It’s all about the next play.
- Angela Cesere
- Senior Janelle Cooper thinks new coach Kevin Borseth can take the Wolverines to a new level of success this season. (RODRIGO GAYA/Daily)
That’s Michigan coach Kevin Borseth’s philosophy as he leads the Michigan women’s basketball team into the coming season.
“We will play one play at a time,” Borseth said. “If you win the next play, you will have a chance to win the next one.”
Borseth comes to Michigan hoping to resurrect a team that has had five straight losing seasons and finished 3-17 in Big Ten play last season.
Borseth spent the last nine years at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. He brings a passionate and fundamental brand of basketball to Michigan – one he hopes to translate into wins.
“Our coaching staff is very energetic and very positive, which makes us fresh and ready to go,” junior Stephany Skrba said.
Michigan hasn’t lost any of its veteran players from last year’s squad and will be led by seniors Janelle Cooper, Krista Clement, Ta’Shia Walker and Katie Dierdorf.
Borseth said he thinks his seniors will have their best seasons in their four years at Michigan.
“These four seniors that we have are outstanding people,” Borseth said. ” They are great leaders, and I can sense inside of them that they really want to do well. They are starving because they want to win so bad.”
But the Wolverines recognize their upcoming challenges.
In addition to adapting to a new coach, Michigan plays a non-conference schedule that includes visits to Texas A&M and Notre Dame and home games against Kentucky and Southern Cal. Michigan also has to overcome the mental hurdle that comes with five straight losing seasons.
“(Borseth) wants us all to be on the same page and to have one goal,” Cooper said. “And that goal is to win. We know he was brought in to help us with that.”
Borseth believes in a more relaxed style of play, contrasting Michigan’s mentality in previous seasons.
“We tell our players three thing: to do what’s right, to do their best and be their best and to treat people good,” Borseth said. “If you do those three things, things will shape up.”
The Wolverines hope Borseth’s offensive mind will translate into wins. He brings a .735 career winning percentage and has 19 straight winning seasons. The team has focused on shooting so far, with the hope of improving their 37 percent shooting from the floor last year.
“He recommends that we do 300 shots a day minimum,” Skrba said. “We do a lot of midrange shots, a lost of threes and a mixture of both.”
Hopefully with the added workload, Michigan might finally put together a winning season.
“I think we are so talented and we are so deep,” Skrba said. “I think we have the most talent in the Big Ten, and we can take it so far. Our mindset has completely changed this year–. We are all stronger mentally, and that is going to push us so far.”