Oct. 30, 2007
Leading up to the UCF women's basketball season opener against Texas Tech on Nov. 9, UCFAthletics.com will continue to introduce fans to the Knights in a series of feature interviews.
As the Knights gear up for their exhibition game against Rollins College on Sunday, Nov. 4, the conversation focuses on freshman guard Marshay White. The native of Rochester, N.Y. talks about her interest in visual art and how she and her friend Emma Cannon came to UCF.
What does the team's motto "Prepare and Compete" mean to you?
To me, prepare and compete means that in order to become a championship team, you have to do the hard part. That means working out, running, conditioning and practicing. That will allow us to be able to compete and reach our goals.
There are nine freshmen on the roster and only three players with collegiate experience. How has the team started to come together?
We're learning to work with each other and learning how each of our teammate plays. We are learning how to put it all together now.
What are you looking forward to most this season?
I'm looking forward to playing hard and competing with other teams. I can't wait for people to see that we are a good basketball team and I think we're going to do really well this yar.
What is the best part of being on this UCF women's basketball team?
The best part is how we have all become a family. We came from different parts of the country and we shared this one thing in common. From that, we've been able to move to the next level and started to get to know one another as people.
UCF head coach Joi Williams and the rest of the staff have already begun to involve the team in community service. What charity or social cause would you like to help?
I would love to do anything with kids because I really love working with them. I was unable to go to the elementary school earlier in the year, but I would love to work with kids anytime.
How did the School of the Arts you attended in Rochester differ from other schools?
It's a school that includes dance, visual arts, creative writing and drama in addition to the regular core courses like math. I think it was great to be able to express ourselves through artwork.
I was a visual artist, so I worked with clay and plastics. We drew and painted. We had a few shows at school, where we would display a few of our pieces and write an essay about each one.
How important is it to have your former teammate Emma Cannon with you at UCF?
New York is a long way from Florida. It really helps to wake up and know that there is someone you grew up with right next to you, pushing you on when times are hard. It's great to have a friend - especially one like Emma - here with me.
Did you influence one another's decision during the recruiting process?
We played on the same high school and AAU teams and a lot of the college coaches liked how we played together. We said, "Hey, if we did it in high school, why not take it to the next level?"
Sunday's game against Rollins College tips off at 2 p.m. Admission to the contest is free.
Season tickets are available for the women's basketball team's debut season at the new UCF Arena and can be purchased by calling 407-UCF-1000 or by surfing to UCFAthletics.com.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pics.