On how the start of practice differs from the summer

We're very different than most other sports. We can really go year-round with limited time in the summer. All of our student-athletes come back in the summer. Some of that time is spent with us and some of that time is spent with our strength coach working on getting stronger, getting faster getting in elite-level conditioning. Then, I believe it's 40 days out, they may have changed that now, from our first game we're allowed to have 30 practices. That's the NCAA rule. We kind of count back and figure out with some days off in there what our official start date of practice will be. That's this week. We've been working with them in limited hours. We have had the opportunity to get to know our new kids and have the opportunity to work with our experienced kids so it's a smooth transition into a 20-hour-per-week practice.

On early impressions of the team and how similar vs. different the team is from last year

We definitely have that vibe. Obviously, we are a different team with Naz, and Danielle and Amy graduating as well, they've all left a major impact on our program. It's so great to have Emily Kizer back for her fifth year. I think that really gives us a tremendous amount of experience as well as leadership. She has done a phenomenal job in the first couple of days of practice really setting an example by her play but also using her voice with the younger kids. Maddie Nolan is also someone who has a strong presence about her and really is a vocal leader. She has really stepped up and taken the younger players under her wing. Leigha Brown, obviously, such a tremendous player for us and a dynamic presence and brings tremendous energy. She's also kind of led the way. Michell Sidor is in that class as well and she's given us a spark and she's come into the season with a great attitude and been really vocal, trying to take those reigns with the loss of Danielle Rauch who had given us that presence in the past. I think our upperclassmen have done a tremendous job of showing the way. I also think the culture of our program now in my 11th season but for a lot of these upperclassmen, their fifth and fourth year in the program. They kind of understand the expectations and they don't want a drop off from year to year. We know our team will be drastically different. We know that to the outside world we're not in the preseason rankings, we haven't been a team to watch. They kind of have a little bit of a chip on their shoulder and something to prove, for sure.

On where Leigha Brown can elevate her game

Leigha has been just a surprise from day one when she gave me that call and wanted to come to the University of Michigan. Like I said, she's such an incredible player. Such a dynamic player. When that season ended two years ago, she came in immediately the next day and say, hey, I want to come back, is that OK? I said yeah, that'll be just great. She has given so much to this program and means so much to this program. She definitely can continue to improve and grow. We always talk about player development and what that looks and what, specifically, looks like for her. We think she's a first-round WNBA draft pick. What does she have to do to continue on that path? Well, one, she's an unbelievable scorer but you have to be able to play both sides of the ball. Her on the defensive end where she anticipates so well. She could probably lead the league in steals. She's got to get her rebounding numbers up, we challenge her to do that all the time. Become a better rebounder on both sides of the ball because she's an incredible leaper and has such a special motor that she can really be relentless in that area as well. Just continue to get and stay healthy. I think that's one of the biggest things with Leigha. She has battled through adversity the last couple of seasons and hadn't been healthy, really, most of last year. That showed in our Elite Eight game where playing in those back-to-back games in the NCAA Tournament really bothered her. Hopefully, she can continue to stay healthy and she has worked a tremendous amount on that in the offseason with our athletic trainer as well as our strength coach, getting strong. Getting fit and trying to get in unbelievable shape.

On Laila Phelia

Laila Phelia is a phenomenal player and she had an outstanding freshman year on an experienced team that finished as one of the top teams in the country. That's pretty tough to do as a freshman. She was able to do it and I think our upperclassmen really took her under their wing. Now, she has grown in her leadership role and the impact she's making with the new players in our program. I think a lot for her is also confidence. She's worked extremely, extremely, hard in the offseason and I think she can be one of the best guards in the country as well. She can get to the basket against anyone. She's really worked on her three consistently, which I think is definitely a weapon. Sometimes she hesitated last year, I think she's going to be more comfortable this year. Her pull-up game is unbelievable. She has also made it her mission to be one of the best defenders in the country. I think she has the ability to do that and be a real two-way player, probably one of the best out there. She's in phenomenal shape, she's worked incredibly hard in the weight room just to stay injury-free, to take those next steps in her development. I'm expecting her to really have a tremendous season this year as well.

On Cam Williams

Cameron is so interesting because she is probably one of our only five-star players but she was coming off extended injuries her senior and junior year of high school, so she really didn't play those summers and her senior season. Her freshman season was a complete transition. Her sophomore year, one of the reasons she came to Michigan was to learn from Naz and to have a chance and an opportunity to compete with her every day. There were games last year where we don't win the games and we're not the successful team that we are if Cam is not on the floor. I thought she gave some tremendous minutes last year and really provided an impact. This season, we are really going to look to her. We lost a lot of scoring down low. We lost a lot of rebounding down low and we lost a real strong defensive presence. So Cameron is someone that we're certainly looking to fill that role. As is Elizabeth Varejao, she is another player that had played siginficant minutes her freshman year and then, through COVID, got stuck at home in Brazil for her sophomore season. Last year, it was a transition for her getting back into things. Those are two players that we're going to need to take the next steps. A need to make an impact and I think they're two players that are capable of doing that, for sure. We do have some young ones that come in like Chyra (Evans) who is a freshman for us from Australia. Who is an extremely talented kid but is adjusting to the speed and the strength of the Power Five. As well as Alyssa Crockett, who was a really high-level recruit coming in and is adjusting as well. Those are two young kids that could definitely see some minutes. A bright spot early, in the preseason and the first couple of days of practice is Jordan Hobbs. I would be remiss to mention her name because she has worked incredibly hard in the offseason as well. She is a 6'2 wing, tremendous length and really has a great ability to score the basketball. She's been doing a nice job for us early on.

On Greta Kampschroeder

Greta Kampschroeder is an incredible basketball player. One that had been coming to camp here since he's been in 8th grade. One that I've had the opportunity to watch on the AAU circuit since 8th grade. She had a tremendous high school career as well as an AAU career and was recognized as a McDonald's All-American. When Greta called and wanted to come closer to home and she had an opportunity to watch our team play, she played against us last year. She really liked the intensity and the fire in which our team played and the toughness in which our team had. From an academic perspective, she's an incredible student and I thought Michigan checked all the boxes for her. A place where she could have real success. With the loss of Danielle Rouch at the point guard position, we were looking for somebody to fill that role, too, and Greta didn't play that role at Oregon State but I had watched her play that on and off through her career. I think one of her strengths is her ability to play multiple positions. She's probably one of the hardest workers I've ever been around. Lives in the gym. Really buys into the culture of Michigan women's basketball and fits that mold perfectly. She's a kid that can do a little bit of everything. In the first few days of practice, has really shown the ability to pass the basketball. Has shown the ability to score the basketball. She can shoot it exceptionally well and really has a toughness and an edge about her. I think she's transitioning to the Michigan way, as we call it. The intensity of our program. She's embracing it. She wants it and she wants to be coached. She wants to be great and she's just been a phenomenal addition to our program.

On the acclimation process for the younger players

I think the success of the program, obviously, allows you to get in with some real high-level recruits and have the ability to get some of those high-level recruits. We've been fortunate to have that happen to us recently. For sure, these three players are definitely high-level athletes, skilled players and players that, I think, will have an unbelievable career at the University of Michigan. I think the transition—it's different. We have a successful program and a program that works incredibly hard and has incredible pace and is strong and is fast. For these three young women, it's been a little bit of a transition but they're doing a great job. I think one of the best things about our program is the upperclassmen embrace the young kids. Last week I had a meeting with Kate Clarke, one of our freshman, and she was sitting in that seat right there and said, coach, I just want to let you know one of the best things about this program is the people. The players have really welcomed me and made me feel comfortable. My first month being away from my family and being away from home has been easy because of my teammates. That just warmed my heart because that speaks volumes. It's such a transition going to college. For anyone. For an athlete, for a non-athlete, being away from your family. I know, personally, as a parent, how challenging it can be. For her to say that about her teammates was really special. I think they've transitioned well. They're going to be great. They're in here working hard and they're learning everything there is to know about Michigan. They have tremendous teammates that have embraced them and welcomed them. Have poured into them as Laila says. One of them that I forgot to mention through this talk that really came in this year and has been a spark is Elise Stuck. She has just brought in a tremendous amount of energy every day. I can totally see the change from when she was a young freshman to now she's a junior. The confidence she walks through the door. She has a tremendous amount of confidence and a tremendous amount of energy that she brings to our team every day. I love seeing that as a coach, the development on and off the court of each and every player.

On her impressions of the schedule

I think some of our players have played Louisville more then they've played Purdue. That's a fact. It's a fact, it's not a lie. Someone told me this long ago. When you come to the University of Michigan as a player or as a coach, when you're part of a program at the University of Michigan, it doesn't matter if your program had been successful, has rich traiditon, they see that Block M and that brand and they want you to play against the top competition. That has happened to us year in and year out. It's funny. We don't get recognized in the preseason as one of the top teams in the country yet everybody puts us against the top opponents. Even our Big Ten schedule, you go through our double opponents and we are matched up against the top of the league when we're not one of the five teams that are in the preseason poll. It's quite interesting. I think that excellence is associated with that Michigan brand. It's an honor, really, to be associated with a brand that everybody puts against the best. Hence the reason we've matched up against Louisville and Baylor so many years in a row, I suppose. Our schedule this year is another bear. It's going to be interesting with our new group and our young team how we adjust to it. I think that's another reason you come to this program as another opportunity to challenge yourself against the best. I'm excited about it. We're going to be a different team. We're going to be a younger team in a lot of ways, we lost a lot of experience in the three seniors that graduated. But it's a fun time and I think those younger kids have a chip on their shoulders and have something to prove. I'm excited to go to practice with them every day.