Oct. 31, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF women's basketball team is working furiously to get set for the 2008-09 season. As the season opener at Colorado approaches on Nov. 16, each of the 14 players on the Knights' roster this season will be introduced to the fans each weekday on UCFAthletics.com. The series will run from Oct. 22 until Nov. 7.
UCF sophomore Amber Kirkpatrick has been watching her team play for a long time, and she is counting down the days until she can finally contribute. After transferring from Eastern Kentucky after the first semester of last year, Kirkpatrick sat out and will not be eligible to play this season until Dec. 18 when the Knights host Miami.
"I am very excited," said Kirkpatrick. "I can't stand sitting on the bench, it is one of my biggest pet peeves. "I have been sitting out since the summer of 2007, and it is really hard especially if you are watching your team lose during a game. I just wanted to go in there and help them but I could not."
As a freshman at EKU, Kirkpatrick did not have to do much watching, starting 29 of the team's 30 games. The 6-2 post player averaged 8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and also blocked 27 shots.
Kirkpatrick says she has seen a change in the team since coming to campus last year.
"We have improved a lot at being competitive and talking on the court," she said. "We were not competing against each other on the court, but now we are really getting after it."
The Lawrenceville, Ga., native is a versatile who can play both inside and outside, and she thinks that will fit in well with the rest of the team's frontline.
"Emma [Cannon] and Marcquitta [Head] are the big posts, and I am more of a guard in a post player's body," Kirkpatrick said. "It will be interesting. It helps me a lot to be versatile. I can pull a bigger post out on the floor and either shoot a jumper or take them to the hole."
While Kirkpatrick will be forced to wait until December to make her UCF debut, the Knights open the season at Colorado on Nov. 16. The home opener on Friday, Nov. 21, hosting Florida A&M at 7 p.m. at UCF Arena.
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 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 UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Knight Life with Amber Kirkpatrick
- The best thing about being a Knight are...my teammates
- I am most looking forward to...playing in December
- The best word to describe Coach Williams is...determined
- My favorite sport to play besides basketball is...volleyball
- My favorite TV show is...Grey's Anatomy
- My favorite movie is...Love and Basketball
- The advice I would give to a youngster is...put your heart into everything you do
- My dream car is...Black F-350 truck
- My favorite thing to do during free time is...sleep
- The person I most admire is...my mother because she is the best mom ever
- My favorite midnight snack is...peanut butter and jelly is milk
- My favorite cartoon character are...The Jetsons
- My ideal vacation is...Paris during fashion week
- If I could trade places with anyone for a day, it would be...the coaches
- The one superhero ability that I would like to have is...invincibility