Countdown to the Season Series: As the Longhorns coaching staff and players gear up for the official start of the 2005-06 season, TexasSports.com will go behind the scenes and help you get acquainted with the players and coaches and give you a look at what's going on as the team prepares for another year of challenging for championships.
On what the team expects from her this season...
TJ: "I think what the team is looking for from me, now more than ever, is leadership. I have to step up a lot, keep talking and keep people encouraged. I need to keep my teammates energetic and keep them going."
On whether leadership comes naturally for her...
TJ: "I think so. I spoke up my first two years here, but I kind of shied away from it on a constant level because we had so many junior and seniors. Now, it's just my turn to be me, to be who I've always been. I've always considered myself a leader and had to play a leadership role on my team in high school. When I got here, it was quite different with two seniors here during my freshman year and then six seniors here for my sophomore year."
On whether it was difficult to relinquish the leadership role she had in high school when she first came to Texas...
TJ: "Oh, no. I don't think it was a hard adjustment at all, because the game was just so different for me as I moved from high school to college. I was really just learning my first two years. I got to learn from some pretty great players like Stacy (Stephens), Mercedes (Williams) and Annissa (Hastings) in the post. Now, I feel it's easy for me to lead. They made it much easier for me now to be a leader."
On what else she learned from other Texas post players during her first two Longhorn seasons ...
TJ: "I learned a lot from them, a lot. They taught me the most, since they played my position. Going up against Stacy and Annissa every day, I learned a lot of moves in the post, especially defensively, and they also helped me a lot off the court."
On last season's disappointing finish when the Longhorns (22-9) made a second-round exit in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, losing by two points, 71-69, to Georgia...
TJ: "Last year, we set a lot of expectations for ourselves. There were a lot of goals that we didn't meet that we wanted to meet last year. We didn't like the way the season ended at all. It was kind of disappointing, but I think this year, with the new group of players, we have a different attitude and a different energy. They're really excited and want to get going. They were not here last year, so they only know about the new season. We just move on from here."
On the importance of starting school during the summer before her freshman season...
TJ: "Without that, I would have been thrown into the deep end of the pool. I think coming to summer school and taking two or three classes in each session really helped me out. I wasn't overwhelmed by starting out in September and having to take five UT classes at once. I know coming to summer school this summer really helped our freshmen adjust to UT."
On the major difference between handling academics in high school and in college...
TJ: "The biggest thing is simply time management. In high school, I could get my homework done in 10 minutes and study 15 minutes before class and I was fine. After coming here, I had to set aside time every day to get everything done. You've got to be prepared every day for practice and every day you walk into class. It was a pretty big adjustment for me, and I think, for everyone who comes to college."
On what Coach Conradt has meant to her...
TJ: "Coach Conradt has meant a lot to me and continues to have a big impact on me. She's a legend and a pioneer of the game. I feel I've learned a lot from her. Our relationship has gotten stronger since I've been here, and it continues to grow. I knew she was a teacher of the game before I got here, but I didn't know how intense she was and how competitive a person she is in everything she does. That's how I play; I play intense, competitive basketball. I want my coaches to be intense and into the game as well - and they are."
On the team's chemistry ...
TJ: "Our relationships start off the court. We then carry that chemistry and those emotions onto the court. Off the court is where we build our chemistry. For instance, it happens in little ways. There are times when we're studying where I'm helping a freshman with a paper, or when Nina (Norman) is helping me with my communications (course) work. It just goes back and forth. We go to each other's houses to eat, watch movies and relax. I think we bring that togetherness to the court. If we continue to do that, it will be the first step in us being successful."
On her expectations of the 2005-06 team ...
TJ: "I expect a lot out of this team. We're really very athletic, probably the most athletic that we've been since I've been here. I expect us to be playing a fast-paced game, something that the fans will like. It'll be something we'll enjoy, as well. As far as goal-setting, we want to compete for the championships in front of us - the Big 12 championships and of course, the national championship. Again, our chemistry is good, and the talent is there. We are excited to get going!"
