The University of Mississippi Athletics
Preseason Notebook: October 6
10/6/2016 | Women's Basketball
Countdown To Tipoff
The Rebels are just 35 days away from opening the 2016-17 season, the fourth season under the direction of head coach Matt Insell. The Rebels have posted a 41-54 record in each of the last three years and were back in the postseason for the first time since 2010 in 2014. Ole Miss hosts Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 11 in the second game of a tripleheader at The Pavilion at Ole Miss. Tipoff is set for 2:30 pm.
Countdown Clock
Insell Says …
On the beginning practice …
"I think a lot of how far along we are is our Costa Rica trip. We're the furthest we've been along at this point when you talk about being four practices in and I couldn't be happier about where we are at right now defensively. We've got a lot of work we need to continue to do offensively in terms of execution. We're scoring the ball well right now, but we're defending the ball extremely well right now and I think that has a lot to do with Costa Rica and being ahead defensively more than we usually are at this time. Offensively, we have a lot of weapons. It's something that very exciting. The weapons we have are not only on the perimeter but also inside. We can score the ball in all different areas."
On the attitude of the team…
"The one thing that really stands out to me is our energy and our enthusiasm each day to work. This team is different. This team has a different mentality and has an objective in mind. They have an expectation on themselves and the way they work everyday, there is no doubt they will reach that. It's really exciting for me as a coach. I don't' really have to coach energy, effort and enthusiasm and those are things I have to coach over the last three years. With this team, I don't have to coach that and I get to coach basketball. They take care of the energy and effort on their own. It's a fun group to coach and it's going to be fun to watch them play."
Talkin' Bout Practice
The Rebels opened up practice for the first time on Sunday, Oct. 2. The team went for about two and a half hours and had a spirited first day of practice at the Tuohy Basketball Center. In the words of Ole Miss head coach "It's a good of a first practice as we have had since we've been here."
Welcome to the Family!
The Rebels added several new staff members over the summer. New to the Ole Miss women's basketball family are assistant Coach George Porcha, Strength and Conditioning Coach Ryan Grubbs and Video Coordinator Joe Cope. Porcha comes to Oxford after serving as a successful high school coach and was in the college ranks as associate head coach for the West Virginia women's team. Cope also comes to Oxford from the high school ranks serving as an assistant coach at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Grubbs joins the staff after spending some time with the Ole Miss football team.
Fab Frosh
The Rebels also welcomed three true freshmen to the team in Shelby Gibson (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), Bree Glover (Glasgow, Ky.) and Kate Rodgers (Birmingham, Ala.) The trio combined to give Ole Miss a top-25 class and the No. 2 class in the SEC.
Impact Transfers
This season Ole Miss will also gain the services of Chrishae Rowe (Riverside, Calif.) and Taylor Manuel (St. Louis, Mo.) both transfers. Rowe, the 2013-14 Pac 12 Freshman of the Year at Oregon, comes to Ole Miss from Kentucky and Manuel is a graduate transfer from Loyola Chicago.
Mint Is Back!
Head coach Matt Insell brought back a Rebel great this summer as Armintie Price Herrington joined the staff as Coordinator of Player Engagement. Herrington played at Ole Miss form 2004-07 and led the Rebels to the Elite Eight in 2007. She also had a 10-year career in the WNBA with stints with the Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, LA Sparks and Washington Mystics. #WelcomeHomeMint
Rebels with a LOADED Schedule
Ole Miss has put together an impressive non-conference schedule to go along with the ever-challenging SEC slate. Ole Miss will take on 13 non-conference opponents and will face 10 of those in the friendly confines of The Pavilion at Ole Miss. The Rebels will open the season with four consecutive home games before traveling to Las Vegas, Nev., for the UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament where they will take on Wisconsin in opening round action and either UNLV or Tennessee State in the second game. Ole Miss will travel to West Virginia as a part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge and will host Oregon and VCU. In SEC action, Ole Miss will play Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State twice and will host Tennessee and Texas A&M and LSU.
Full 2016-17 Ole Miss Schedule
Pura Vida!
This summer the Ole Miss squad got a head start on team practices when they took a 10-day trip to Costa Rica. Since they went on a foreign tour, Ole Miss was allowed 10 full team practices in preparation. The Rebels went 3-0 against the competition in Costa Rica and were able to take in many of the sights and sounds of the South American country.
Balliin' With Brett
Graduate manager, Brett Ball, is back with her Ballin' With Brett series this year. Ball gives us an inside look at the Ole Miss women's basketball program. Check out some of her episodes below:
Guard Preview with Coach Porcha
Meet Coach Grubbs
Rebels in Costa Rica
Get Your Tickets
It's not too late to purchase season tickets for the 2016-17 season. Season tickets are just $50. For further ticket information go to OleMissTix.com or call the Ole Miss Ticket Office at 1-888-REB-TKTS (732-8587).
Important Dates On The Horizon
Exhibition Game vs. Mississippi College â€" Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m., (The Pavilion at Ole Miss)
Season Opener vs. Southeastern Louisiana-Friday, Nov. 11, 2:30 pm (The Pavilion at Ole Miss)
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