Marshall UniversityƵs Jayda Allie drives around a defender during a drill at the Thundering Herd womenƵs Ƶs basketball practice July 3, 2024, at Cam Henderson Center in Huntington.
Marshall UniversityƵs Jayda Allie drives around a defender during a drill at the Thundering Herd womenƵs Ƶs basketball practice July 3, 2024, at Cam Henderson Center in Huntington.
HUNTINGTON Ƶ Juli Fulks and her staff must teach players a new system, but wonƵt have to worry about instilling competitive fire.
Fulks, Marshall UniversityƵs first-year womenƵs basketball coach, said she likes what she sees in practice from the remaining players off the 2023-2024 Sun Belt Conference champions. Summer workouts have been met with enthusiasm from players and coaches.
ƵWeƵre excited,Ƶ Fulks said. ƵWeƵve been having an ongoing three-on-three tournament. Each day we change the teams and thereƵs a collective individual score. What weƵre trying to figure out is, no matter who you play with, you always win or maybe you always lose.Ƶ
No one likes losing one on one, three on three or as a team. Fulks said such an attitude is a piece of a winning puzzle.
ƵItƵs fun to see the natural competitors,Ƶ Fulks said. ƵThe other piece of that in practice is, every game is a puzzle. You need certain things to win on both ends of the floor. WeƵre figuring out how to take the best of each player and put it together in a collective unit can score or get a defensive stop. ThatƵs the part I really enjoy, the whole chess match of how can we take this group and put them together in a system where they can score and defend better than the other team?Ƶ
The Thundering Herd lost to graduation Sun Belt player of the year Abby Beeman, No. 2 scorer Breanna Campbell and solid reserve Tamia Lawhorne. Mahogany Matthews, Sydney Scott and Terah Harness transferred. Considerable talent, though, is back, led by Aislynn Hayes and her 14.5 points per game. Fellow starters Meredith Maier and C.C. Mays join Hayes to form a sound base.
Alasia Hayes, Peyton Ilderton, Olivia Ziolkowski, Ƶhley Tuidor, Aarionna Redman and Jayda Allie all are back, along with Timberlynn Yeast, who sat out last season with a knee injury. Add newcomers Sophi Aldridge, Kassie Ingram, Maddie Kellione, Blessing King, Adiana Pacheco and TreShondra Williams and Fulks has a passel of puzzle pieces with which to work.
Fulks came to Marshall from Transylvania University April 12, replacing Kim Caldwell, who left for the University of Tennessee after one season. The former NCAA Division III national champion said she and her assistants have worked diligently to find out what they have in the locker room and on the court.
ƵWeƵre really starting to learn what are the strengths of the players and are starting to think about how we can put it together,Ƶ Fulks said. ƵDepending on how they play and who we play that night, it might be a slightly different rotation. Getting them to really embrace knowing what theyƵre great at, then asking what are the pieces weƵre trying to get better at.Ƶ
So far, Fulks said she likes her teamƵs effort and talent.
ƵI feel really good,Ƶ Fulks said. ƵWhen I look at things, I can see different pieces and different abilities. ThatƵs the fun part, figuring out who can do different things and how that might work.Ƶ
Maier gave Fulks a big Ƶright back at you.Ƶ The junior from Fairmont, West Virginia, entered the transfer portal after Caldwell left, but opted to stay.
ƵThis is where I wanted to be,Ƶ Maier said. ƵIƵm glad I stayed.Ƶ
Tim Stephens is a sports writer with The Herald-Dispatch.
