Confident is not usually a word used to describe a team coming off of a 13-16 record.
But that's the word that Virginia women's basketball coach Debbie Ryan is using to describe this year's squad. The team's athleticism is one reason why Ryan has made that assessment.
"Our team is a better conditioned, stronger team, and they are ready to go at this point," Ryan said. "You can see a confidence in them that you didn't see in the past."
Ryan attributed a great deal of that confidence to the team's offseason workout program.
According to Ryan, the offseason regimen focused on strength during the summer, while conditioning became a point of emphasis after the players began classes in the fall. Senior captain Kate Kreager, for one, has already noticed the effects of the added training.
"Ed Nordenschild, our strength coach, came in and it was kind of like boot camp," Kreager said. "We went up in scrimmage, and I felt fine the entire game. Hopefully, that's a byproduct of our hard work."
Another way the team became faster was through the addition of three freshmen players: Sharnee Zoll, Denesha Kenion and Takisha Granberry. All three players are guards, and Zoll is expected to step in and start at point guard for the Cavaliers. She will team up with senior LaTonya Blue to give Virginia a dynamic backcourt.
"Hopefully, [we're] going to be exciting," Zoll said. "She is an amazing player ... she's so quick, so strong."
Zoll's addition allows Blue to move to shooting guard after spending more time last year playing point guard. Blue was second on the team in scoring last season while playing at the point. Ryan said she thinks that the change in position will help Blue.
"LaTonya just has to be a more confident offensive player and put points on the board for us," she said. "She can focus more on that and not have to be totally consumed with running the offense."
With the addition of the three freshmen, the Cavaliers have the athleticism to play defense more aggressively and possibly create more scoring opportunities.
"Defense turns into offense -- quick offense," Zoll said. "We can get up and pressure a lot and get some quick baskets."
Added aggression could help the Cavaliers, who finished seventh in the ACC last year in steals. Defense was not the team's weakness, however, as Virginia held opponents to an average of 64.1 points per game. Despite that statistic Ryan is still looking for smart play from her team on defense.
"We will be an intelligent pressing team," she said. "We aren't going to be pressing the entire game. What we are going to try to do is pick our spots and press well."
The Cavaliers enter this season -- which begins on Nov. 11 against Arizona State -- with a confidence found from demanding offseason workouts. Ryan, however, is quick to make sure that the team remembers that though the weight room is important, that isn't where games are won.
"Nothing's going to help confidence until you win," she said. "It's all false confidence until you get on the court and win some games"
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