and pasted my post. He/she must have really liked it.

LOL, I thought you copied Dogstar's post .....

I think Dogstar is trying to quote your post but enter twice. So the first post (#215) just shows yours, then the second one (#216) is his word, "exactly".

 

[FormerCTrez]

A nick name is not valid unless it sticks. I remember when Christian Williams was a freshman. Several names was suggested by yarders, none of which stuck. Her teammates gave her the nick name of "squeaks." THAT one stuck.

If memory serves me right, I believe Christyn Williams had the nickname “Squeaks” before she got to UCONN.

 

[Dogstar]

Wow Dogstar, your post looks very familiar...........

Post #213 that I wrote today at 10:13 am ET:

"Since that's her "current" nick name, I agree, let's go with that. No need to re-invent the wheel. If she's cool with it , so am I.
If we (and her new teammates) call her by a name she beings with her from Fairfield, that will make her feel more at home, and more importantly, that she is accepted as one of them. If you call me "Chica", you accept me as I am, and as the baller it says I am. Think about it.

I know BY'ers like to give new players a nick name. I'm more comfortable with allowing her teammates to give her a moniker than trying to be creative and come up with one myself. It's hard to give someone you don't know and have never met a nick name.

A nick name is not valid unless it sticks. I remember when Christian Williams was a freshman. Several names was suggested by yarders, none of which stuck. Her teammates gave her the nick name of "squeaks." THAT one stuck."

I actually " lifted " it from you, it was the perfect statement, I didn't thk tht the copyright police would issue a warrant for me, I plead not guilty of any charges based on the grounds tht imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I feel tht You should feel immortalized . Haha

 

[Dogstar]

I believe that they were trying to say "exactly" to the copied portion of your post but didn't use the quote button. At least that's what I hoped they had done.

Exactly!

 

[Dogstar]

Since that's her "current" nick name, I agree, let's go with that. No need to re-invent the wheel. If she's cool with it , so am I.
If we (and her new teammates) call her by a name she beings with her from Fairfield, that will make her feel more at home, and more importantly, that she is accepted as one of them. If you call me "Chica", you accept me as I am, and as the baller it says I am. Think about it.

I know BY'ers like to give new players a nick name. I'm more comfortable with allowing her teammates to give her a moniker than trying to be creative and come up with one myself. It's hard to give someone you don't know and have never met a nick name.

A nick name is not valid unless it sticks. I remember when Christian Williams was a freshman. Several names was suggested by yarders, none of which stuck. Her teammates gave her the nick name of "squeaks." THAT one stuck.

I 4got to give you a like...and credit...Mea Culpa

 

[Golden Husky]

Born in Mexico, grew up in Grenoble, France.

Grenoble! Wow, just like Andre the Giant.

 

[CL82]

why cant Lou's name just be Lou? Why we gotta add a 2 or another Lou to it?

We’ve already had a Lou come through, so the new Lou has to be Lou2. It’s just what we do.

 

[CL82]

Grenoble! Wow, just like Andre the Giant.

That is an impressively random fact. Kudos!

 

[CTisballers]

Yes, but those were "core" players. The 3 we lost to transfer were at the bottom of the depth chart, and seldom played.

It was nothing about the players we lost I’m referring to if we want we have more scholarships available

 

[Carnac]

I 4got to give you a like...and credit...Mea Culpa

We’re good.

 

[Carnac]

I actually " lifted " it from you, it was the perfect statement, I didn't thk tht the copyright police would issue a warrant for me, I plead not guilty of any charges based on the grounds tht imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I feel tht You should feel immortalized . Haha

No problem. Feel free to repost any of my comments. No copyrights claimed. Actually I’m honored. Not everyone in the yard likes Carnac.

 

[TeamFirst!]

It may be that with Ice and Ayanna and continued growth by the existing core players, we might be a better team next year than last. I really don't think it's likely but maybe we rebound better at least and get more putbacks, South Carolina style. I'm not that worried about the shooting and if our rebounding is better I'm feeling pretty good about our 3 point shooting and offense from the guard position. We might have 3 shooters with 40% 3 point efficiency. I'm all for the best shooters shooting most of the shots, especially if our best rebounders are rebounding and we get 3 point returns from a lot of our shots. A lot of players barely get 40% efficiency from their 2 point shooting! That extra wing who can shoot the 3 probably will supplement this team well, spreading the floor, and both player movement and quick passes make this team GREAT against most defenses. She is going to be target A on defense though. That's why she comes off the bench especially when we can match her up against a non shooting player. With all the switches and screens that is a problem in itself. Maybe she's a stronger defender outside than she was at the 4 position. No doubt she will put in the effort. I saw some games where she just was pushed out of the way when trying to rebound. She was out of position against top teams at the 4. Defensively, can she move her feet well enough to defend outside? I'm glad we have added at least some depth. Near definite positive addition. I think she will fit in well with the team as well. Seems like a kid who is both motivated and able to self evaluate well. She shouldn't be a problem. This will be the best year of her life.

 

[TeamFirst!]

No problem. Feel free to repost any of my comments. No copyrights claimed. Actually I’m honored. Not everyone in the yard likes Carnac.

I like you Carnac, but you knew that. You know everything!

 

[TeamFirst!]

She even keeps her Fairfield number apparently! Got to give her some love from TeamFirst! with her first Avatar iteration!

 

[UcMiami]

I am impressed with her and hope she will add something valuable to the team next year.

I find people salivating over this or that player in the portal a little unrealistic. Almost all of those entering the portal with talent enough to play on a S16/E8 level team are looking for glory and more specifically personal glory. None of them are likely to displace the returning Huskies players so the idea that they would come to Uconn is unlikely as personal glory would start from the bench. There just aren't that many gaps in the lineup.

Lou has her sights set on a goal and sees Uconn as a step up in competition and coaching to polish her for a European pro career. This is the type of player that fits and that wants what Uconn has to offer.

(The only other player that I could see Uconn pursuing would be a post with the potential of a Cardoso and I don't think any of those have entered the portal.)

 

[Storrsbred]

For the most part Americans (me included) are really pathetic when it comes to mastering foreign languages...... I have many European friends and every one of them speaks a minimum of two languages, most speak three and some speak four or five.......

Have had this discussion many times over the years. Settled it in my mind by asking friends how long it would take them to travel across 3 countries from where they live? Times ranged, but, none were close to traveling coast to coast in the USA.
Think how many languages we would speak if each state had their own. Europeans have to know several languages just to get along or travel through neighboring countries.
Once I spun that in my brain, I didn’t feel so dumb (even though I still have limited intelligence).

 

[EricSD]

For the most part Americans (me included) are really pathetic when it comes to mastering foreign languages...... I have many European friends and every one of them speaks a minimum of two languages, most speak three and some speak four or five.......

I guarantee that if different languages were spoken in all 50 of our states, you'd know many more languages than you do. Fun fact - you could fit 10 different European countries into TEXAS and still have room to spare.

Being originally from Connecticut, I could see needing to speak the language of Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire including my native tongue in Conn.

I don't disagree that Americans are poor at mastering foreign languages for the most part, but IMHO it's because we simply have no need to. We can travel 3,000 miles coast to coast and still speak English... (altho some would argue that southerners speak a different language, and don't even get me started on the New Orleans dialects!)

Oh, and our large neighbor to the north speaks English as well (save for the French provinces)...

 

[UcMiami]

I guarantee that if different languages were spoken in all 50 of our states, you'd know many more languages than you do. Fun fact - you could fit 10 different European countries into TEXAS and still have room to spare.

Being originally from Connecticut, I could see needing to speak the language of Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire including my native tongue in Conn.

I don't disagree that Americans are poor at mastering foreign languages for the most part, but IMHO it's because we simply have no need to. We can travel 3,000 miles coast to coast and still speak English... (altho some would argue that southerners speak a different language, and don't even get me started on the New Orleans dialects!)

Oh, and our large neighbor to the north speaks English as well (save for the French provinces)...

There is also a huge advantage when studying a foreign language to being a two hour train trip from being surrounded by that language's native speakers for a weekend or a month.

I study in England when I was 15-16 and started learning German - they gave us all the grammar and didn't focus on vocabulary at all, simply expecting us to spend school holidays expanding vocabulary by spending weeks in Germany.

 

[oldhusky]

That’s where I see Lou2.

Me too, she may be a 2/3, but probably more a 3 because of her size. The way I look at the probable backups and their minutes is that Nika, and Lou are the backups with Nika being a natural point guard likely to get all of the minutes behind Paige, and Lou likely to get all the minutes subbing for Caroline.

The backup for Azzi will depend, it may go to the best of the two if one shines over the other, or it could depend on what traits Geno is looking for in that particular game, passing and defense with Nika, or shooting and scoring with Lou.

 

[Carnac]

Me too, she may be a 2/3, but probably more a 3 because of her size. The way I look at the probable backups and their minutes is that Nika, and Lou are the backups with Nika being a natural point guard likely to get all of the minutes behind Paige, and Lou likely to get all the minutes subbing for Caroline.

The backup for Azzi will depend, it may go to the best of the two if one shines over the other, or it could depend on what traits Geno is looking for in that particular game, passing and defense with Nika, or shooting and scoring with Lou.

I think this time next year, we’re going to be glad Lou chose to spend her last year of eligibility with us. I think UConn will be a better team with her than without.

 

[Cuango]

It may be that with Ice and Ayanna and continued growth by the existing core players, we might be a better team next year than last. I really don't think it's likely but maybe we rebound better at least and get more putbacks, South Carolina style. I'm not that worried about the shooting and if our rebounding is better I'm feeling pretty good about our 3 point shooting and offense from the guard position. We might have 3 shooters with 40% 3 point efficiency. I'm all for the best shooters shooting most of the shots, especially if our best rebounders are rebounding and we get 3 point returns from a lot of our shots. A lot of players barely get 40% efficiency from their 2 point shooting! That extra wing who can shoot the 3 probably will supplement this team well, spreading the floor, and both player movement and quick passes make this team GREAT against most defenses. She is going to be target A on defense though. That's why she comes off the bench especially when we can match her up against a non shooting player. With all the switches and screens that is a problem in itself. Maybe she's a stronger defender outside than she was at the 4 position. No doubt she will put in the effort. I saw some games where she just was pushed out of the way when trying to rebound. She was out of position against top teams at the 4. Defensively, can she move her feet well enough to defend outside? I'm glad we have added at least some depth. Near definite positive addition. I think she will fit in well with the team as well. Seems like a kid who is both motivated and able to self evaluate well. She shouldn't be a problem. This will be the best year of her life.

I will be shocked if we are not better next year! I’m a little puzzled that you seem doubtful that we will be? We will almost (knock on wood) certainly be healthier, our best players will be more experienced, the whole team will have worked on their respective game, we will be bigger, and we will have two fabulous freshmen and at least one, (possibly more) talented transfer! Plus, Aubrey!

 

[TeamFirst!]

We just lost 3 top draft picks to the WNBA. That's a lot of proven talent. We replace them with 2 rookies and a portal transfer. It takes a lot of improvement in the rest of the roster to compensate for that. Still, I agree that we might be better. Just don't think it's probable.

I think also that "Chica" probably subs in for Azzi some also. She knows how to use screens and can shoot the 3. In some ways, she's a better fit in Azzi's role. I do agree that she probably subs more for Caroline.

 

[Alydar]

We just lost 3 top draft picks to the WNBA. That's a lot of proven talent. We replace them with 2 rookies and a portal transfer. It takes a lot of improvement in the rest of the roster to compensate for that. Still, I agree that we might be better. Just don't think it's probable.

I think also that "Chica" probably subs in for Azzi some also. She knows how to use screens and can shoot the 3. In some ways, she's a better fit in Azzi's role. I do agree that she probably subs more for Caroline.

I can't remember a year when UConn had 3 players drafted but none in the 1st round. I liked all the seniors, but a page has to be turned every year. I'm very excited to see Bueckers run things now that there's no one to defer to. My philosophy with freshmen is to assume they as good as advertised until I see that they aren't. It makes for less angst in the summer.

 

[ballerfan]

For the most part Americans (me included) are really pathetic when it comes to mastering foreign languages...... I have many European friends and every one of them speaks a minimum of two languages, most speak three and some speak four or five.......

I’m a bilingual French-English speaker in France. I can tell you that many Europeans do not have an advanced understanding of a second language. It depends on the country. In Sweden many kids watch undubbed American TV, and many speak perfect English with an American accent. In Switzerland, a tiny country with three major languages, it’s important to function in other languages.

But in many European countries, including France, where Lou grew up, most people have only one functional language. English-language instruction in French public schools often starts late, and most teachers of English are French, so most ordinary French people learn some English but are not fluent. I was recently at a friend’s apartment, and I had to explain to his 12 year old daughter a simple American phrase that was on her t-shirt.

If you visit France you might think everyone speaks English. But to get a job in a restaurant or store in a place where there are a lot of foreigners, you have to be able to speak English. Regular French people, the people you’re unlikely to meet if you’re a tourist, would be challenged to have a conversation with you.

The stereotype is that northern Europeans speak English well, and southern Europeans, such the Spanish, French, and Italians, not so well.

I’ve watched a few interviews of Lou speaking English. She speaks English very well, not surprising after four years of going to a U.S. college. She has a noticeable French accent when speaking English, which I suspect Americans would like.

 

[eebmg]

I’m a bilingual French-English speaker in France. I can tell you that many Europeans do not have an advanced understanding of a second language. It depends on the country. In Sweden many kids watch undubbed American TV, and many speak perfect English with an American accent. In Switzerland, a tiny country with three major languages, it’s important to function in other languages.

But in many European countries, including France, where Lou grew up, most people have only one functional language. English-language instruction in French public schools often starts late, and most teachers of English are French, so most ordinary French people learn some English but are not fluent. I was recently at a friend’s apartment, and I had to explain to his 12 year old daughter a simple American phrase that was on her t-shirt.

If you visit France you might think everyone speaks English. But to get a job in a restaurant or store in a place where there are a lot of foreigners, you have to be able to speak English. Regular French people, the people you’re unlikely to meet if you’re a tourist, would be challenged to have a conversation with you.

The stereotype is that northern Europeans speak English well, and southern Europeans, such the Spanish, French, and Italians, not so well.

I’ve watched a few interviews of Lou speaking English. She speaks English very well, not surprising after four years of going to a U.S. college. She has a noticeable French accent when speaking English, which I suspect Americans would like.

I am definitely into our diversifying accents. Need an Aussie to fill my bingo card. I liked Adebeyo's English Accent when we had her.

 

[CL82]

I’m a bilingual French-English speaker in France. I can tell you that many Europeans do not have an advanced understanding of a second language. It depends on the country. In Sweden many kids watch undubbed American TV, and many speak perfect English with an American accent. In Switzerland, a tiny country with three major languages, it’s important to function in other languages.

But in many European countries, including France, where Lou grew up, most people have only one functional language. English-language instruction in French public schools often starts late, and most teachers of English are French, so most ordinary French people learn some English but are not fluent. I was recently at a friend’s apartment, and I had to explain to his 12 year old daughter a simple American phrase that was on her t-shirt.

If you visit France you might think everyone speaks English. But to get a job in a restaurant or store in a place where there are a lot of foreigners, you have to be able to speak English. Regular French people, the people you’re unlikely to meet if you’re a tourist, would be challenged to have a conversation with you.

The stereotype is that northern Europeans speak English well, and southern Europeans, such the Spanish, French, and Italians, not so well.

I’ve watched a few interviews of Lou speaking English. She speaks English very well, not surprising after four years of going to a U.S. college. She has a noticeable French accent when speaking English, which I suspect Americans would like.

Interesting. Years ago I had the opportunity to spend an extended time in France. I noticed that often when I asked people if they spoke English in causal settings they would say no, but once I said OK and switched to French they often would drop in to English and speak that with me. Some people surmised that they wanted me to make the effort, but I think that a different mechanism was at work.

I think that it may have been as simple as the standard for what it means to “speak a foreign language” in Europe being far higher than in in the US. So when I asked people, in English, whether they spoke English, they may have been reticent to say that they did because it wasn’t flawless. Once they heard my very best efforts at French, they were no longer uncomfortable about their English which was inevitably significantly better than my French.

Does that ring true to you?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Wow, I just stopped in to the team's facebook page and Chica's committed photo has just 2.7k likes. Even if Facebook is on the wane that seems more than a bit underwhelming. If you have time go give it a like huh.

UConn Women's Basketball

UConn Women's Basketball. 274,415 likes · 42,058 talking about this. Welcome to the Official Facebook Page of UConn Women's Basketball!

www.facebook.com

 

[Bigboote]

I’m a bilingual French-English speaker in France. I can tell you that many Europeans do not have an advanced understanding of a second language. It depends on the country. In Sweden many kids watch undubbed American TV, and many speak perfect English with an American accent. In Switzerland, a tiny country with three major languages, it’s important to function in other languages.

But in many European countries, including France, where Lou grew up, most people have only one functional language. English-language instruction in French public schools often starts late, and most teachers of English are French, so most ordinary French people learn some English but are not fluent. I was recently at a friend’s apartment, and I had to explain to his 12 year old daughter a simple American phrase that was on her t-shirt.

If you visit France you might think everyone speaks English. But to get a job in a restaurant or store in a place where there are a lot of foreigners, you have to be able to speak English. Regular French people, the people you’re unlikely to meet if you’re a tourist, would be challenged to have a conversation with you.

The stereotype is that northern Europeans speak English well, and southern Europeans, such the Spanish, French, and Italians, not so well.

I’ve watched a few interviews of Lou speaking English. She speaks English very well, not surprising after four years of going to a U.S. college. She has a noticeable French accent when speaking English, which I suspect Americans would like.

Something first pointed out to me by a Danish friend: There are 6 million Danish speakers worldwide (similar number for Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish, maybe a factor of 4 or 5 more for Dutch). If you want to understand or be understood outside of your own small country, you need to speak another language, and most choose English. That's definitely not the case for French or (especially) Spanish. There aren't many German speakers outside of Germany, but there are several tens of millions within the country.

My experience (international conferences plus close work with colleagues) is that Dutch, Scandinavians, and Balts all speak VERY good English, to the extent that (as you allude) many mistake them for Yanks or Brits, and many Americans wish they could speak that well.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I suspect when it comes to defense she's pretty tough. In the NCAA first round game with Texas she took a good hit to the face toward the end of the first quarter. An elbow she thought; she didn't see it. She went to the locker room and took stitching and bandaging and went out and played the rest of the game. My kind of hockey player.

Sounds very much like Caroline Doty, who had a tooth knocked out during a prep school game. Caroline played the rest of the game and then went to the dentist, who reinserted it.