Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Cleveland State coach Chris Kielsmeier

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Jon Teitel

Last Tuesday Cleveland State beat Green Bay 73-61 in the Horizon tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Vikings won 14 games in 2021 and 21 games in 2022 but are 30-4 this year and clinched the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 2010. Yesterday HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Cleveland State coach Chris Kielsmeier about his history of success.

You were born/raised in Iowa and went to Iowa State: how big is the Cyclone-Hawkeye rivalry? It is a big deal in that state because more than likely you are from 1 school or the other.

You spent almost a decade as coach at D-3 Howard Payne University, where you became the all-time winningest coach in school history: what is the biggest difference between D-3 and D-1? 1 of the biggest differences as I have worked my way up through the ranks is that a D-1 staff is much bigger and has more resources available to do more things. It was a challenge for me at 1st since I did not have a lot of experience with it. On the court the game is the game so I am comfortable with that part of it.

In 2008 you went 33-0 and won the national title: how on earth were you able to go undefeated? The same way that you win games in general: great staff/players and a supportive administration. We had an All-American and the national POY who helped create our culture. We were 27-1 the previous year entering the postseason before getting upset in the Sweet 16 because we just could not put the ball in the basket. That really motivated our returning seniors because they knew we were better than that. You also need a little luck: there are a lot of factors that go into it.

You were also named WBCA national COY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was really a reflection of our team. Individual accolades are significant but any COY award equates to team success. The key to me winning that award is that our team went 33-0! It was really about the players.

You spent 10 years as coach at Wayne State College, where you became the all-time winningest coach in school history: do you think that anyone will ever break your record? All records are meant to be broken! It will take someone staying there quite a while but if the right coach comes along then I am sure it will be broken someday…although it will be tough.

You were hired at Cleveland State back in 2018: why did you take the job? It was a new challenge after being at Wayne State for 10 years and having a lot of success. We pushed that program a long way even though we did not win a national title but were really relevant on the national scene. I want to constantly push myself to get better both as a coach and in life. Leading a staff has helped me grow as a person. I wanted to go to a place that was committed to success at the highest level and could consistently compete for championships. It is a unique place that I have really embraced.

In 2021 you won 3 games in 3 days to clinch the WBI title: what did your team learn from that experience that you think will help them this time around? We have played 15 postseason games during the past 3 years so our team is battle-tested. It is really just about the moment so we have to show that we can play great on someone else’s court and hit some shots. Our focus this week is to be at our best.

Last Tuesday in the Horizon tourney title game Gabriella Smith scored 19 PTS in a win over Green Bay: what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? It was a surreal feeling for everybody. Gabby played her best game of the year: we knew that we would have to hit some threes and she made a lot of big shots in that game. After the game it hit everybody that we had just accomplished what we had been working hard for all year long. Everyone just wanted to smile/laugh/cry and all of the great things that basketball can teach you from an emotional standpoint. We were proud of ourselves for accomplishing that, especially the folks who have been in this program for the past 5 years.

You only have 2 freshmen on the roster: how crucial has all of that experience been to your team’s success? It makes things easier. Experience does not give you extra points at the start of the game but it makes everything calmer. Our 2 freshmen have really not acted like freshmen all year because they knew they really could not do so on our senior-laden team. It is hard to establish yourself at an elite program at a young age but they both have made it look easy.

How do you feel about being a 13 seed, and what do you know about Villanova? We are extremely excited to keep playing in the NCAA tourney. Villanova has been in the top-20 all year long and won a lot of big games/close games. They are really tough-minded and really good at what they do, which is a recipe we model ourselves after.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Iowa cheerleader Jaclin Thompson

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Jon Teitel

Last Thursday Iowa lost to Ohio State 73-69 in the Big 10 tourney 2nd round but was still able to clinch an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Hawkeyes need 1 more victory to secure their 5th straight 20-win season and claimed the school’s 3rd straight NCAA tourney bid. In addition to shining a light on the players who got the job done on the court, it is also important to recognize the spirited students who have worked just as hard on the sidelines, such as band members/cheerleaders/dancers. Yesterday HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Iowa cheerleader Jaclin Thompson about having both her men’s and women’s teams make the NCAA tourney.

You are from Brownsburg, IN: what made you choose Iowa? I grew up in a family where college athletics were very important, as 2 of my brothers played college football. I wanted a school that would expand my horizons, so after learning about the traditions at Iowa I just loved it.

How long have you been cheering, and what is the best part? I have been cheering for about 7 years after previously being a gymnast. The best part is interacting in the fans: just walking to the football stadium and having little girls say they want to be like me when they grow up is a thrill!

Your men’s basketball team is good but your women’s basketball team is outstanding: what is the mood like on campus now that both of them have made the NCAA tourney? I got to travel to the Big 10 women’s tourney and EVERYBODY was talking about it when I got back to campus and asking me if I was there. We have some very good teams so we are very fortunate. (Note: Iowa won the Big 10 women’s tourney, Iowa State won the Big 12 women’s tourney, and Drake won the MVC women’s tourney!)

You are majoring in business marketing management and minoring in Spanish: why did you choose those subjects? I picked marketing because I like communication/event management. I am fluent in Spanish now and am a certified translator, which came in handy during all of my exchange programs.

You graduate in a few months: what is the post-graduation plan? I am applying to law schools right now and trying to get all of my applications submitted. I would like to become an immigration attorney 1 day.

You have done a lot of volunteer work for Special Olympics/Catholic Charities: how much importance do you place on community service? It is something that I am very passionate about and is the #1 reason that I am a cheerleader. Fans might not know my name but they know my image for the impact I bring to different organizations.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? Since our team is so small we get to choose 2 tourneys to travel to each year, and being a senior helped. This is my 1st year traveling to March Madness and I am very excited to see how we will do.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for Birmingham? Not that I know of: we do not even know when we fly out yet! However, we always do a “Hawkeye Huddle” for the traveling fans to come visit/interact with us.

Are you worried that Auburn will have a home-court advantage since they are only a 2-hour drive away? That is EVERYONE’S main concern. Iowa thrives off our environment at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Any predictions for the Hawkeyes on Thursday night? I have a good feeling that we will win despite not doing as well at the Big 10 tourney as we had hoped.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Arizona Pomline member Makenzie Stratton

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Jon Teitel

Last Saturday Arizona beat UCLA 61-59 in the Pac-12 tourney title game to clinch an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Wildcats lost 3 of their final 6 regular season games but won 3 games in 3 days in Vegas to clinch their 5th tourney title since 2015. In addition to shining a light on the players who got the job done on the court, it is also important to recognize the spirited students who have worked just as hard on the sidelines, such as band members/cheerleaders/dancers. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Arizona Pomline member Makenzie Stratton about her journey from Tempe to Tucson.

You were born/raised in Tempe: how the heck did you end up in Tucson?! It is actually a little bit of a funny story because my whole family (aunts/uncles/grandparents, etc) graduated from Arizona State. My parents begged me to go to ASU, but I was very interested in majoring in dance at the time and refused to even apply to Arizona State. I had applied to schools all over the country to audition for their dance programs and also started looking into their dance teams/pomlines. When I saw the Arizona Pomline with their style, the gameday atmosphere, and the University of Arizona’s campus it felt like home and my new dream was to be on the Arizona Pomline. I was lucky enough to have made the team going into my freshman year back in 2019 and have loved Tucson and the UofA ever since!

You have been dancing for most of your life: how did you 1st get into it, and what is the best part? I got into dance when I was about 3 years old all because of my aunt. She grew up dancing at Tempe Dance Academy and seeing her dance made me want to follow in her footsteps. I used to sit in my grandma’s lap at my aunt’s recitals, but unlike other kids who probably got antsy I sat completely still throughout the 2-hour-long shows. I was mesmerized by all of the dancers and ever since then I started taking dance classes and competing.

You are a captain this year: what is the key to being a good leader? Being captain of the Arizona Pomline has been a dream come true. It has been anything but easy…yet the most rewarding experience ever. I think that 1 of the biggest things about being a good leader is being very open-minded. As a leader of a group of 24 incredibly talented girls, I am constantly trying to make the best decision for the team. Being open-minded helps me realize/accept when I am wrong and also allows me to become a better listener for my teammates. Even besides the fact of trying to make the best decisions for the team, being open-minded with your teammates builds a lot of respect/trust that pays off in the long run. As a team we lean on each other so much, and open-mindedness about everything/everyone helps build trust, respect, and an unbreakable bond.

You are majoring in veterinary science and minoring in business administration: why did you choose those subjects, and what is the post-graduation plan? I have always wanted to be a veterinarian like every naïve little kid. As I got older and started working in the veterinary field I realized that becoming a veterinarian was the career path for me because it had a little bit of everything that I wanted in life. I would be able to practice medicine (which has always been something that I wanted to do) and give back by helping people’s pets. As I started my undergraduate work I added the minor in business administration because I would love to own my practice one day. However, I recently switched my minor to biochemistry because I believe it will apply more to my field and help me more during veterinary school. With that being said, I plan on attending veterinary school this coming fall. Although I have not decided which 1 I will be attending, I am very grateful to have been accepted to multiple schools.

You have a 3.9 GPA: how do you balance your work on the team with your work in the classroom? I feel like everyone says this but it really is all about time management and organization. I am very type-A and organized so this has never been hard for me to come by. Freshman year was definitely a great wake-up call because I had to learn study strategies, balance football and basketball season, gigs/other performances, along with moving away from home. It was overwhelming at times, but having a good planner along with a good outlet for stress was critical for my success through undergrad.

You have spent some time volunteering at local veterinary hospitals: how much importance do you place on community service? Most of my experience is based in Tempe since the summers are when I have the most time to volunteer, but I do think that community service is extremely important. At multiple humane societies in the Phoenix/Tucson areas I have volunteered for dog walking, dog/cat enrichment, and basic hands-on help throughout the facilities. I have also volunteered at the Therapeutic Ranch for Animal and Kids in Tucson where I got to help teach disabled kids about horses and how they can be a great outlet for the kids. Outside of the veterinary world, the pomline does an extensive amount of community outreach and volunteers for different charity events, parades, elementary school readings, etc. The feeling from giving back to the community is indescribable and I will always strive to volunteer in one way or another.

Last Saturday in the Pac-12 tourney title game Arizona had a 2-PT win over UCLA: where does that rank among the most exciting games that you have ever seen? I think it is by far the most exciting game that I have ever experienced! President Robbins was not kidding when he said he liked to call T-Mobile Arena “McKale North”. Although there were a bunch of UCLA fans, they could not even compare to the Wildcat fans because of their energy, love for the university, and love for our athletic teams. Although the game was super-close, and I still do not have my voice back yet, it was a game that I will never forget and will probably be ranked on the top of my list forever.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? For the pomline, we decide who gets to go to each tournament based on seniority. Seniors get the first bid and after that juniors get to take the remaining spots. It sounds like a simple process, but with only 6 tournament spots there is an extremely high expectation for anyone who gets chosen to travel. It really is an honor to be chosen whether or not you are a senior and the expectations for traveling only get higher from here. I am so excited to see our group take on the NCAA tournament. We have worked so hard this year and have cheered our basketball team onto victory so many times already. I cannot wait for all of our hard work to pay off and to be able to showcase what we can do on national TV!

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for the NCAA tourney? As we get more details moving forward for the NCAA tourney I am sure that we will have some more stuff up our sleeves, but for now we are super-excited to continue performing with Arizona Cheer and Mascots in a joint performance, and of course the Pride of Arizona Pep Band. We’re ready to bring more energy than ever and hopefully get our basketball team a national championship!

Any predictions for the Wildcats next week? Even though the Pac-12 tournament seems like it just ended, I think our team is going to come off really strong this week with a big win against Princeton. These NCAA games just keep getting bigger and bigger so I am excited to see what our team has in store. The pomline and all of Wildcat nation has seen them work so hard this season. It has all paid off so far, but I think the big Pac-12 championship will give us a lot of confidence going into these first 2 rounds so that we can pull off 2 more Wildcat wins. I cannot wait to see where our team takes us and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to travel with them! Bear down, go Cats!

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Charleston Cougarettes dance team assistant coach Remy Hayes

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Jon Teitel

Last Tuesday Charleston beat UNC-Wilmington 63-58 in the CAA tourney title game to clinch an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Cougars won 31 games this year and claimed the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 2018. In addition to shining a light on the players who got the job done on the court, it is also important to recognize the spirited students who have worked just as hard on the sidelines, such as band members/cheerleaders/dancers. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Charleston Cougarettes dance team assistant coach Remy Hayes about a season for the ages.

You grew up in Madison, NJ: how did you end up at Charleston? Growing up I spent a lot of time in North Carolina and knew from a pretty young age that I wanted to go to college somewhere in the south. I looked at a bunch of options, but as soon as I stepped foot on campus I knew that College of Charleston was the one.

You were a captain of the Cougarettes Dance Team when you were in college: what is the key to being a good leader? I think a good leader has to be able to build meaningful relationships with those around them. I think making genuine connections and maintaining positive relationships is something that helps leaders continue to grow. I also think that leaders need to be adaptable. Each person you lead may need something different from you and finding the best way to motivate each individual is something I am constantly working on.

You graduated in 2014 with a degree in exercise science and later got your Masters’ degree from Northeastern in Sports Leadership: why did you choose those subjects? I wish I had a better answer for undergrad other than I enjoyed the topics and had some great professors. I really loved my biomechanics class and how physics applied to how our bodies move. After I started working in athletics I got really interested in leadership programs and Northeastern had a great Masters’ program that I could do online while continuing to work at CofC.

You spent several years working for the athletic department doing student-athlete academic services/compliance: why did you decide to focus on coaching the dance team full-time last year? The opportunity to coach the dance team presented itself at a time when I was reevaluating my career. In every professional role I have ever had personal interaction and hands-on experience with students has been my favorite part. Directly helping young adults grow/learn/succeed is something that I have always been passionate about and something I was missing in my role at the time. It was not an easy decision, and I really miss working in CofC’s athletic administration, but I am still around and some of my best friends still work in the department. I will say that coaching and being involved with dance, something that has defined me for my entire life, has been the best decision I could have made.

What has been your favorite moment so far this season: upsetting Virginia Tech back in November, your 20-game winning streak in the middle of the season, beating UNC-Wilmington last Tuesday, other? Well, winning the CAA championship has definitely been a highlight this season. For me, it was getting to see the hard work behind the scenes from the administration to the support staff (and of course our coaches/student-athletes) pan out into such a successful season. Fans do not typically get to see all of the hard work that goes into a successful season but I have been lucky to have a front-row seat to the dedication/details that the student-athletes/coaching staff/entire department put into each day. For it all to culminate in such a historic season is pretty incredible.

Your basketball team had a few mediocre years before exploding this year with a record of 31-3: what is the atmosphere like on campus now that the NCAA tourney is finally here? Charleston as a city has so much to offer that a lot of people miss out on supporting the college’s athletic teams. However, to gain the attention/interest of the entire city and have people all over Charleston trying to get tickets to games is something special. I have been around this program for almost 13 years and never seen the arena and fans as excited as they were this season. It makes it so much more fun for the spirit programs as well: dancing/cheering in front of excited fans is something my team always appreciates.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? We used seniority to decide on who is traveling: we have 3 seniors and 3 juniors so the numbers worked out easily for us. The exposure and ability to continue to represent CofC is incredible. Our team competes at UDA Nationals in January so once basketball season ends so does our season. For our seniors to get this experience in their last months of college is beyond special and something I am thankful they will have memories of.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for next week? We like to keep things fun and fresh so there will be some new things during the timeouts, and we always love to get Clyde the Cougar involved, so keep an eye out for him as well!

Any predictions for the Cougars’ game on Thursday afternoon vs. San Diego State? The only answer is a Cougar win!

Will your husband Sean get to join you at the NCAA tourney next week or will he have to stay home to watch your dog Louie?! Sean is also a CofC alum and a huge basketball fan so there is NO chance he would miss the tournament. As soon as Orlando was announced as our site he booked a hotel!

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Miami associate head coach Bill Courtney

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Jon Teitel

Last Friday Miami lost to Duke 85-78 in the ACC tourney semifinals but still earned an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Hurricanes made the Elite 8 last March and have now clinched the school’s 2nd straight NCAA tourney bid. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Miami associate head coach Bill Courtney about playing against Jim Boeheim in the NCAA tourney.

You were a 2-time 1st-Team All-Patriot League player at Bucknell: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I had a great experience playing for Coach Charlie Woollum all 4 years. I did not play much as a freshman but by my senior year I was 1 of the leaders.

You were also captain for 2 years: what is the secret to being a good leader? You need to be a hard worker, which was a big thing for me. I prided myself in being 1 of the hardest workers in the league so I put in the time to do that, which allowed me to gain confidence. My teammates did not love it when I pushed them into the gym but I just tried to lead them in the right direction.

In the 1989 NCAA tourney you scored 2 PTS in a loss to Syracuse: what was it like to face Jim Boeheim in the postseason, and can you believe that he finally retired last week? How about that!? I was so young as a freshman that I did not know how to handle their zone defense. Sherman Douglas was my favorite player growing up in DC so it was a thrill to actually play against him. Coach Boeheim was a legend even back then and now my friend Adrian Autry has taken over for him. Adrian was our director of basketball operation at Virginia Tech in 2010 while I was an assistant to Seth Greenberg!

In 2007 you were named to the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? It is right near the top. I have a great affinity for the place so to share that honor with my wife/2 boys was awesome. They had always heard that I could play but never actually thought that I could play!

You work for Jim Larranaga at Miami after having previously been his assistant at Bowling Green/George Mason: what makes him such a great coach, and what kind of bond have you 2 developed over the past 3 decades? He is not only my mentor but 1 of my best friends/father figures: he has been everything in my life since he hired me at age 26. I coached his son Jay, who remains 1 of my best friends and was the 1st person I hired when I became head coach at Cornell. We had a couple of years at the beginning here that we struggled but are succeeding now because he is 1 of the best to ever do it. He has built programs/teams everywhere he has been and done a remarkable job of having the same values/ethics throughout his life to do it the right way.

In 2022 you made the Elite 8 before losing to eventual champion Kansas: what did your team learn from that run that you think will help them this year? You need to have fun with it! We had more fun than anyone last year and felt loose/confident, which is also how we played. Coach gives his players the confidence to do their best so we will do what we have done all year to have success.

This will be the 10th postseason appearance of your coaching career: what is the key to winning games in March? If you start to try new things then it can hurt you a bit. Everyone always says “guard play”, which I agree is extremely important at tournament time since most of the games are close. You need guys who can make plays at the end of the game and the ball is in their hands. A lot of the big shots in tourney history were made by guards. We started 4 guards last year who were all tremendous at making plays down the stretch.

You are known as a great recruiter: what impact has NIL money had on your ability to recruit players (if any)? It has made things more complicated, for sure. Every state has different laws and every program has a different way of doing things. We have not been involved in that as a coaching staff because Florida state laws do not allow it: we just recruit normally as we always do.

Your team was top-25 in the nation this year in both PPG/FT%: how were you able to have such an amazing offense despite having only 1 SR on the roster (Jordan Miller)? What really helped us was recruiting very unselfish kids, as well as getting players via the transfer portal who were great teammates and willing to share the ball. We have 1000-PT scorers who will turn down a good shot for a better shot. Isaiah Wong is 1 of the best scorers in school history…but is also 1 of the best AST guys on our team.

How do you feel about being a 5 seed, and what do you know about Drake? Drake is very good! We played in the same tourney in Orlando with them last year and they have a very veteran team. Tucker DeVries is probably going to become a long-time NBA player and they do not make a lot of mistakes. They are very efficient on offense and Darian DeVries is a terrific coach so we have our work cut out for us. The MVC has always been an underrated league.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Nevada cheerleader Hallie Borgel

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Jon Teitel

Last Thursday Nevada lost to San Jose State 81-77 in OT in the MWC quarterfinals but was still able to earn an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Wolfpack won 22 games this year and claimed the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 2019. In addition to shining a light on the players who got the job done on the court, it is also important to recognize the spirited students who have worked just as hard on the sidelines, such as band members/cheerleaders/dancers. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Nevada cheerleader Hallie Borgel about being a great student.

You were born/raised in Las Vegas: how did you choose Nevada? Choosing Nevada was not my initial plan, but I can safely say that I could not imagine myself at any other university. I knew I wanted to stay close to home but felt the pressure to go far and be fully independent. As I was entering my senior year of high school I initially planned on heading south and moving on from being a cheerleader to pursuing Greek Life. I looked at so many colleges and always had the University of Nevada on my list just in case. I then decided to try out for Nevada’s Cheerleading team in early March of 2019 to see if this would be my sign to become a part of the Pack or to move far away from my initial home. Making the team my freshman year changed my life in the best way possible. Even my parents (who are UNLV alumni) were so ecstatic about my decision and supported me from the beginning!

You have been cheering since you were 13 years old: how did you 1st get into it, and what is the best part? Well, I was juggling both cheer/soccer at the time. My father was a big soccer star at UNLV (1990 conference POY) and inspired my sisters and I to follow that same path. I enjoyed soccer for the most part but did not feel like it was for me the same way that it was for my dad/2 sisters. I started taking tumbling classes at a local gym in Las Vegas, quickly picked up the skills, and convinced my parents to let me try out for a competitive team. They were fully supportive of cheer being my main sport/focus and I went on to compete for 4 more years! The best part of cheerleading to me is the friendships that I have made. Over the years I have made lifelong friends/mentors who I will cherish forever.

You are majoring in Journalism with an emphasis in PR/advertising: why did you choose those subjects? I always loved to write and problem-solve while growing up. I thrived in English classes and knew that I could not choose a career path that did not let me show my creativity to its fullest. The journalism school at Nevada is one of the best programs and I became more interested in PR and advertising as I entered my junior year. I chose this emphasis because I knew with my crisis-solving mindset and writing skills that I would excel best with this focus. However, I did not know that journalism could be such a diverse degree with many different routes to choose from!

You have a 3.6 GPA: how do you balance your work in the classroom with your work on the cheer team? It is not easy and did not come naturally to me, but I learned over time the importance of juggling different things all at once. I learned that in order to excel in all of the things I am involved in I have to equally give my time to each thing. I create calendars everywhere…and I mean everywhere: on my phone, in my room, on my laptop, and anywhere else I can find a place to write down my to-do lists! There are some days where I want to quit and give up, to be fully honest with you. Cheering a full season of basketball and football while being a community-based team is a LOT on top of school. However, I never expected to be able to balance everything immediately. It took me a good 2 years to finally be able to confidently balance my life accordingly. This has helped me with the mindset of balancing a job and family one day as I grow into adulthood!

You graduate in a few months: what is the post-graduation plan? I am so excited to be able to say that I will be staying in Reno post-graduation. I never thought when coming to Reno at age 18 that I would still be here full-time at age 22. I am planning to workas a Summer Intern at TrailRunner International, which is a remarkable crisis communication firm in Truckee. I will be working there for the entirety of summer and hopefully work full-time come the fall: fingers crossed!

1 of your hobbies is watching movies: what is the best 1 you have seen recently? I watch so many movies each week: where do I begin?! I would have to say the best one that I have seen recently is “The Menu”. It was so intriguing and like nothing I have seen before. I am a thriller movie lover at heart and this was a perfect movie for my liking.

Nevada was on the bubble all weekend: what was the reaction like on Selection Sunday when you finally heard their name called? I was actually in line at a pharmacy with my boyfriend. I got a text in our Mountain West chat from our coaches and we all were completely stunned and over the moon! The people in the pharmacy probably were eyeing me for the right reasons as I could not contain my excitement. We all expected the Mountain West tourney to be our final goodbye to the season…but that just shows that you never know what could possibly lie ahead despite all of the odds stacked against you.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? As I mentioned briefly above, we are a community-based team at heart. With that, choosing the team to represent the program at NCAA is about members who showed up to events around the Reno community, as well as those who showed dedication/ commitment to the team for the entire season. Being picked is an honor: I have been fortunate enough to represent Nevada at multiple tournaments/games. Moving on from the Mountain West Tournament to the NCAA Tournament will be sort of a culture shock. None of us have been to a tournament this big/extravagant during our years as cheerleaders. It will mean the absolute world to me to be able to say that I cheered alongside some of the best athletes and people on the biggest stage in college basketball!

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for the NCAA tourney? As of now we have nothing planned. Between finding out that we made the field yesterday and then flying out today, we have not really had the time to plan anything fun to do while we are in Dayton…and hopefully moving onto Denver! I think the best things go unplanned and we all know how to make a good time out of anything! For the games, we  have planned out some great stunts and dances to show to the crowd.

Any predictions for the Wolfpack on Wednesday night vs. ASU? I am an optimistic person at heart. Seeing how our season has unfolded, I learned to expect the unexpected. This group of boys is probably the best that I have seen during my four years as a cheerleader. Their record alone shows that, but when I say “best” I mean best at playing as a unit rather than as individuals. I am going to say that my Wolf Pack will come out on top in Dayton. I think with this chance that they were given they will show up and shut down ASU!

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