Five newcomers joined five returnees for the opening day
The 33rd edition of Tennessee Lady Vol basketball with head coach Pat Summitt at the helm took to the court tonight at Stokely Athletics Center, under the watchful eye of a contingent of fans, for its first official practice of the 2006-07 season.
Five newcomers joined five returnees for the opening day. Senior Sidney Spencer, a 6'3" forward from Hoover, Ala., was excused from practice to attend the wedding of former Lady Vol teammate Shanna Zolman, who is getting married on Saturday in Indiana. Spencer is in the wedding party.
The practice was punctuated with precision as 6'4" sophomore All-American Candace Parker returned to the court with her teammates for the first time since returning from duty with the USA team at the World Championships in Brazil.
High-energy was definitely the theme for the night as newcomers Cait McMahan, Nicci Moats, Shannon Bobbitt, Alberta Auguste and Elizabeth Curry provided the first-timers zeal on every drill.
The enthusiastic start was not lost on the head coach. "I really like the look of this group," commented Summitt. "The first thing I noticed was their fitness level. They were very crisp in every drill.
"We're mobile and quick. I think they have a good understanding of how to dial-up their intensity level. Even without Sidney's presence tonight - I thought we looked pretty good."
To one rookie, it was as if she had been waiting forever. "What an overwhelming feeling," said McMahan, a 5'4" point guard. "It's all I've thought about - getting to play in this practice tonight. After missing out my senior year in high school to an ACL injury, it's great to be back on the court.
"This is the best ever!"
Fellow point guard and newcomer Bobbitt, a 5'2" native of Manhattan, N.Y., commented "I loved the energy and intensity of this team." A junior college transfer, Bobbitt said the transition involved learning "a lot more plays and different defensive looks."
The Lady Vols will return to the practice court on Sat., Oct. 14 at 2:00 p.m. in Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee's first exhibition game is slated for Nov. 1.
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