PAGE 6
TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FROM COACHES PAGE 8
ketball game.
This year has been especially big for Summitt, as her "We back Pat" campaign has drawn national attention because of her diagnosis with early-onset dementia of the Alzheimer's type.
TARA RRYΔNT/KΔNSAN
Tennessee head coach Pat Summit discussed the final play during the last timeout of the NCAA Women's Regional Semifinals at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday. Kansas lost to Tennessee 84-73.
"The game of women's basketball wouldn't be where it's at today without Pat Summitt, and that says a lot about who she is." Dooley said.
Coach Bonnie Henrickson describes the next play during a timeout in the NCAA Women's Regional Semifinals at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday. Kansas lost to Tennessee 84-73.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
Summitt had a reduced role this year, including not meeting with the media regularly and sitting on the bench during much of the games.
Still, Summitt takes the time to help anyone who wants to learn about the game.
But the Volunteers came within one game of reaching another Final Four before running into the buzzsaw of the Baylor Lady Bears in the Elite Eight.
Under her guidance, the Hokies reached at least twenty victories each season while also making five NCAA tournament appearances.
Summitt has relied on three former head coaches and associated head coach Holly Warlick, who played for Summitt from 1976-1980 and has been an assistant since 1985, for help with coaching in her condition.
"Like we said from the beginning, these are uncharted waters," DeMoss said. "We've kind of learned as we've gone, but I think what superseded this situation is the love and respect that we have for Pat. That supersedes everything."
After moving up the women's basketball assistant coaching ranks, Henrickson got her first shot as head coach in 1997 at Virginia Tech.
"Pat is a very grounded person," DeMoss said. "Always has been. She comes from humble beginnings. Her family is very important to her, and that never changes, that never waivers."
Summitt is a devoted and thoughtful person, but that is sometimes lost in the mix of her gruesome practices and harsh half-time speeches.
But when Henrickson had a chance to grab somebody from the Summitt coaching tree, she didn't
pass up the opportunity.
Fresh off of her stellar career that included two national titles with the Lady Vols, Kyra Elzy spent one year in 2002 as an administrative assistant under Henrickson at Virginia Tech.
Playing for coach Summitt might be one of the most demanding positions in college basketball, and Elzy felt the brunt of it, being a leader on the court by playing 126 games in four years. She also excelled in the classroom and became the first Tennessee player to earn a master's degree while still playing.
"She's very intense," Elzy said. "She's a winner. She demands excellence. She extremely demanding, but there's a method to her madness and it obviously pays off."
Although Elzy had personal success, Henrickson can only remember her talking about her teammates and her coaches.
"Kyra doesn't talk about how many games they won," Henrickson said. "She talks about how good they were to her."
Henrickson picked Elzy again to become a full-time assistant for the Jayhawks when she took the head coaching position in Lawrence.
Among many talents, recruiting is one of Elzy's specialties. Elzy helped the Jayhawks land its first top 20 signing class in 2007.
"I think you just have to be true to who you are and really be able to be and honest in what they're going to get from the university," Elzy said. "Make sure you sell your head coach, but more importantly you need to be persistent and just sell a family atmosphere."
Elzy has a special connection with Summitt dating back to her playing days. Summitt is someone that pushed Elzy, but always had a loving touch at the end of the day.
"I think what people don't get to see is the loving and the caring person that she is off the court," Elzy said. "She really wanted to make sure that we became women ready for the world and also stay humble enough to give back to other people."
Elzy also feels a great connection to Henrickson, someone who gave her the opportunities to move forward in her career, as well.
Elzy was the associate head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats team that made the Elite Eight this
season.
"I will always be grateful and forever indebted to Bonnie," Elzy said. "She gave me my first chance in the business straight out of college. I had the opportunity to study under and I think I'm a better coach today because of it."
Being a women's college basketball coach is a demanding job.
During the season, a head coach might notch a dozen hours of sleep in between watching film, while the athletes grasp a few hours for homework and freedom away from basketball.
The personal touch of a handwritten letter is special in an evergrowing technological environment.
Henrickson is one of these coaches, but something she picked up from Summitt long ago was to take the time to write letters.
Throughout her career, Summit has hand written a note back to every piece of fan mail she's received
until this year. In fact, Henrickson would occasionally write Summit a note and every time, she would get a handwritten note back.
That's why Henrickson has her own set of stationary to do the same thing with many of players and coaches that she writes to throughout the year.
Henrickson wants to show people that coaching is more than about being a great basketball player; it's about building a family around your team.
"If Pat Summit has the time to do it, Henrickson said. "Then I have time to do it."
— Edited by Christine Curtin
Green replaces Franklin as assistant coach
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Mahogany Green, formerly of Central Michigan, joined the Kansas women's basketball staff as an assistant coach on Monday. She replaces Aqua Franklin who departed for an assistant coaching position at Mississippi State.
Green served a number of positions at CMU, including recruiting coordinator, academic liaison, scout and helped to develop the guards.
"Kansas is a great opportunity for me," Green said in a press release. "The athletic history there really drew me to the job and obviously the success they have experienced this past season and the last couple of years."
Green was a four-year letterwinner at Cleveland State. She led the Vikings in scoring, rebounding and assists. She was also named to the All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference All-Tournament Team in 2000 and 2001. She played one year of professional basketball in Ankara, Turkey, before returning to her alma mater.
"We are very excited to welcome Mahogany to Kansas," coach Bonnie Henrickson said in a press release. "Her energy and enthusiasm have made her instrumental in recruiting high-caliber student athletes to Central Michigan. She also has a great deal of success in developing quality point guards, a position which she played during a decorated career at Cleveland State."
Green coached in short stints at Eastern Kentucky, IPFW and Eastern Michigan before a four-year run at CMU.
White signs letter of intent with Javhawks
MEN'S BASKETBALL
The Jayhawks started individual work outs last week and are coming off a Sweet 16 appearance for the first time since 1999.
Andrew White from Chester, Va. signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Kansas, coach Bill Self said Monday.
"Bonnie has done a great job at KU and has had success everywhere she has gone." Green said in a press release. "I want to continue to progress as a coach and Bonnie is a great person to learn from."
Kathleen Gier
"I'm glad we can finally talk about Andrew," Self said. "He's been committed for a long time and we are so excited to have him. He's a tall guard. He can shoot it. He's a good athlete. He's tough, loves to play and certainly will be a great representative of our university."
White, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound forward, signed the letter in a ceremony at Miller School in Charlottesville, Va. Ranked No. 48 by ESPNU100 and No. 56 by Rivals.com. White averaged 22.9 points and 10 rebounds per game for Miller School this past season. He chose Kansas over North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Richmond, Texas and Getorgetown among others.
"He has been very well drilled and well coached at Miller under Scott Willard." Self said. "The transition to the collegiate level should be very smooth for him. We see him being an impact player for us beginning from day one upon his arrival on campus."
White, who will play in the Capital Classic All-Star game on Saturday in Alexandria, Va., joins Perry Ellis of Wichita, Landen Lucas of Portland, Ore., and Zach Peters of Plano, Texas, in the upcoming season's freshman class.
"Andrew's entire family has been great and so supportive to us throughout this process and what a great job Joe Dooley did in recruiting him," Self said. "One of the reasons we like him so much is the quality of person that he is. I believe having the Whites as part of our KU family will do nothing but enhance our program."
— Max Rothman
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BASEBALL
Stanfield mentioned in prestigious award list
Senior catcher James Stanfield was added to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List on Monday by The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. He joins a list of 50 other catchers from colleges across the country. The Johnny Bench Award honors college's top catcher every year.
Stanfield has contributed solid
Stanfield's best attributes as a catcher come on defense. Originally recruited by Kansas as a middle infielder, he possesses a strong arm from behind the plate. This season, he has thrown out 13-of-33 would-be base stealers, good for 39.4
numbers at the plate all season. He leads the Jayhawks with a .304 batting average. He is also batting .306 in Big 12 play. In 21 starts at catcher, Stanfield has hit three doubles and driven in nine runs.
The list will be narrowed to three finalists on June 4. After that, Division 1 college coaches will vote to determine the winner, which will be announced on June 28.
percent. He ranks second in the Big 12 at throwing out potential base stealers this season. He only trails Texas A&M's Troy Stein by 0.6 percent.
— Max Lush