Rutgers women’s basketball head coach Coquese Washington spoke with the media ahead of Monday’s season opener at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
She spoke on the general excitement of the team as the season is just about to start, and how they’re ready to face the competition of a long season.
“It definitely feels like it’s time for us to get started,” she said. “Exhibition season, you start doing scouts, all that stuff, so it definitely feels like the start.”
“They're ready for the grind,” she added. “They’re sick of practicing against each other, I’m sick of watching them practice against each other, so the fun part of the season is here. All the work that you put in and now you get to put it to test on a weekly basis. We’re ready for it, we’re excited about it and ready for the grind.”
She also touched on the expanded roster this season, up to 11 players after last season’s roster only had eight.
“We can get through practice,” she said. “You can withstand some of the things that come along with it, if somebody’s not feeling well [or other things]. It definitely gives us a chance to play with lineups and get more contributions from people, so definitely excited about that.”
With the nonconference slate up first, the Scarlet Knights added a mix of winnable games and matchups against tougher teams, including three NCAA Tournament teams and two WNIT qualifiers.
“We brought in four new players, so you definitely want to give us a chance to play a competitive schedule, while also having an opportunity to find some success,” Washington said. “I think that’s the balance you want to have. You don’t want to get that false confidence where you’re not competing against anybody. The Big Ten is tough, so there’s definitely an element of ‘you gotta prepare for that’, so we wanted to have a balanced schedule.”
Washington also gave insight into how the schedule is prepared with the best matchups.
“We have a formula that we use in putting our nonconference schedule together to make sure that it’s balanced,” she added. “Stephen [Fishler], our chief of staff, does it, and in some ways, plugs in the numbers and we go from there to make sure we have a balanced schedule that’s going to challenge us, but it’s also not going to be too heavy based on where we are, the experience you have, based on the talent level that you might have. We want to make sure that it’s balanced.”
The opening matchup against the Hawks, along with matchups against Princeton and Seton Hall, all provide a great scene for New Jersey women’s basketball.
“I think it’s definitely important and it’s helpful that they get to play in front of their friends and family, compete against other young women that they have competed against in high school,” Washington said. “Those rivalries that come into play when you get to college, those things are important. They make for a challenging game, so we know that Monmouth is going to come in here with a little added juice, a little pep to their step, they want to win this in-state matchup, and so do we. There’s that undercurrent that lies under these types of games. We don’t shy away from it, we’re aware of it, and we got to be ready for it.”
She was also asked to describe the team in one word, with her answer supported by a backdrop of noise coming from the team’s stretching line.
“Funny,” she answered immediately. “They are funny, and Tik Tok masters, you know, Tik Tok queens, that’s not a word but it’s a phrase. They’re funny and they are social, and they’re fun to coach.”
Washington touched on the adjustment of the newer players with the older players on the roster
“It’s been almost a seamless transition,” she said. “I think the returning players understand how important culture is for us, and they’ve done a great job. See, you can hear them right? They’re stretching! They’ve done a good job of trying to make sure they understand our culture, and adopt and adapt to our culture. The new players have been very receptive to it, and they want to be a part of a culture that is together, and supportive, and positive, and challenging. They want to be a part of that kind of environment, so they’re receptive to it.”
She also noted how all of the incoming players have made their impact in different ways.
“Mya [Petticord] has definitely taken the reins as our point guard,” she said. “Her leadership on the court has been noticeable and steady-growing. Lisa [Thompson] is an incredible athlete, she’s just got some tools, and she’s slippery and shifty, and we sorely need that athleticism. Jill [Huerter] shoots the lights out of that thing, so she’s bringing that. Destiny [Adams] is a great rebounder, she’s a tough defender, she probably leads us in hustle plays. All of them have been impactful in different ways and they complement each other. The skills and the things they bring to the table really complement each other, fill some gaps that we had on the team last year. It’s really been a smooth transition for their impact on the team.”
Petticord's arrival was made even more important for solving the Scarlet Knights' turnover problem, as they ranked last in the conference with almost 20 per game.
"Having a true point guard, I think that'll help," Washington said. "[Along with] getting them to understand their roles, so early in the season it might be a little bit of a struggle, as they're learning how to play fast with new people. I'm confident that as the season goes along they'll settle down and we'll be okay."
She closed by discussing how the program is continuing to deal with the loss of former assistant coach Nikki McCray-Penson, who passed away in July at the age of 51.
The constant mindset of those in the program is not how to move on from her, but how to live with her in a different way.
"Nikki was a big presence here," Washington said. "She was our defensive coordinator, so some of the things just from a tactical standpoint we still talk about like 'Nikki said we had to do this!', we don't stop saying that just because she's not here. I think the biggest part is we talk about her all the time, we talk about what she said."
"She was really instrumental in bringing Lisa and Mya here," she added. "She had recruited them in high school when she was at Mississippi State, so every time I look at those two in particular I think about Nikki, because if it wasn't for her they wouldn't be here. It's things like that is when we talk about how we gotta live with her in a new way. Her presence and her imprint is all over this program, and we just continue to honor that, and not sweep it under the rug just because she's not physically present with us."
In honor of McCray-Penson, Rutgers and South Carolina, where she spent ten seasons as an assistant under Dawn Staley, met up for an exhibition matchup over the weekend. Both teams, as well as McCray-Penson's family, were able to share moments on and off the court to remember a beloved figure in the game.
"It was a chance for us to, one more time, see the family and thank them for sharing Nikki with us in her last year," Washington said. "To play at a place she loved - she loved South Carolina and she loved Rutgers - for those two families, her Rutgers family and her South Carolina family, to come together one last time, in front of all her family and a lot of her friends, it was an honor for us to be a part of that, and to make that memory for their family. That's the biggest thing we got out of it, a chance to say thank you for sharing her with us."
The Scarlet Knights' season tips off against Monmouth at 7 pm in Piscataway on Monday night.
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