March 30, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - After winning the Conference USA title and making its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1999, the UCF women's basketball team deserved some time off. However, the team understands the hard work and preparation it took to win 15 of its last 21 games, so after a week away, the players were back on the court Monday afternoon to begin individual workouts.
"We are preparing now for next season," said sophomore point guard Angelica Mealing (Decatur, Ga.), who averaged 7.6 points and 3.3 assists per game in 2008-09. "This season was great and it was fun to live in that moment, but we have to move past it and start to turn our weaknesses into strengths. We have to continue to get better as individuals and as a team."
Sophomore Emma Cannon (Rochester, N.Y.) will look to build on an impressive sophomore campaign which saw her named first-team All-Conference USA and C-USA Tournament MVP. The 6-foot-2 Cannon averaged 15.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, recording 21 double-doubles and scoring in double figures in 30 of the team's 34 games.
While Cannon showed as a sophomore she can play with anyone in the country, averaging 16.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in four games against teams from the ACC, she states it is important to improve in the offseason and not get complacent or satisfied.
"It is important for us as a team to build on the success we had in the second half of the season and continue to try to improve everyday," said Cannon. "Personally, I feel there are a lot of areas of my game where I need to get better, and if each of us individually works hard to improve our games we will come back next season as a stronger team."
In 2008-09, UCF finished the season at 17-17 overall and 11-5 in C-USA play. The Knights finished in a four-way tie for second and claimed the championship at the C-USA Tournament, becoming just the second team in the league's history to win four games in dour days.
One of the youngest teams in the country, UCF had an active roster entirely made up of freshmen and sophomores. Earning a 14-seed in the Oklahoma City Region of the NCAA Tournament, the young Knights faced third-seeded UNC in the first round on March 21. The Knights got 22 points from sophomore Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) and 18 points and 14 rebounds from Cannon, but fell just short in an 85-80 loss to the Tar Heels.
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.