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KANSAN.COM
LATE NIGHT IN THE PHOG
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FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
Senior Guard Natalie Knight seraches for a way to pass the ball.
JAMES HOYT/KANSAN
JAMES HOYT/KANSAN Natalie Knight fields questions from the media on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
Former player Natalie Knight is a mentor for young players
SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRolSports
At the end of the 2014-15 season, Kansas women's basketball guard Natalie Knight graduated, tasking Brandon Schneider with replacing her 1,110 minutes and 390 points.
And it gets even harder.
This season, Schneider's team doesn't have any seniors, which might typically mean there's a lack of leadership. However, the team won't need to replace Knight's off-the-court leadership.
As part of her master's program in sports management, Knight joins the coaching staff as a graduate student manager.
"As a grad assistant you're just trying to learn as much as you can from everyone," Knight said. "I can help the players make their lives a little bit easier, especially the freshmen because I know how tough it can be."
Schneider, taking over in his first season at the head of the program, is looking forward to Knight's ability to relate and help the young players. The team is adding six freshmen this season.
"She's a really upbeat person. Anytime
you're around her the energy changes. She gives us energy before practice and after practice. She's really motivating."
TYLER JOHNSON
Freshman Forward
"She can go and put her arm around a young player and maybe they've had a really tough day or a difficult practice and say, 'Hey, I was there. I know exactly what you're going through,'"
Schneider said.
Schneider said the most important thing that Knight can bring to the coaching staff is the ability to effectively communicate with players. Just one year after playing on the team, Schneider said he believes Knight can help players adjust to college basketball being just a few years older than the players. Freshman forward/center Tyler Johnson has had this experience already. Since Knight joined the coaching staff, Johnson said she has been pleased with Knight's ability to acclimate her to the reality of being a collegiate athlete.
"She's a really upbeat person. Anytime you're around her the energy changes," Johnson said. "She gives us energy before practice and after practice. She's really motivating."
Replacing Knight on the court will be tough; sophomore guard Lauren Aldridge will be the
team's go-to. Just last season, Aldridge played nine more minutes than Knight last season as a freshman and shot 37 percent from the field.
"Natalie was that person last year when I was in those freshman moments and very overwhelmed," Aldridge said. "I'd always look to Nat, and Nat would always give me some positive reinforcement.
"It's going to be really helpful for me again to look over to her and for her to be like, 'Lauren, take a deep breath.'"
Aldridge also highlighted the importance of Knight's role in the coaching staff for the freshman class. The value of this, Aldridge says, comes in Knight's one-on-one leadership style.
“[Knight] has never been vocal,” Aldridge said. “With her being there every day, she's already working with some of the girls individually.
Women's basketball team prepares for Late Night skit
— Edited by Minami Levonowich
SEAN COLLINS
@seanzie_3
For nearly two weeks, the women's team has been working on a dance routine. They'll perform the skit in front of an audience for the first time with the bright lights on Late Night, which has some of the younger players a little anxious.
"It's very nerve-wracking," said freshman guard Kelea Dennis. "I'm very excited to go out there and show everybody my personality."
"The dancers are really fun and
With the help of the Rock Chalk Dancers, who choreographed the dance, the team is able to show everyone who they are when they aren't on the court.
put our own swag in the dance" said freshman guard Aisia Robertson. "I'm excited to be part of the history and nervous because the crowd will be expecting a good show."
Even with two weeks of practice and the Rock Chalk Dancers helping them perfect the routine, the team struggled to bring the skit together.
"When we were first practicing the dances I thought it was hard and wondered how the dancers practice multiple routines and perform them well the very next day," said sophomore guard Chayla Cheadle.
The Jayhawks gained a lot of young talent over the offseason, including six freshmen. While the young talent is good
for building a strong basketball team, the new players also give the veterans a scapegoat if they mess up on the skit.
"Having a lot of freshmen on the team gives me confidence," said junior forward jada Brown. "If I'm messing up then there are probably bunches of freshmen messing up around me, so we will all look goofy together."
While a choreographed dance is tough in front of a full house, many of the players on the team like to mess around and dance in the locker room, which they said makes the process easier.
"We definitely have more dancers on the team so a lot of people are more comfortable dancing." Brown said. "I don't think it will be as nerve-wracking."
Late Night sets up the rest of the season for the team, and the skirt allows them to have time to bond without having to grind in practice or the weight room, even if it means being made fun of.
"I'm usually the one that gets laughed at because I can't dance, but any time we can come together as a team and joke and laugh it's always good for team chemistry;" said sophomore guard Lauren Aldridge.
Last year the dance ended in a battle. Aldridge and the Jayhawks hope to surprise the crowd with something different now.
"The dance involves a little more people than last year," Aldridge said. "There might even be a surprise at the end."
Edited by Minami Levonowich
JAMES HOYT/KANSAN Sophomore Lauren Aldridge gives an interview while surrounded by the media.
MISSY MINEAR/KANSAN
Freshman guard Lauren Aldrige drives the ball on Dec. 7, 2014. MISSY MINEAR/KANSAN
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