PROVO, Utah— The BYU women’s basketball team members met with reporters Wednesday morning in the Marriott Center at its annual media and photo day.
Head coach Jeff Judkins and players talked with the media about the upcoming basketball season and the team’s goals for the year.
QUOTES FROM MEDIA DAY
HEAD COACH
Jeff Judkins
On the team
This team has a lot of depth. We have a lot of kids that hopefully through many years of learning from their coaches will understand that their opportunity will come and they will be able to make the most of it. I’ve seen a lot of improvement, which I’m excited about. Everyone has to step it up a notch. It’s not on just one person, it’s all of them.
On point guards
Right now, Cassie Broadhead will be starting at point guard for us. She’s been here for four years. She’s done a good job of running our team and she has come a long way. I’m excited to see what she can do. Brenna Chase is one of the best freshmen I’ve seen since Haley Steed. I feel really good about the position. Those two are going to come in a do a good job.
About Kalani Purcell
You’re going to see her play a lot more 3. She is so good with the ball that it doesn’t really affect her game going to 3 instead of the 4. And defensively, we are bigger, better and stronger at rebounding. We’re going to try to get her to score more and be more offensive-minded.
On scoring distribution
I think Cassie will score more than Kylie Maeda did. Cassie is more offensive minded. Kristine Nielson is playing really well right now. This is her opportunity. She scores a little differently than Lexi (Eaton Rydalch) did, but she can score. Makenzi (Pulsipher) is playing knowing that she will be more of a first option. Our inside presence is better. We have more people that can score. Part of the biggest improvement is (MaCayla) Hanks. She is going to be a good surprise this year.
PLAYER QUOTES
Cassie Broadhead
On the team
I’m so excited for this team. We are so balanced. We have so many different threats that it could be anyone’s night, which makes us really hard to guard. Another thing about this team is that we are unselfish. We will make the extra pass and we run. It will be an up-tempo game, which will be really fun to play and fun for the fans to watch.
Her role on the team
I played a little point guard in high school and was recruited as a 2. Over the last year, I’ve been practicing as the point guard and I was a backup to Kylie last year. It hasn’t been that much of a transition because of how I play. I like to make plays, I like to get people open. I really like my role and I’m really excited about it. We have had a great tradition of great point guards here, so hopefully I can follow in their footsteps.
How she has changed
I’m a little bit of a different point guard than Kylie was. The only thing I’ve really had to change was being a vocal leader. I hadn’t really had to do that since I’ve been here. And then I make sure everyone is in their spots and calling plays. Learning the strategy of the game more is another thing that has changed. The way I play isn’t different, but the way I think and getting the right plays at the right times is what has changed the most.
Kristine Nielson, senior guard
Overall thoughts on the upcoming season
I’m really excited for the upcoming season. We’re going to be a really good team. In practice, the ball bounces around from person to person. We’re all able to score when we need to score. In that way, it’s going to be an exciting and fun team to watch and to play for.
Who stands out on the team
Kalani (Purcell) is a rebounding machine. She is in there all the time. Even if she doesn’t fully get the rebound, she tips it to a teammate. She’s a beast inside and she’s doing better finishing around the basket. Kenzi (Pulsipher) is a money-sharp shooter. And then Cassie (Broadhead) has been really good at getting everyone involved and sharing the ball. When we need a basket, she’s capable of driving it. Jasmine (Moody) has come a long way from last year. She’s rebounding tougher, she’s in better shape and she’s smarter defensively. And (MaCayla) Hanks is doing really well. She’s finishing around the basket better. She has long arms and is so big in the paint, but she alters a lot of shots. Liz (Eaton) is doing well. She’s recovering from an ACL injury. She’s super aggressive to the basket. And she has a fairly decent outside shot. She’s competing and is not afraid of contact. She’s going to be a great asset here. She will definitely push us because she is such a driving force and doesn’t shy away from the big shots or driving to the hoop whenever she gets the ball.
Mindset as a senior
I’m excited to go into it. I want to go and have fun, and enjoy my last year. I want to accomplish a lot, but I want to accomplish a lot as a team. That’s what’s most important to me.
On team goals
We want to win the conference and win the conference tournament. The year before last year, we won the tournament. Last year, we won the conference but didn’t win the tournament. So this year, we want to get them both. And we want to make a splash in the NCAA. It would be so fun to make it back to the Sweet 16 again and even go further. I think we can—we have all the pieces to do that. It’s a matter of all of us staying healthy and staying fresh as we go throughout the season.
Makenzi Pulsipher, senior
Can you believe it’s your senior year?
No. It’s gone quick and slow all at the same time, and now that it’s here, it’s surreal. I don’t take each moment for granted. Everything is my last. I’m taking it all in and experiencing my last hurrah with my teammates.
Expectations for self
I don’t think my expectations change. I’ve had the same goals, I’ve had the same mindset. The only thing is leaving with no regrets. This is it. I really hope I can be my best, be what I’ve strived to be since I came here and end on a good note.
Differences with this year’s team
We have a lot of depth. I feel our team has changed a lot each year, for better and for worse. Obviously you lose great players but then you have to rebuild. We’ve rebuilt each year into something new and different. This year, we have a young team. We have our solid five that people know and have seen the team play, and we have a good group of girls that are new to the team and offer a lot. This year, we have a fast team, we have a big team, and we have tall girls that can move well. We have Kalani who can play the wing and she can play the post. That makes it hard to guard her.
I’m excited for what this team has to offer. We have a lot of versatility, a lot of depth. I hope everyone comes ready to play because we can be great this year.
Talking about point guards
I think they are great. Brenna and Cassie have completely different styles from Kylie (Maeda). Brenna is a great 3-point shooter. She can drive it well. Cassie is great off of pull-ups and driving and she can come off screens really well. On top of that, defensively, Cassie is aggressive. I think there is a whole other dimension to her. We work well together, so I’m excited to play with that. It’s important we’re all on the same page.
What defines this team
If an opposing team has height, we have the girls to play the height. If a team is smaller and faster, we have the girls to play the smaller and faster. We won’t be a team that relies on one person, like maybe in the past. This year, we have weapons on every area, so we won’t need to rely on that one person. This will be great because then defensively, teams can’t shut you down as easily. If they want to stop the drive, then we have shooters. If they stop the shooters, we have inside presence. I’m really excited for that. It will take us some time and I don’t think it will be perfect or pretty the first game. You work that out in your first few games. Once we get going in games, it will get better from there.
Kalani Purcell, senior
Thoughts on this year’s team
I’m super excited for this year’s team. We’re a lot bigger than last year, in general. Everyone has stepped up a lot, so it’s nice when we practice because the chemistry is there.
Feelings on playing on the wing/post area this year
I’ll play wherever the team needs me to play. If I have to play the 5, I’ll play the 5. If they need me to play the 3 I’ll play the 3. I think it’s more fun in the 3 because you do a lot more, instead of staying in the paint the whole time. In practice, I’ve been playing a lot of the 3. It’s nice because that’s what I played back home. It’s nice to play a familiar position. Being able to play on the wing, I can shoot more from outside, I can drive it more. I can take a smaller guard I’ll have inside the post and be able to post them up and get easy baskets that way. Offensively, (the position change) helps me a lot.
Her role this year
I think my role will be similar to last year, where I had to show up to every game. For me to do that, I have to be able to put numbers up on the board. I have to score more, I have to rebound more and do other things like that.
Senior year
My goal is to be the WCC MVP. I feel if I do that, then that will help my game. If I do that, then we’ll be fine. As long as I keep that in mind, we’ll be fine.
On the returners
In practice already, a lot of the girls have stepped up. Kristine Nielson has stepped up a lot this season so far in practice as have some of the younger girls. MaCayla Hanks, one of our bigs, has improved a ton from last year. This is helping us a lot because we need to step up our inside game and she’s been able to do that for us. Even though Amanda Wayment is an undersized big, she’s still killing it in everything she does. There are always expectations for Makenzi Pulsipher. She’s keeping those expectations and exceeding them. The new girls are doing well, fitting in well. Playing with the young girls and playing with the old girls doesn’t feel any different—it’s all the same.
Jasmine Moody, sophomore
Thoughts on upcoming season
I’m really excited. It’s going to be a pretty good season because we are really big this year. We have three or four girls over 6-foot-2. It’s going to be exciting to compete in the West Coast Conference.
Offseason preparation
Josh Morzelewski (strength and conditioning coach) has helped us prepare strength-wise. I’ve become stronger than I was last year.
How this year has been different as a prospective starter
I’m a lot more confident this year than I was last year. Last season as a freshman, I was nervous to compete against the older girls. This year, I’m just doing me. I also think I understand (Coach Judkins’) system better than I did last year since I’ve been in it for a year.