St. John's University Athletics
QUOTES: 2019-20 WBB Media Day
St. John’s Women’s Basketball Hosts Annual Media Day
St. John’s Head Coach Joe Tartamella
Opening remarks…
“We’ve got a very spirited group, very competitive practices, and we're working really hard to activate all of our new faces as much as we can, internallya. We’ve got seven newcomers within the program and we are overall very excited about our group this year.”
On depth…
“I'm really proud of last year’s group, but moving forward, it will be great to be able to go to our bench now, to just rest our starters and to give us an infusion of energy. I think we've got some really good young players that are going to be able to do that for us with their size and strength.”
On the Nolan Twins…
“I have two pairs of sisters at the same position so it’s interesting to have that dynamic on our team. I think, overall, we’re different. Emma (Nolan) is more of an inside out player and Sophia (Nolan) worked on the outside but has the ability to play in. They obviously provide accolades from high school, both can shoot it really well, both are extremely tough and so we've enjoyed watching that and are excited about what they can do.”
On Tiana England’s nomination to Nancy Liebermann Preseason Watch List…
“As a coach, to see any of your players recognized or on a list of that stature, makes me very proud. When you look at the last St. John’s player to be named to this list, she was a pro (Nadirah McKenith). England is one of the two BIG EAST players to be named to this list. I think it just shows how far she’s come. She's got a brilliant mentality for the game and we’re really excited for her. Her pace is really important to us and how we play.”
On Raven Farley…
“She fills a gap for us on the inside. She’s a true post player. Someone who has great hands and great feet. She was certainly a high-profiled player out of high school, but we have to wait until December to get her. She gives us some serious strength inside and as a rim protector. She is somebody who can score with her back to the basket and also has three-point touch from the outside. She has had an impressive touch. I think it will certainly help getting into league play.”
On this team as a whole…
“We certainly feel good about where this team is, we also know there are things we have to get better at. Our approach this summer and our approach headed into the season is all business for everybody.”
On improving from last season…
“Certainly we are determined especially after the way we finished last year. We fought really hard but we just couldn’t push through. I think those that are here, and those that have joined us, understand where we want to go.”
St. John’s guard Tiana England
On being named to the Nancy Lieberman Preseason Watch List…
“It was definitely a surprise but it was also an honor to be on a list with the highest names in college basketball. It’s great recognition, not just for myself, but for the program. After all the hard work I’ve put in through the years, coming in as a redshirt freshman to step up and be looked to as a leader, it is great to find myself on that list. There is still definitely a lot more work to put in.”
On mindset after missing the 2019 postseason…
“For the returners, it was cruel for us. Sitting at home, watching people we know from the BIG EAST and other conferences playing games, it was definitely tough for us, but we have instilled in the new girls that we don’t want the same outcome this year. We’re all coming back determined to get back to what we know.”
On being pick no. 2 in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll…
“It doesn’t really change our mindset. I love that we are getting the recognition I believe we deserve because we have been working really hard in the preseason. We just have to be level-headed. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We’ve had potential from the beginning of last year. There were games we didn’t finish. It was there, we just couldn’t finish and I think the other team’s coaches realized that [we] will be a good team [this] year.”
St. John’s guard Qadashah Hoppie
On the upcoming season…
“We have a lot of upperclassmen returning that have experience as far as playing in those big games. We have to come out strong. Even though we didn’t come out the way we wanted to last year, we saw spurts of ourselves last season that proved we had the potential to be a great team.”
On personal improvements…
“My thing that I worked on this summer was my finishing ability. I always want to finish through. I am just trying to get the team involved more and get everyone up to pace but definitely, my efficiency should be better.”
On the return of UConn…
“They’re a great program and it’s always great to play them more times in the year, but I am focusing on this year more than anything. When I think about next year, when it comes, it comes and we’ll be ready regardless of who lines up in front of us. We have to show up and play our best game.”
St. John’s forward Sophia Nolan
On playing with her sister, Emma Nolan…
“We’ve shared everything our entire live so I don’t really mind sharing accolades with her. We both contributed a lot to our high school team. We earned these accolades together. We always put in the same amount of effort.”
St. John’s guard Alissa Alston
On returning to the court…
“I am very excited. This is a great program, Coach [Joe] Tartamella is a great coach. A lot of my teammates are like my sisters and I’m excited to get on the floor with them.”
St. John’s guard Unique Drake
On adjustment to collegiate competition…
“Defensively, it’s a big difference because in high school you don’t have to go on the upside so that was a big step coming in for me. It seems like a lot but we play fast, it’s an up and down team. We don’t stop plays, we just go up and down [the court]. Easy transition.”
St. John’s forward Cecilia Holmberg
On differences between international and U.S. Basketball…
“It’s been a huge difference for me. I’ve been playing local and on the national team in Sweden and there is a difference in the intensity of the game. It’s been a huge transition for me but I am lucky that I have great coaches and great teammates that helped me with that and have made it a lot easier.”
St. John’s guard Shamachya Duncan
On mentorship…
“I am entering my fourth year with the program and I understand what Coach [Joe Tartamella] needs and wants from the team. I am just helping and guiding the freshmen and sophomores to get to where we need to be.”
Opening remarks…
“We’ve got a very spirited group, very competitive practices, and we're working really hard to activate all of our new faces as much as we can, internallya. We’ve got seven newcomers within the program and we are overall very excited about our group this year.”
On depth…
“I'm really proud of last year’s group, but moving forward, it will be great to be able to go to our bench now, to just rest our starters and to give us an infusion of energy. I think we've got some really good young players that are going to be able to do that for us with their size and strength.”
On the Nolan Twins…
“I have two pairs of sisters at the same position so it’s interesting to have that dynamic on our team. I think, overall, we’re different. Emma (Nolan) is more of an inside out player and Sophia (Nolan) worked on the outside but has the ability to play in. They obviously provide accolades from high school, both can shoot it really well, both are extremely tough and so we've enjoyed watching that and are excited about what they can do.”
On Tiana England’s nomination to Nancy Liebermann Preseason Watch List…
“As a coach, to see any of your players recognized or on a list of that stature, makes me very proud. When you look at the last St. John’s player to be named to this list, she was a pro (Nadirah McKenith). England is one of the two BIG EAST players to be named to this list. I think it just shows how far she’s come. She's got a brilliant mentality for the game and we’re really excited for her. Her pace is really important to us and how we play.”
On Raven Farley…
“She fills a gap for us on the inside. She’s a true post player. Someone who has great hands and great feet. She was certainly a high-profiled player out of high school, but we have to wait until December to get her. She gives us some serious strength inside and as a rim protector. She is somebody who can score with her back to the basket and also has three-point touch from the outside. She has had an impressive touch. I think it will certainly help getting into league play.”
On this team as a whole…
“We certainly feel good about where this team is, we also know there are things we have to get better at. Our approach this summer and our approach headed into the season is all business for everybody.”
On improving from last season…
“Certainly we are determined especially after the way we finished last year. We fought really hard but we just couldn’t push through. I think those that are here, and those that have joined us, understand where we want to go.”
St. John’s guard Tiana England
On being named to the Nancy Lieberman Preseason Watch List…
“It was definitely a surprise but it was also an honor to be on a list with the highest names in college basketball. It’s great recognition, not just for myself, but for the program. After all the hard work I’ve put in through the years, coming in as a redshirt freshman to step up and be looked to as a leader, it is great to find myself on that list. There is still definitely a lot more work to put in.”
On mindset after missing the 2019 postseason…
“For the returners, it was cruel for us. Sitting at home, watching people we know from the BIG EAST and other conferences playing games, it was definitely tough for us, but we have instilled in the new girls that we don’t want the same outcome this year. We’re all coming back determined to get back to what we know.”
On being pick no. 2 in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll…
“It doesn’t really change our mindset. I love that we are getting the recognition I believe we deserve because we have been working really hard in the preseason. We just have to be level-headed. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We’ve had potential from the beginning of last year. There were games we didn’t finish. It was there, we just couldn’t finish and I think the other team’s coaches realized that [we] will be a good team [this] year.”
St. John’s guard Qadashah Hoppie
On the upcoming season…
“We have a lot of upperclassmen returning that have experience as far as playing in those big games. We have to come out strong. Even though we didn’t come out the way we wanted to last year, we saw spurts of ourselves last season that proved we had the potential to be a great team.”
On personal improvements…
“My thing that I worked on this summer was my finishing ability. I always want to finish through. I am just trying to get the team involved more and get everyone up to pace but definitely, my efficiency should be better.”
On the return of UConn…
“They’re a great program and it’s always great to play them more times in the year, but I am focusing on this year more than anything. When I think about next year, when it comes, it comes and we’ll be ready regardless of who lines up in front of us. We have to show up and play our best game.”
St. John’s forward Sophia Nolan
On playing with her sister, Emma Nolan…
“We’ve shared everything our entire live so I don’t really mind sharing accolades with her. We both contributed a lot to our high school team. We earned these accolades together. We always put in the same amount of effort.”
St. John’s guard Alissa Alston
On returning to the court…
“I am very excited. This is a great program, Coach [Joe] Tartamella is a great coach. A lot of my teammates are like my sisters and I’m excited to get on the floor with them.”
St. John’s guard Unique Drake
On adjustment to collegiate competition…
“Defensively, it’s a big difference because in high school you don’t have to go on the upside so that was a big step coming in for me. It seems like a lot but we play fast, it’s an up and down team. We don’t stop plays, we just go up and down [the court]. Easy transition.”
St. John’s forward Cecilia Holmberg
On differences between international and U.S. Basketball…
“It’s been a huge difference for me. I’ve been playing local and on the national team in Sweden and there is a difference in the intensity of the game. It’s been a huge transition for me but I am lucky that I have great coaches and great teammates that helped me with that and have made it a lot easier.”
St. John’s guard Shamachya Duncan
On mentorship…
“I am entering my fourth year with the program and I understand what Coach [Joe Tartamella] needs and wants from the team. I am just helping and guiding the freshmen and sophomores to get to where we need to be.”