University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Women's Hoops Quotes From ACC Media Day
October 30, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Oct. 30, 2002
Question from Trice Terry (Lexington, NC) for North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell: How will the loss of Nikki Teasley impact this year's team?
Hatchell's answer: "Well, Nikki was a great player, there's no doubt about that, but we have four starters returning, and we have one of the best freshmen in the country in La'Tangela Atkinson. We've got such a strong group returning -- and they've gotten ever better -- and with an outstanding freshman coming in that can play at that point guard spot. Corretta and Leah have played point guard also, so we've got experience at point guard although we've lost an outstanding player like Nikki."
Question from Brandon Williams (Houston, Texas) for North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell: How is your touted freshmen class progressing?
Hatchell's answer: I think that La'Tangela will be one of the best players we've ever had at the University of North Carolina. I don't have any doubt that one day her jersey will hang in Carmichael. Like the players said, she's a tremendous passer, she can drive, she's 6-1, but her defense, her arms are so long she can steal a ball, and it's just amazing. And she's just going to get better and better because she's still learning ... She'll play; she may start. I'm sure down the road she'll be starting, if not right away ... Jessica Sell is an outstanding player also. We scrimmaged yesterday, and she made a move that was absolutely incredible. The whole bench came up, they were screaming, yelling and high-fiving. It was highlight.
More Hatchell:
"The ACC put out the 50 greatest players, and we had the most of any school. The tradition, the excellence of the 50 years in the ACC, it's an honor to be with the school with the most players on that team."
Question from Mitchell Geter (Houston, Texas) for Coretta Brown: Coretta, although it's very early, how do you see this year's team compared to last year's team?
Brown's answer: "I think we're going to be a better team this year with La'Tangela coming in and the five freshman from last year gained a lot of experience. They've evolved and grown as players, so I think we should be a better team this year."
More Brown:
"I think in a couple of months, (La'Tangela Atkinson) will be pretty good. She's so athletic, her arms are so long, she'll really help out defensively, and I'm really excited about having her on the team this year."
A personal goal for me is to be an All-American, but the big team goal is to be in Atlanta. Of course, the ACC, we want to get that, but being from Georgia, I'd love to get to Atlanta in my senior year.
Question from Burt (Clayton, NC) for Candace Sutton: What did you work on this offseason?
Sutton's answer: "This summer I worked on getting a lot stronger. I think that has helped me a whole lot as far as posting up, being able to make moves to the basket, just helping me become a quicker, stronger player in general."
"La'Tangela Atkinson is a great player. It's amazing to see a freshman come in that really knows the game like she does and has the athletic ability that she has."
