Oct. 21, 2009
By Andrew Gavin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The outside expectations have been raised for the UCF women's basketball team entering the 2009-10 season. The increased expectations may be even higher for junior Emma Cannon (Rochester, N.Y.), who as the 2009-10 Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year will play this season with a target firmly planted on her #24 jersey.
Cannon, a player always quick to deflect the attention and recognition to her teammates, smiles and quickly brushes away all thoughts of extra pressure on her shoulders. Wearing her typical smile, Cannon instead uses words like humbled and responsibility.
"I was excited," said Cannon of getting the award. "There are a lot of great players in our conference, and for me to be named that is crazy. I am very humbled and honored to get selected, but it comes with a lot of responsibility so I will take that on and be ready."
While modest, the 6-foot-2 forward who has scored nearly 900 points in just two collegiate seasons knows that she is deserving and knows what is expected of her, but instead of focusing on defending her individual accolades, she talks of accomplishing team goals.
"There is no pressure," said Cannon. "I am just going to continue to do the little things and help this team work hard and success will pay off for us in the end. Everyone wants to work hard, everyone is hungry, and everyone wants to get back to where we left off a year ago."
While the team left off after a thrilling run to the C-USA Tournament title and a close NCAA Tournament loss, Cannon left off as the C-USA Tournament MVP, the nation's fifth leading rebounder and an 18-point, 13-rebound performance against UNC.
Cannon had an efficient freshman campaign in 2007-08, but took her game to another level as a sophomore. The New Yorker with a self-diagnosed addiction to shoes averaged 15.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in leading UCF to 17 wins. To make similar strides as a junior, Cannon knew she had to add elements to her game.
"I played a lot in the last couple of years with my back to the basket, so I am working on being able to face the basket. Hopefully that will make me more difficult to guard and double team and take the pressure off a little bit. I also worked really hard to add strength," said a noticeably stronger Cannon.
In her two years in a UCF uniform, Cannon has 878 points and 654 career rebounds, leaving her just 122 points shy of becoming the 11th member of the UCF 1,000-point club and in third-place all-time in rebounds. Including a league-high 21 last season, Cannon now has 33 career double-doubles.
Cannon says one of the best parts about playing at UCF is "laying a foundation and having the chance to make history at UCF." She is speaking of team success and history, but through two seasons the talented junior is in the process of making history of her own.