Speaker 1 00:00:12 Hello, this is Paul Soro. Before we get started with Ava Skaska, a Wichita State Women's Basketball, I wanted to direct you to Dr. Rick Newman's podcast Forward together. This week he's going to be talking with athletic director Kevin Saul. Uh, so if you're a Shocker Sports fan, you're gonna definitely wanna listen to this as Kevin talks about leading shocker athletics during this time of significant change, name, image, and likeness, transfer portal, and conference realignment. You can listen to Forward Together wherever you subscribe to podcasts. You can also watch it on the university's YouTube channel. I encourage you to check it out. Thank you.
Speaker 1 00:01:01 Hello, welcome to the Roundhouse podcast. This is Paul Soro of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. We have associate head coach, Ava Les Kaska, Wichita State Women's Basketball. Ava came to Wichita State in 2017. She is starting her sixth season with the Shockers and head coach, Keith Adams. So we're gonna get you ready for basketball season. We've got a lot coming up, uh, practices started season is coming. Tipoff luncheon is October 14th, shocker, Bandas on October 27th. Shockers play an exhibition game against Missouri Southern on November 1st, and the season opener is November 9th. First Alcorn State, Wichita State, 14 to 16 last season. It returns one starter and Jane is Cindy, but it's a pretty experienced team. Three of the top five scores are back. It's got five players who started at least three games, and then there's seven newcomers to fill out the roster. Ava, let's start with some of those new faces. What was the summer like when you're integrating that many new players? What did you try to do to, to get that process started?
Speaker 2 00:02:04 Hey, Paul, thanks for having me. Um, we're very excited about this group this year, and as you've mentioned, we have a lot of new faces and, uh, we still trying to learn a lot about them. Obviously individually, uh, we've seen a lot from them, uh, what we were looking for in the recruiting process to sign them here. Now we're just trying to, uh, get them obviously in a team setting and summertime, it's always very important. Unfortunately. Yeah, when you go, when you sign junior college, kids transfer kids. You don't always get all the kids on campus in the summertime for different reasons. They trying to finish up at their schools and trying to take care of their academics and, and, um, with international kids, a lot of times they go home because that's the only time they can go home and it's important for kids to go home and see their families.
Speaker 2 00:03:00 So we didn't have everybody on campus, but the players that we did have, uh, we really liked how quick they picked up with making friends with our returning players. That's always a huge part of a team for players to get along with each other and, and have a great chemistry. And it seems like really that group came together really quick in a natural way. And, uh, as coaches, you know, we always try to do fun things, fun activities outside, uh, of basketball like going bowling or playing pick ball or being a coach house, just to kind help that. But this group really got, uh, got along really well, really fast on their own. So that was huge.
Speaker 1 00:03:45 Who's the best bowler in this group? Is there somebody that stood out?
Speaker 2 00:03:48 Uh, well, um, you know, I don't wanna call out names, but my group won. Um, so, you know, it's, if you wanna win, just stay in my group. But, um, we do have few good ballers, and then we have Sam that probably need to stick to basketball.
Speaker 1 00:04:04 Sounds good, sounds good. Uh, I've heard good things about Ella Anci over the past year as far as being a, a really good teammate and really kinda embracing the, uh, you know, the whole feel of, of the women's basketball team. And I'm asking that to who, which of the returners is really helpful as far as, you know, getting these new players up to speed about the university, the, the basketball program, all
Speaker 2 00:04:27 That. Yeah, and Ella's just a great human being. She's great family, a person, and she kind of embraced the role like a mother of the team in a sense. Um, and especially like for our international players, she's been huge in helping them with adjustment. And I know she had different players over her house over period of time, and she, she's been really good. She's been good. But we also had Tri Cot. She's been a great mentor for a younger player. She, she does great job with always kind of taking players under her wings. Uh, dj, she always have players over her place and they do a lot of fun activities together. So, um, like I said, I, our team, I, I feel like our chemistry is great. Uh, they get along with each other really good. And, and that's a good start with any team before the season starts.
Speaker 1 00:05:23 Okay. As the practices hit another gear here, within the last couple weeks in preparation for this season, has there been a particular emphasis, something you're really hitting hard?
Speaker 2 00:05:34 Uh, obviously, you know, we've just started in the practices. Coaches always feel like there is a lot to cover. So, uh, we go from having individual skill workouts only four hours a week to being able to have 20 hours a week. So I know for players that probably seems like a lot for coaches. It always seems like whenever having enough time. Uh, but we've been just really trying on, uh, trying to focus on, on moving the ball on offense and, um, tried to, tried to learn how to score more as a team. And then obviously we worked a lot on defense. Um, our aggressive style of defense we're helping, it's going to create a lot of offense for us.
Speaker 1 00:06:18 You have a new assistant coach whose name would be familiar with two, uh, basketball fans around this area. Jim Lael had been at Oklahoma State, and he's coached at every level, uh, in, in the, in the state of Kansas high school, junior college. He has a friends university for a while. Uh, what's he added to this coaching staff?
Speaker 2 00:06:36 Well, first of all, I mean, he's, he's like family. Uh, obviously, uh, coach items used to play for him. Um, so it's probably a very easy transition for him and for her because they know each other for so long and, and she used to play for him. So I'm sure a lot what we do came from him in the beginning. And, uh, you know, obviously he brings a lot of experience, uh, like you've mentioned for all from all different levels. Um, and so it's, it kind of helps with, you don't have that really a transition level. Somebody has to really learn the new system or staff because they, they both very familiar with the system. And so I'm sure it's great for Coach Adams to have high Heon staff.
Speaker 1 00:07:24 So, which do state use the transfer portal to get two experienced guards. Help me with the pronunciation here. I tried to check it. Cortia Dean.
Speaker 2 00:07:32 Well, the best way is just call her Nuk Nunu. We call her Nunu. That's, that's her nickname. So Nunu, um, we've actually recruited Nunu twice now. Uh, we've recruited her out of junior college at, uh, when she was a Trinity Valley All American there. We didn't get her the first time, but, uh, I think, um, the way Coach Adams recruited her, uh, it, it's stuck with her and it helped us probably get her a second time around.
Speaker 1 00:08:02 So she's a transfer from Seton Hall and then an bell from Fairleigh Dickinson. Uh, what made them the right kind of people that you wanted to get them out of the transfer portal and add them to the team?
Speaker 2 00:08:13 Uh, again, with Nono, because we were so familiar with her and knew she could bring a lot of scoring in, um, she was a victim scholar in junior college. When she went to sit hall, she got hurt, so that kind of slowed her down, but now she's back a hundred percent. So we hoping that she can bring the versatility and scoring and with Anaya be obviously our outside shooting was a issue last year, so we are really focused on, on people who could score and, uh, shoot the tree and that's what she can do for the team. Shoot the three.
Speaker 1 00:08:51 So Sarah Besting, Carla bmo, and Mariah McCauley did a lot of the ball handling, a lot of the scoring in the perimeter for the past three seasons, longer than that for Sine and, and Carla, uh, how do you start replacing those three in the, in the back court? What does that position look like?
Speaker 2 00:09:07 Yeah, you know, sometimes with some players you just can't replace them, you know, cine, she brought a lot to the team, uh, starting with a mental toughness. Uh, you know, she was a great defender, like you said, she brought the ball down a lot for us. Uh, Mariah was a, uh, you know, victim scholar for us, and Kala was just a wonderful, uh, all around it player. Uh, so I don't think you can really replace kids like that, but we hoping collectively as a team, um, we can, we can do some of the things, um, that those kids were doing for us. So we, we are hoping that a lot of players can step in and do those things.
Speaker 1 00:09:48 I've really enjoyed watching DJ McCarty who you, you mentioned earlier play, uh, she always seems like what she will show. She'll have a really good game, a really good stretch, and then maybe be inconsistent. Last year she was off to a really good starting conference play, then got injured. She ended up playing only eight conference games. So she's got a lot of experience at Point Guard. I think she's shown she can, she can do some really good things. How does she make the jump to another level now is as a junior?
Speaker 2 00:10:16 Yeah, and that's, that's big. I mean, the biggest thing for DJ is to stay healthy because when she is healthy, she brings a lot to our team. And, and, um, honestly, um, you know, that's something we've been talking to her a lot about trying to stay on her feet. Uh, she likes to take charges. She ends up on the floor a lot, so we're trying for her to stay on her feet, so, uh, to prevent her from some of these injuries. But we are looking, um, we are really looking at, uh, her stepping up big and in a preseason. I mean, we've talked a lot to her about being a leader for a team and like you mentioned, we've surfing, being gone. I mean, she's going to have to be the point guard of our team and the leader of our team because she does have the most experience, um, from the guard spot. And, uh, she does a good job with, uh, not riding the rollercoaster. She's kind, um, you know, same every day, which that really helps. And, um, you know, she, I I think she's gonna have a big year for us.
Speaker 1 00:11:22 So Jayna Cindy a forward was, uh, newcomer last year. Just a, a ball of energy. She was really fun to watch. Also averaged eight points, uh, led the shockers eight rebounds. She had nine double doubles. Uh, how was she kind of polishing her game? She's back now for a second year at NCAA division one. How does she take another move forward?
Speaker 2 00:11:42 Yeah, with Jane, she's very exciting player to watch because, um, she has a lot of, um, you know, she, she has a big talent in her that she can give us double, double every game. And that's something we've been stressing with her to really focus on rebounding. One thing that we try and get her to focus on more this year is to score more for us. She's very unselfish and sometimes to the point too, too unselfish. She gets often rebounding. She wants to kick it out to her teammate and, uh, we trying for her to have that scoring mentality. You get rebounds, go up with it and really look to score for the team. But, uh, now she can bring a lot of energy on defense, on rebounding offensively. Uh, we've been working on her outside shot. She does great job with, uh, driving to the basket. She can skirt on a block. So she's the kind of player that can hurt people in multiple ways, um, if she wants to,
Speaker 1 00:12:43 The most experienced shocker is Truda Culbert. You mentioned her. Uh, what's her role as far as not only, you know, rebounding, She led the shockers in block shots, interior scoring, Uh, her role with that experience in leadership?
Speaker 2 00:12:58 Truda is great. She's just a great kid and a great worker down there on the basketball court. Uh, if you ask me, she's probably the most improved player that we've had for four years. Um, she, uh, when she got here, she was just a little row in a lot of areas and she's really improved. She got so much stronger. She got some good skills around the basket, but what we are really impressed with how good her outside she got in the last year and a half. And, uh, honestly, I mean, she's a really good outside shooter of course, it's one of the things we want her to score on the box because she's a true post and she's so strong that, you know, nobody can really stop her when she makes her moves. But she can also shoot the outside shot. So we going have to somehow channel for her to play on the low block, but also allow her to have some of this outside shots cuz she's really good at it and she's just a great, great, uh, person to be around every day that I think our younger players can really benefit from her being around her,
Speaker 1 00:14:11 Run through some of the newcomers for us. Uh, who should fans keep an eye on as they come out to, to shocker madness and, and get ready for the season?
Speaker 2 00:14:20 Yeah, you know, it's, uh, I always say I, I kind of hate to do that. Uh, really, um, name names so early before a season. Obviously every kid that we've signed, we've signed them for a reason and we're really excited about them being here. And it's going to be about how fast they adjust and accept the roles that they have. Obviously we've, we've talked a little bit about Nunu, uh, transfer from Seed Hall. We are really looking for big things from her and scoring department. She has a good basketball IQ and she has a knack for scoring. We've talked about Anaya be being able to shoot the tree. Uh, she's a really outstanding outside shooter. Um, Amber who came to us from junior college, uh, she's from Australia originally. She's a, a three point shooter that we are hoping that she starts feeling, uh, comfortable really quick and, and can help us in that department.
Speaker 2 00:15:20 Um, uh, you know, uh, Lala, uh, a kid that came to us from Odessa College, she's from Canada originally. She had some bat scoring games in junior college. Uh, she had 35 points games in junior college. So, and she's probably the fastest kid on the team and, uh, she can probably play the three or four for us. So we really excited about her, uh, and her ability to just run the floor, get to the basket quick, rebound, um, help us in different areas because we, you know, we feel like she can. And, uh, uh, uh, Daniella obvious are, are true the only true freshman on the team. Um, we really, really excited about her. I think with time she's going to be able really to step in in a big role. She already shows in practice, she can score around the basket wheel, she can drive, she goes for offensive rebounds really well.
Speaker 2 00:16:22 So we are really excited about her future with our team. Janiah Thompson, she was a victim scholar in junior college. So again, uh, you, you hearing me talking about scoring because that's something that we felt, uh, was kind of our weakness in the past. So we really went out and tried to focus on kids who were able to put some numbers and um, so that's something we are hoping that, um, those kids can do for us. Um, I'm not sure if I've missed anybody. Uh, Lisa, our newcomer from junior college, also, uh, from Canada. She kind of had the rap start because she had some medical breaks and she's right now not practicing with the team. We're hoping to get her back in the next few days or so. Uh, so it's probably gonna be a little bit slower for her since she's missed majority of the preseason. But we're excited about all the kids and, and again, I feel like they um, they really get along with our, uh, returners and that's, to me that's a good start.
Speaker 1 00:17:29 I wanna make sure that we're not confusing people. You mentioned Lala, right? Yes. And that is, or, um, Orella. Yes. From, she's a sophomore forward from Montreal and Winter.
Speaker 2 00:17:40 Yes. She goes by Lala. Yes. So we have some unique names on our team and, um, they like to go by their nicknames, so.
Speaker 1 00:17:48 Gotcha, gotcha. All right, Ava, thank you very much for your time. I'll remind you again as season is getting close. Wichita State has its tip off Luncheon on October 14th, Shocker Madness, October 27th. You can watch the women's basketball team play an exhibition game against Missouri Southern on November 1st, and the opener is November 9th. First Alcorn State, Ava, thanks again. Hey,
Speaker 2 00:18:11 Thanks for having me in. Go Shacks.
Speaker 3 00:18:24 Hi, this is Rick Mima, president of Wichita State University. Check out the latest episode of the Forward Together podcast. Each episode I sit down with different guests from Shock Nation to celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita State University. Listen, wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 1 00:18:53 Thank you for listening to the Roundhouse Podcast. Courtesy of Wichita State University's strategic communications. We appreciate your time. We encourage you to rate reviews, subscribe wherever you get your podcast, such as on iTunes or Google Play. You can find more roundhouse
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Speaker 4 00:19:15 And they let him pass it up court, and then he gets picked off along Three by Pango. No good. One second. It's over. It is over. And Wichita State Pass beaten the number one team in the nation to go to the Sweet 16. Go crazy with Utah. I know you are.
