No player has emerged as much on the women's basketball team this season as Michele VanGorp. The 6-foot-6 post player has improved her scoring from just over 10 points from last year to over 17 now. An offense that took Duke to the Final Eight last year has been retooled to take advantage of VanGorp's strong play inside. VanGorp and coach Gail Goestenkors took a few minutes this past week to talk about the Michigan native's improved play, her thoughts about the future and life on campus as a women's basketball star. Interviews conducted by Joel Israel.
c How difficult is it to stay on top of academics when you're so focused on the rest of the basketball season?
I'm a fifth-year senior so I've been through this way too long. I'm so ready to be done, not to have to bring homework home, stay up studying for tests. I'd rather be able to focus on basketball, but I know what I have to get done and that's obviously why I'm here.
c Sunday's game against UNC was a great example of how much you've remained focused in games this season. What has been the difference?
Last year I'd be more concerned about how I was doing instead of how the team was doing. I was worried about how I wasn't contributing to the team instead of how we were doing overall.
It's not really anything you can pinpoint. It's probably just a matter of focus and intentions. I think we're intent on having more balance this year, so going inside and outside is going to keep teams from focusing on one area. It's just another weapon in our arsenal.
c Talk about the difference Payton Black has made being a solid contributor off the bench.
Payton's definitely been a great contributor. She's been pivotal most of this year and played such an important part in the rotation. Having Payton there is great for us.
c While many national analysts have you guys slated as a No. 2 seed and don't see you as a real threat to win the national championship, you guys seem to have a quiet confidence in your ability. Talk about that attitude.
We're not going to come out with a cocky attitude, but we know we can play with anyone out there. If someone wants to overlook us, we're going to sting them in the butt.
c Is the chemistry on this team different than it was last year?
I think it's definitely changed. It's so much better this year. Everyone's so much more intent on doing things for each other and doing things as a team rather than going out and getting numbers or worrying about how they themselves are doing. Even off the court, everyone's so much more together. No one has any nitpicks with each other and there hasn't been any squabbles. Our chemistry's definitely better this year.
c Some people project you as a first-round pick in the WNBA, and you'll almost certainly be drafted. Talk about your pro prospects.
I definitely want to play in the WNBA. But I want to play overseas too. With how short the WNBA season is, it's not enough to grow as a player really. Without the ABL in the fall, you really have to go to Europe to stay in shape.
c Since your transfer from Purdue, have you grown more comfortable at Duke?
I think I'm more comfortable being at Duke. It's taken some time to feel comfortable here and feel like things are going well. This year I'm trying to relax more. I'm not staying up late studying, and I'm getting my eight hours [of sleep] in. That helps. I can't give it my all in practice when I've slept for three hours. I really try and keep things in perspective.
c What about people's reactions to you? Are people on campus more used to a 6-foot-6 women's basketball player?
Sometimes it's annoying if they're rude about it. It's definitely gotten a lot better here because everyone's used to me now. When I first go somewhere, it's kind of like heads are turning and jaws are dropping. That hurts me; I feel like a weirdo. That sort of reaction is really disheartening and it makes you not want to interact with people. If the first reaction I have of people is, 'God, they're so rude' it doesn't make me want to be around them and it takes a while to get things to normal. It's normal for a 6-6 chick to be walking around campus.
c Do you ever think about dunking in a game?
It seems like the times that I should are the times that I don't think about it. The times when I'm thinking about it something seems to happen wrong. That's kind of disappointing. I try to think about it when I should but it just hasn't happened. I think it would be cool. For me, the timing just hasn't been right. It's really not a big deal to me; I just want the two points.
Head Coach Gail Goestenkors
c Did you think the offense would be able to revolve around VanGorp as well as it has?
I hoped it would. To be really successful, we needed someone to be consistent in the post for us. Michele-she wanted to be that person. I hoped it would work out. I knew she worked so hard over the summer. But until you get on the floor, she had some really good games to begin with, but we were like, 'Let's see how long it's going to last.' Last year, she wasn't consistent, we're wondering if it was going to happen again. And we've just been so happy that she's been so consistent.
c Has the difference for VanGorp been mental?
There's no comparison in her mental toughness and emotional maturity from one year to the next-she's come so far. It's made all the difference in the world.
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