Oct. 21, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF head women's basketball coach Joi Williams made two new additions to her staff since the end of the 2007-08 campaign, hiring assistant coaches Ronald Hughey and Courtney Locke. Locke, who joined the staff on May ??, 2008, is a 2006 graduate of Rutgers who brings to UCF her recent experience as a player for one of the most established successful coaches in women's basketball in C. Vivian Stringer.
Before accepting the job at UCF, Locke worked for the past two seasons as an assistant coach at UT San Antonio. A four-year player for Rutgers, Locke's Scarlet Knight teams went a combined 97-32 during her career. The San Marcos, Texas, native played 126 games at Rutgers, starting 26.
Q: What most attracted you to the opportunity at UCF?
A: "Coach Williams and the success that she has had as an assistant coach and how well she has done at Murray State I just think that she is a winner. She knows how to get it done and I believe in her system and philosophies. Of course the campus is also beautiful and it is going to be easy to get recruits and sell that aspect of it."
Q: How does your recent experience as a player at such a high level help you to be a better coach?
A: "It is great because the players can come to me and ask me questions because I have been in their shoes so recently. They like to compare things and see how hard it was for me. I do not have any sympathy for them because I went through it myself, but at the same time I can relate to them and let them know that we are there for them."
Q: Does playing for a well-known program such as Rutgers give you immediate respect with the players?
A: "I think so. I think playing for Coach Stringer and her being a Hall of Fame coach gives me respect. The things that we did as a team there gives them respect for me. At the same time they want to challenge me and see what I have on the court. Hopefully I will get a chance to see what I have. They are great young ladies and no matter if I played at Rutgers or any other school I think they would respect me."
Q: What did you learn from Coach Stringer that helps you become a better coach?
A: "Her mind is unbelievable. She really made us think the game, and we did not just go out there and run through plays. We had to think the plays, we had to know the plays and we had to know what other teams were doing as well. She ultimately turned us into coaches even if we didn't want to be. The biggest thing is that it is bigger than basketball. We are trying to teach these young ladies to be functioning young women in society. We are going to really be there for them and care for them so 10 years down the road they can call us and say look what I have done."
Q: What would you say your coaching philosophy is?
A: "From Coach Stringer and Coach Williams it would definitely be defense. Defense wins games and through defense you are going to make things happen. You are not going to let the other team dictate anything. After that, I still have a lot to learn."
Q: What have you learned about Coach Williams and the staff since starting your job?
A: "We are a team and I think that is the biggest thing. We expect our team to be there for each other and we set that example. Working with [Coach Brown] on the X's and O's and the things that he has accomplished and learned through his coaching has been great. Coach Hughey is so energetic and is a workaholic. He has me in here at nine and 10 o'clock at night sometimes and I do not know what to do. I think we work together and care for each other. We believe in what we are doing here."
Q: What are you most excited about this upcoming season?
A: "Winning. We are going to win and we are going to do some big things. Just to see the players grow. They have grown so much since last year already, but we have a chip on our shoulders and we are going to do some things."
The first game for UCF is less than one month away when the Knights travel to Boulder, Colo., for a meeting with Colorado on Nov. 16.
Fans will get their first look at UCF on Nov. 8 when the Knights host DT3 in an exhibition game at the new UCF Arena. The regular season home opener will take place on Friday, Nov. 21, when Florida A&M visits for a 7 p.m. contest. The following day, Florida Atlantic visits for a 5 p.m. tip-off.
Season tickets for the UCF women's basketball program are currently on sale through the UCF ticket sales office. For more information about the arena's premium seating options, including club seats, group discounts, courtside tables and suites, contact the UCF ticket sales office at (407) UCF-1000 or visit the women's basketball ticket page at UCFAthletics.cstv.com/tickets/w-baskbl-tickets.html.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.