College Basketball is around the corner with the College Basketball season kicking off November 9th. Last Thursday and Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis the Big Ten Conference held its Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Media Days. 14 Teams, 28 Coaches and 58 Student Athletes were on hand for the two-day event.
Day 1 kicked off with Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren addressing the media with a 30-minute press conference. The Coaches from Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska each had 10 minutes to make a statement and take questions from the media and after a lunch break the coaches along with their student athletes had half hour to do one on one interviews and were stationed at individual podiums along with interviews on the Big Ten Network.
Friday I was in attendance as Michigan State, Purdue, Penn State, Minnesota Northwestern, Indiana and Wisconsin got there turn to talk to the media. Indiana Men’s Coach Mike Woodson along with Junior Forward Trayce-Jackson Davis, Senior Guard Rob Phinisee and Senior Forward Race Thompson represented the Hoosier Men. Women’s Coach Teri Moren along with Graduate Student Guard Ali Patberg and Senior Guard Grace Berger represented the Hoosier Women. Coach Moren’s said it best in her opening statement “Good Morning It’s always a great day to be Hoosier” Coach Woodson talked about being back home and being able to be a part of media days in his hometown of Indianapolis.
The most common things that coaches and players talked about were the fact fans are going to be back in stands, Happy to be back to some kind of normal because Big Ten Media days were virtual last season, Roster management because everybody got an extra year because of the COVID-19 Pandemic and most players chose to come back. Ali Patberg is back for 7th year after starting her career at Norte Dame and having to miss time due to injury and sitting out year when she transferred to Indiana. “If you were given a chance to come back for another year, why wouldn’t you” Coach Moren Said. Penn State Graduate Student Kelly Jekot who played 9 games last year before missing the rest of the season due to injury said her decision to come back was not easy but she is glad to be back and have fans back because “There are a lot of Family and Friends who want come to our games this season and that is important since I am a Pennsylvania Native and they could not be there last year and we get to play in front of them.”
Purdue Women’s Basketball Coach Katie Geralds is back at her alma mater after playing there from 2004-2007. She was to be the associate head coach but Sharon Versup retired before this season. I asked her about getting the chance coach against IU after she played against her and how excited is she. “Yeah, it doesn’t matter what year it is that IU/Purdue rivalry is something that is going to live on. I’m excited to go down to Assembly Hall, a little different for me now. A little less control as a coach than a player. Excited to have this opportunity. Great Team Coach Moren has done in incredible job of building that team back up. They got a squad back and were chasing them. We”ll see what we can Do”. I asked her when she goes back to all these places will see have the same emotions as she did is a player. “I promise you that I will still hate IU just as much as I did when I played” Geralds Said. It did not take her long to figure out that deep down I was an IU fan and I was wearing red representing our network.
Minnesota Women’s Basketball Coach Lindsay Whalen and Minnesota Men’s Basketball Coach Ben Johnson who both played in the Big Ten at Minnesota and Johnson also played at Northwestern agreed when I asked them that question. “I still have that same fire” Johnson said. Both coaches also enjoyed getting to play at Assembly Hall and called it an historic place and Johnson reminded me that he won there when Mike Davis was the coach and Tom Coverdale was a senior.
Northwestern Men’s Coach Chris Collins will see one of his former players competing against him when Miller Kopp suits up for Indiana who transferred from Northwestern in the Offseason. I asked him how it will be when he sees Miller in Indiana uniform for the first time. “It will be different; we have great relationship and so I will shake his hand wish him the best and root for him except when he plays against us” Collins Said.
New Wisconsin Women’s Coach Marisa Mosely comes over from Boston University. I asked her about her top returning player Sydney Hillard and what she has seen from her since she arrived in Madison. “I have inherited great kids and Sydney is one of those kids and she has been working on her outside shooting but no doubt her best game is her getting to the rim and getting assists I happy that she is a Badger”. Mosley said. Sydney Hillard and Julie Popislovia told me that they are excited to have coach Mosley at Wisconsin and like what they have seen so far from the new coach. Popislovia played with her native Czech Republic national team and said when she first came to the United States to play Basketball it was an adjustment and they physical play in Europe helped prepare her for the college game.
This was the first time that Big Ten has held both the Women’s and Men’s media days at the same time and place and there is no question it was success. The Conference did a great job of making sure everything moved on schedule and there were no issues. There is no doubt that going forward they will continue this format. Getting to cover my first Big Ten Media days was a great experience. You don’t get that type of access to other coaches and players from around the league. Getting to see them and ask them questions was a great perspective and will be exciting when the season starts and no doubt both Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball are going to be very competitive and have very successful teams.