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contents 12 16 22 25 26 33 34 38 40 44 46
A D AY I N T H E L I F E HOIBERG’S MAGIC ACT M AT T T H O M A S P R O F I L E JADDA BUCKLEY PROFILE A F E N N E L LY A F FA I R T H E T R A N S F O R M AT I O N I O WA S TAT E O F M I N D THE FUTURE IS HERE J U S T A K I D D AT H E A R T THE MISSING LINK H U M B L E , C O N F I D E N T, S E L F L E S S
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9
HOOPS As the Iowa State Daily enters its 125th year serving Iowa State
Quentin Bangston
University, we asked ourselves what can we do to better serve this
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
university and our readers? We challenged ourselves to push beyond our historical comfort zones. And we promised to recommit ourselves to covering Iowa State better than anyone else. Hoops, in its new form, is not just a new publication. In many ways it is a representation of a new method of thinking. It represents the transformation of the Iowa State Daily newspaper into our new form, the Iowa State Daily Media Group. Our intent is to become better partners. And, better storytellers. We hope to offer you expanded
Editorial Features Reporters Emily Barske - Beau Berkley - Max Dible - Alex Gookin Saige Heyer - Stephen Koenigsfeld - Kyle Kubiak Harrison March - Devin Wilmott - Ryan Young
digital content beyond the print publications. (Check out www.isdhoops.com for an example.) We are excited about the evolution of our platforms and the opportunity to give our students increasingly relevant experiences. The Iowa State Daily Media Group is more than the legacy we have worked tirelessly to achieve. It is the extension and rejuvenation of a company we expect to succeed for many years to come. As we continue to lay groundwork in new and exciting formats, we ask that you come with us, that you trust us, and that you keep reading.
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10
WHERE EVERY DAY IS
GAME
DAY.
MAKE BRICK CITY GRILL YOUR
CYCLONE BASKETBALL
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IT’S 8 P.M. THE CYCLONES WALK ONTO THE COURT IN HILTON COLISEUM AND SHAKE HANDS WITH THEIR OPPONENTS — THE MOMENT EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR SINCE LAST MARCH, THE TIPOFF TO BEGIN THE 2014-15 SEASON. WORDS BY: EMILY BARSKE
Five Cyclones stand in identical white, crisp uniforms, with socks and compressions to their liking, all with their ankles taped to prevent ankle injuries. The refreshed and energized officials also occupy the shiny, waxed court. The only thing on the players’ minds is the Hilton Magic about to ensue. The electric atmosphere we all know as Hilton Magic begins long before the ball is tipped and continues long after the last fan has exited the arena. Hundreds of people tirelessly contribute their talents to make each game day a success. These people are what make Hilton Magic possible for the fans, the coaches and the players. Here’s a look into how the magicians do their work. With an 8 p.m. tipoff on a Monday, these individuals and their staff contribute to game day after fulfilling their normal duties for the day.
12
MEGA N RODENBURG, STAFFING COORDINATOR OF EVENT MANAGEMENT NATHAN TERRY, MARKETING FOR MEN’S BBALL 5 p.m. Distributes around 12 scripts of the
6:30 p.m. Custodial crew arrives and is told their duties. 7 p.m.
JUSTIN SHAPIRO, CONCESSIONS 10 a.m. Dyes ice cream cardinal and gold for Clone Cones.
promotions or events, like a sponsored
Ticket takers scan tickets and supervise as
During the game, concessions will go through
shooting contest, that will take place during
students enter through the students’ doors.
about 125 gallons of ice cream.
the game. The script goes to various people,
7:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
including the video board crew, camera crew, announcers and band so that everyone is on the same page.
Ushers greet and answer spectators’ questions
Begin popping popcorn to prepare for the game.
about the facility, finding programs, game
About 55 gallons of popcorn are used each game.
promotions and other things going on at the
6 p.m.
8:20 p.m.
game. Many ushers are assigned to the same
Talks with the sponsor or special guest who
section each year and build relationships with
Warm up pulled pork, hot dogs, brats and taco
will be recognized during the first half.
fans who regularly sit in their section.
meat. Concessions will sell 50 pounds of pulled
8:50 p.m.
10:30 p.m.
Prepares for the halftime entertainment to
Traffic staff directs traffic out of the parking lot
take the court.
to prevent collisions. They are assisted by police officers who manually control the stoplights.
pork, 140 pounds of hot dogs or brats and 240 pounds of taco meat. 11 p.m. Balance revenue made from the game’s sales.
Interesting fact: Event management staff for
Interesting fact: The hot dogs, pork and popcorn
a men’s game consists of 90 ushers, 55 traffic
served are all ordered from Iowa distributors.
attendants, 18 custodians and 6 production crew. 13
VIC MILLER, ATHLETIC TRAINER 3 p.m. Checks injuries of players that are game-time decisions. 4:30 p.m. Prepares visitor’s locker room with First Aid supplies, taping supplies and toiletries. Sets out water and Gatorade for the benches for both teams. 6 p.m. Tapes ankles for all players to prevent injuries, which is a team rule. Players often have their own routine and will request a certain pre-game stretch. 6:45 p.m. Helps officials with their health needs like taping their ankles or providing assistance with illnesses. Interesting fact: Under Hoiberg’s NBA model, the athletic trainer has the closest seat to the scorer’s table.
MATT SHOULTZ, COMMUNICATIONS 3 p.m. Talks with TV announcers about team news and assists them in getting interviews with Coach Fred Hoiberg or the players during shoot-around. 3:30 p.m. Distributes packets of notes in media room. Note packets include numerous statistics, such as career
RYAN ZLUTICKY, MEN’S BASKETBALL EQUIPMENT
highs, for each player to give to the media who are announcing and reporting the game.
3 p.m.
8:50 p.m.
Readies equipment and practice uniforms for
Catches Hoiberg or players before or after going
the players to complete shoot-around at Hilton.
to the locker room for halftime to get them to
4 p.m.
interviews with broadcasters.
Brings practice uniforms back to the Sukup
10:15 p.m.
practice facility. At Sukup, gathers the
After the game, all coaches and key players are
players’ uniforms, including their individually
brought to the press conference in a timely manner.
preferred items like arm-sleeve compressions or tall socks. 4:30 p.m.
When a player is injured, Shoultz is the person
Transports white game uniforms and warm-
who informs the television broadcasters of the
ups to Hilton. Handles all articles the men wear; the only thing players have to bring are their shoes. 6:30 p.m. Cleans up locker room and picks up hangers after players have changed into their uniforms.
14
Interesting fact: Shoultz’s crew keeps track of statistics and distributes them to the media.
player’s status.
15
16
Hoiberg’s magic ACT THE LIST OF DOUBTS SURROUNDING LAST YEAR’S ISU MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM WAS A LONG ONE. WORDS BY: MA X DIBLE
Dustin Hogue was too small. Georges Niang was not athletic enough. Melvin Ejim was a player without a position. DeAndre Kane could not control his temper and led the NCAA in technical fouls at Marshall the year before. Yet, none of this dissuaded ISU basketball coach Fred Hoiberg. After all, four years ago when Iowa State hired Hoiberg, he had never coached a single college basketball game. Hoiberg's unlikely group of misfits, some
versatile forward all season. The positional hybrid by the name of Ejim won Big 12 Player of the Year, while the volatile Kane tallied exactly zero technical fouls on his way to earning All-Big 12 and All-American honors. The question that remains is how was Hoiberg able to piece together a patchwork of transfers and cagey veterans to produce one of the best seasons Iowa State has ever seen? The answer lies in a science that is far from exact.
unproven and others undervalued, united
HOIBERG THE CHEMIST
under a coach who knew all too well what it
At this point in college basketball, the word
was like having his credentials questioned. Together they shattered all doubt, leaving shards of criticism in their wake as Iowa State marched to one of its five most productive seasons in the school's 107-year history, highlighted by a Big 12 tournament title as well as a berth in the Sweet Sixteen. "Before, we were an average basketball team,"
chemistry is a cliche. Players migrate in and out of every program in the country due to graduation, transfers and the NBA draft. The constant flow of personnel continuously alters the elements that a coaching staff has at its disposal. It is only natural that when the elements
Niang said. "Now we are looked at as an
change, the formula must change.
elite program. I think [Hoiberg] changed the
The complex laboratory of major college
culture to be about winning and not about
basketball includes international recruiting
individual egos. That is the biggest difference."
trips, tenuous ventures into the raucous gyms
The 6-foot-6-inch Hogue finished third in
of conference rivals and hours upon hours of
the Big 12 in total rebounding, despite being undersized. The “unathletic” Niang ranked third in the conference in usage percentage as the offense ran heavily through the savvy and
preparation, analysis and practice. The one constant amid the chaos is the presence of a definitive basketball theory implemented by the steady hand of a proven leader.
17
BRYCE DEJEAN-JONES
"That is why the chemistry issue is hilarious,"
Tired of sitting at home year after year while
said ISU assistant basketball coach Matt
Iowa State’s peers reveled in the excitement
Abdelmassih. "Everyone says at this time of
and pageantry of March Madness, ISU Athletic
year, 'Well, who knows what the chemistry
Director Jamie Pollard decided to take action.
is bringing in new guys?' That is the most overrated thing. We have proven for four years now that we are pretty good at making sure the chemistry is well set with the guys buying into their roles, and that is because of Fred." THE BEGINNING Hoiberg was not always the mad scientist scouring the globe for new components and molding his theories by the light of flickering game tape. Before being hired by his alma mater, Hoiberg worked as an executive for the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team for which he played during his time in the NBA. Then in April 2010, an opportunity presented itself. The ISU basketball program stood mired in mediocrity and on the cusp of national irrelevance, having missed the NCAA tournament for five consecutive seasons.
18
On the hunt for a catalyst to change the program’s direction, Pollard reached out to Hoiberg, a hometown hero dubbed “The Mayor” by the Ames community, and he answered the call. STYLE POINTS Hoiberg brought with him to Ames a basketball theory that relies heavily on sharing the ball and shooting well from the perimeter, the catalyst of which is unselfish play. "For any team there has to be sacrifice," Hoiberg said. "You cannot be worried
“We have proven for four years now that we are pretty good at making sure the chemistry is well set with the guys buying into their roles, and that is because of Fred.”
about your individual numbers or individual statistics. Great things happen to everybody if you win." Characterized by a pacing that might be dubbed frenetic if it did not run so smoothly, Hoiberg's brand of basketball has
-matt abedelmassih
DANIEL EDOZIE, GEORGIOS TSALMPOURIS
transformed Iowa State into one of the nation's most exciting and electric teams. In 2009-10, the year before Hoiberg took over the program, Iowa State averaged roughly 72 points per game and shot only 17 3-pointers per contest. Since his arrival, the Cyclones’ point production has risen in every season except one, peaking last year at 83 points per game, the fifth highest mark in the nation. No ISU
"A lot of people on this team do not have a father in their life, like myself," sophomore guard Monte Morris said. "My father passed, and he was not even really in my life at the time, so I just had a mom. I came here, and coach opened up to me and [let me know] he was there for me any time. Things like that go a long way." Hoiberg is someone who his players believe
team with Hoiberg at the helm has attempted
they can trust, which Nader said is a rare
fewer than 23 3-point shots per outing.
commodity in the modern landscape of
After years of tweaking the formula, Hoiberg found the magic mix of passing and shooting last season as his team not only blew
college basketball. "He is in your corner," Nader said. "He has your back as long as you do what you are supposed
opponents off the floor with its overall point
to do, and that is a good feeling. A lot of guys
production, but also shared the ball more
do not have that before they come here."
effectively than any outfit in the country, averaging 18.5 assists per game. FILLING THE VOIDS A notion of how to play was not enough, however. The translation of Hoiberg's style into the on-the-court success seen during his tenure required drawing the requisite talent into the program. That task called for an effective salesman. While the idea of “team over player” that permeates Hoiberg's philosophy might seem a counter-intuitive strategy to recruiting some of the nation's top athletic talent, the opposite has actually proven to be true. Simply put, Hoiberg provides prospects with
The trust he constructs contributes to Hoiberg's ability to get players to buy in to the basketball system that the coach is selling. The coach's sincerity and his track record of winning at every level, starting in high school and extending to a decade-long career in the NBA, lends a credibility to the ISU program that entices prospects and provides a sense of solidarity to those already committed to Iowa State. After all, Hoiberg has stood exactly where all of his players stand now. He too stared up at the rafters in Hilton Coliseum and dreamed of hanging championship banners, sporting the same ISU jersey that his players now wear proudly.
opportunities that they want, allowing him to
"He builds relationships with his guys," junior
procure the missing pieces to his yearly puzzle
Naz Long said. "He implements everything
and create a picture of play at which ISU fans
through work and through character. He will
can marvel.
[speak to] us real, let us know right from wrong,
It all starts with the specific brand of basketball he offers. "I was [attracted to] the looseness and the freeness of how Fred lets his guys play," redshirt junior forward Abdel Nader said.
Hoiberg's genuine nature is evident. It is not public relations. It is not generic coach speak. It is real. "He actually cares," Niang said. "It is more than basketball with him. It is life."
The scheme and free-flowing style that governs
A BREAK FROM THE NORM
the Cyclones' in-game strategy is merely
Hoiberg's approach to personal relationships
an extension of the philosophy of unity and
with his players has also freed him to be a non-
unselfishness that Hoiberg begins promoting
traditional thinker and a risk-taker, using the
the first time he meets a recruit.
NCAA recruiting system to build ISU basketball
Hoiberg preaches and teaches, and how those messages are reinforced by his actions both on and off the court, is also something that speaks
MONTE´ MORRIS
and he is not going to sugarcoat anything."
A GENUINE PRESENCE
The consistency and the reliability of what
MATT THOMAS
by way of transfer students who were relative misfits at their previous programs. "I talked to our staff about getting guys in here that could help us compete for a
volumes to the young men under his guidance.
19
FRED HOIBERG
championship," Hoiberg said. "Now it is about putting guys in the right spots…and to continue to recruit at a high level where you get [those] type of players." Iowa State's record of recruiting transfers in the Hoiberg era has been one of the best in the nation. The list is long, but the name that jumps out the most is Kane. Kane was a dynamic scorer at Marshall who could create his own shot off the dribble, which is a rare and therefore highly sought-after skill. Yet as a shooter, Kane hovered around below average. Despite Kane's relative shooting woes, Hoiberg pursued and landed the fifth-year senior. Kane's progression after arriving in Ames is perhaps the quintessential example during Hoiberg's tenure of finding talent and molding it to his specific style of basketball.
NAZ LONG
Under mayoral tutelage, Kane's shooting percentage skyrocketed eight points in one season from just more than 40 percent to just above 48 percent, spurring him to a first-team All-Big 12 selection and third-team All-American honors. "It shows you that coach can take a guy from another program and turn him into a household name, just like DeAndre," Morris said. "Deandre came here after Royce White, and there was a lot of talk going on that he was this and that, and that he led the country in technical fouls. But he got here and had none of that. It just shows you the type of coach [Hoiberg] can be and how he grooms his players to be good young men." A RIPPLE EFFECT Hoiberg's ability to revamp a career on a limited timetable has already paid dividends again, aiding the
GEORGES NIANG
program in landing another high-profile transfer in 2014. Bryce Dejean-Jones joined the Cyclones for his final collegiate season after averaging more than 13 points per game at UNLV last year. Redshirt junior Jameel McKay, who was enrolled at Marquette before transferring to Iowa State, sat out last season. The 2013 transfer will likely be the starting center and a key piece both offensively and defensively for a team that again hopes to challenge for a Big 12 crown as well as a national title. Despite the turnover in personnel and the slight adjustments in formula, the constants of style and strategy for Iowa State have not changed. Transfers will again play a key role in 2014 as Dejean-
20
FRED HOIBERG
Jones and McKay will be worked in and around
has in previous years due to the increased
program mainstays Hogue, Niang, Morris
notoriety brought on by consistent winning.
and Long until maximum efficiency and effectiveness are attained. "We still have not won a league championship,
about available head coaching jobs in the NBA. For now anyway, Hoiberg has committed
"The biggest thing when you think about
to sticking around at Iowa State where he
coming to Iowa State is Fred," freshman
can continue to improve the program with
Clayton Custer said. "He is the main reason
his eye for under-appreciated talent and his
and we still, obviously, have not won a
I think a lot of us probably came here. He is
patchwork abilities to construct cohesion out
national championship," Hoiberg said. "Those
a genuine dude, and I believe in what he has
of chaos.
are the things we are trying to achieve. At
going here. It is a program on the rise."
the same time, the program is in a spot now where we can have those expectations. Now, it is [about] living up to them." Hoiberg's unique, mix-and-match model of success has done more than just turn the Iowa State program from a perennial .500 team into a national contender faster than anyone might have expected. It has perpetuated
THE FUTURE The winning combined with the exciting brand of basketball has produced wide-ranging effects that extend beyond recruiting. It
Every role Hoiberg has assumed, from chemist to tactician, from father figure to leader, from non-traditional thinker to risk-taker, has played a part in the revitalization of the ISU basketball community.
has reinvigorated the ISU fan base, which is
"You have got to give it up to Fred,� Nader said.
evident in the droves of fans now clamoring
“The university is a cool place, campus life is
for seats inside Hilton Coliseum.
a flow of non-traditional talent into the
Hoiberg's success has not gone unnoticed
program, which in turn has helped the team
outside of Ames and the state of Iowa, as he is
recruit traditional freshman better than it
routinely brought up in media conversations
great, but if you are a real basketball player and you are looking for a place with a guy that will let you play, there is no better coach in the nation."
21
MATT THOMAS
MATT THOMAS STARTED AS A SHOOTER. THIS SEASON, HE IS HOPING TO UPGRADE HIS CLASSIFICATION TO THAT OF A SNIPER. YET, IT IS NOT THE HOOP THAT THE SOPHOMORE MARKSMAN HAS LOCKED IN HIS SIGHTS, BUT HIS SHOT ITSELF. “I THINK COACH [HOIBERG] JUST WANTS ME, WHEN I AM IN THE GAME, TO COME IN AND BE REAL AGGRESSIVE OFFENSIVELY, REALLY HUNT MY SHOT,” THOMAS SAID. “I AM GOING TO COME IN AND SCORE POINTS. THAT IS MY ROLE FOR THIS TEAM.” WORDS BY: MA X DIBLE
Thomas’s mindset needed to find balance
Thomas’s maturity level was aided by the
a positive,” Thomas said. “I have realized what
before his stroke ever could. The 6-foot-4-inch
Cyclones’ climb to national prominence after the
is important to me right now in my life, and
guard sank 44 balls from behind the arc during
team won the Big 12 Tournament and advanced
that is family, friends, school and basketball. I
his freshman season, the second most for any
to the NCAA’s Sweet Sixteen before losing to
have really kind of limited what I do off of the
first-year player in Iowa State history, but it
eventual national champion UConn Huskies.
court to that, and I think that is helping my
took him over 130 attempts to reach that mark.
More recently, Thomas received a wake-up
game on the court.”
The stats computed into a 33.6 percent
call after being charged with driving under
Thomas will be asked to defend and ball-handle,
success rate from downtown, roughly 2
the influence. The incident cost Thomas
but his primary on-the-court responsibility will
percentage points below the ISU team
appearances in an ISU exhibition game
be his jump-shots, particularly from beyond
average from 3-point range last season.
against Viterbo, and in Iowa State’s first two
the arc, which he said is coming along quite
official games of the season versus Oakland
nicely at this point in the season. “My shot
and Georgia State.
honestly right now feels the best that it has
Thomas said that at times his struggles affected his mental stability on the floor. “I learned a lot,” Thomas said. “You learn how to react when say, you start off 0-3. Last year, maybe I was afraid to take that fourth one if I did start 0-3, where this year I think I am a lot more confident and comfortable on the court.” 22
Despite what it cost him, Thomas said the jolting experience spawned within him a new attitude, which came fully equipped with an intensified focus. “It was a big setback in my life, and I think I have definitely turned it into
probably ever felt,” Thomas said.
HILTON MAGIC
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23
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FEELS LIKE HOME I like the sense of community. It really helped me to feel at home during my transition to college. Anja, Larch Hall
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CONNECTION
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Over 12,000 Cyclones call us home. Students who live with us have higher GPAs, are more involved and are more likely to graduate from Iowa State than their peers who live off campus. We’re dedicated to helping students succeed!
www.housing.iastate.edu 24
Department of Residence
jadda buckley
SHE’D FLASH DOWN THE COURT, HER BLONDE HAIR ALMOST A BLUR. THE 5-FOOT-8-INCH GUARD WOULD COME TO A STOP OUTSIDE THE THREE-POINT LINE, BALL IN HAND, READY TO SHOOT. BUT JADDA BUCKLEY WOULDN’T ALWAYS PULL THE TRIGGER. THIS YEAR, THAT CHANGES. WORDS BY: HARRISON MARCH
“We’ve got a lot of shooters,” head coach Bill Fennelly said. “We need more makers.” Good news for Fennelly – Buckley is back and ready to take over the ISU offense. Buckley made a splash in her first year for the Cyclones last season, starting all but three games and ranking third on the team in scoring en route to becoming a unanimous Big 12 All-Freshman Team selection. With the ISU women’s basketball team searching for an offensive identity this year, Buckley is taking a big step into the spotlight. “Coach is always on me about hunting my shot this year,” Buckley said. “That’s going to be a huge aspect for me to embrace.”
shooting department, Buckley had an effective
Though her place within the team is changing,
field-goal percentage of 53.2 to lead all Cyclones
Buckley will do whatever it takes to get the most
with at least 10 three-point attempts. Though
important stat of all – the “W.”
that’s no small feat, Buckley and Fennelly agreed that she has room for improvement. “A big thing for me, I think, is consistency throughout every game,” Buckley said. “I
“I’m big into getting everybody on the scoreboard if I can, but at the end of the day, you have to do what you have to do in order to get the win,” Buckley said. “If that’s putting up 30 [points],
would have a few bad games last year, a few
then I’ll do that; if that’s putting up two [points]
good games last year. Just having that overall
and dropping 10 assists, that’s what I have to do.”
consistency through each game is going to be big for me and for the team.” Buckley’s role will expand beyond elite scorer, however, as she’ll be counted on to facilitate an ISU offense whose leading scorer from last year, Hallie Christofferson, now plays basketball
Last season, Buckley was the only freshman in
in Austria. No worries, though, because Buckley
the nation to shoot 40 percent from the field, 40
also dished 101 assists last season – third most
percent from three-point land and 87 percent
by an ISU freshman in team history.
on free throws. Through her efficiency in the 25
A
FENNELLY affair WORDS BY: RYAN YOUNG
26
TABLESCAPE BY NIKKI HOLLAND DESIGN AND BRENDA PETERSEN
COACH BILL FENNELLY AND HIS WIFE DEB FENNELLY
It was one of the worst days of his life. Ten-year-old Billy Fennelly had just learned that his dad had accepted a job
Fennelly had stepped into a program fresh off an eight-win season. The
as head coach of the women’s basketball team at Iowa State.
Cyclones won only one game in conference play that year, finishing in last
“When I first heard that he got the job, I cried probably for the first five or six nights,” Billy said. “I had to leave all of my friends. I was going into fifth grade, and I just felt like the world was coming to an end.” His dad, Bill Fennelly, had been building a dynasty of sorts at the University of Toledo, where he went 166-53 in his seven years as head coach of the Rockets. To this day he is still one of the Mid-American Conference’s winningest coaches. That was in 1995.
place. In fact, the Cyclones had only 18 wins combined in the three seasons before Fennelly arrived. “It was a program that was in a place that needed a lot of work, both on and off the court,” Fennelly said. “We knew that coming in. It was just a matter of what we needed to do to make it better. There was good and bad with it, just like there always is. But I think the perception from outside the program was not very good.” The Cyclones, who were still playing in the Big Eight conference, were
Now, 20 seasons later, Fennelly has turned the once struggling ISU women’s
averaging just more than 700 fans per home game, but at times it was
program into a consistent contender not only in the Big 12 conference, but
a lot worse.
also in the NCAA as well. And he doesn’t want to go anywhere anytime soon. “This is home for him, he loves this place,” assistant coach Latoja Schaben
In fact, for Fennelly’s first game at Iowa State, barely 300 people filled the stands. “I saved the box score from the first game, I think we had 310 people,” Fennelly
said. “He’s all about Iowa State, and the thing is, he still has the drive and the
said. “We had a women’s team, and people knew we weren’t very good. We
motivation to be here. “That’s what’s important,” she said. “He has a passion
didn’t even play Iowa. I knew that was a sign we needed to improve; they
that is beyond unbelievable.”
wouldn’t even put us on the schedule.” Fennelly knew he needed to change the direction of the program and quickly. He wanted to see an impact right away, and he had to get his team behind him. 27
“We kind of set the tone with everyone that you were in this or you were out,” Fennelly said. “There was no five-year plan. We wanted to be better today, and that’s what I told them.” Fennelly’s new system had an immediate impact. The Cyclones finished that
“HE STAYS TRUE TO WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE IS,
season with a 17-10 overall record, earning more wins than the previous two seasons combined. The team still finished sixth in the conference that year, however, and failed to make a postseason tournament. Even though that team didn’t make it into the postseason, the coaches
AND THAT’S WHY HE WINS.
didn’t see it as a failed season. Former assistant coach Katie Abrahamson-
HE’S NOT TRYING TO BE
what Fennelly was doing from the start and really got behind it.
ANYONE ELSE.” -KATIE ABRAHAMSON-HENDERSON
Henderson, who is now the head women’s coach at Albany University, saw
“It was a good program then, but it wasn’t nationally ranked like he has it now,” Abrahamson-Henderson said. “I think his vision for the program when he went in there was set from the start. We just had to build it step by step, minute by minute. How he did it was pretty special.”
The 1998-1999 season was arguably the first time Fennelly was able to put Iowa State women’s basketball on the map. Fennelly’s squad finished second in the conference that year and was able to breeze through the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, giving Iowa State its first Sweet Sixteen appearance. There was just one problem; they were scheduled to play top seeded UConn. 28
PETE LINK, JODI STEYER, JOSH CARPER AND ED STEYER, LYNDSEY FENNELLY, LATOJA SCHABEN AND SCOTT SCHABEN
With the odds stacked against them, Fennelly and his coaching staff
with a plan that works and stick to it, Abrahamson-Henderson said, is part
knew they had to come up with something different if they wanted to
of what makes him one of the best basketball minds in the country.
beat the Huskies. “What we did, we slowed them down,” Abrahamson-Henderson said. “We
“He’s a master at chess matching the games in terms of what we did and the game plan we had,” Abrahamson-Henderson said. “He stays true to
literally walked the ball up the floor, went into the four corners, and we did
who he is and what he is, and that’s why he wins. He’s not trying to be
not shoot the ball until 10 seconds on the shot clock. We wouldn’t even try
anyone else.”
to go rebound, because we didn’t want them to fast break.” The two teams were neck and neck at half. Even though Fennelly’s strategy was working, he knew it was time to change it up. “In the second half, they went in to try to see how they could speed us up
Since the 1999 Elite Eight team, Fennelly and company have made the NCAA tournament 11 more times. Three times they have made it to the Sweet Sixteen, and have made the Elite Eight one other time. In fact,
and change what they were doing against us,” Abrahamson-Henderson
there are just three seasons in Fennelly’s tenure at Iowa State where
said. “But then we started running. We started playing and doing what we
he failed to make a postseason tournament at all. Fennelly’s consistent
normally did. Then everyone was confused on the opposite side.”
success, in part, is due to his recruiting players that fit his system.
In the end, the Cyclones pulled it off. They beat top-seeded UConn 64-58 and made their mark in the college basketball world. “We beat a great team, a team that is synonymous with success in women’s basketball,” Fennelly said. “It gave us our first maybe bump of national
“He didn’t come in trying to change everybody around,” AbrahamsonHenderson said. “He tried to get a system that went to everybody’s strengths, and it actually fit most of the players there. We then went to recruit players that really fit his system.”
attention. You beat a great team, that’s one thing. But the way you did it and
And when Fennelly recruits his players, he looks for one main component.
who you did it with was even more significant to the people on the inside.”
His players need to want to be there.
Fennelly has coached in several games similar to that Sweet Sixteen game since then, and has come up with similar strategies. His ability to come up
“Every day, we talked about embracing the process,” Fennelly said. “If you wanted to embrace the process, then we want you a part of this. We didn’t 29
JOSH CARPER AND KELSEY CARPER, BILLY FENNELLY
know where it was going to go, but we wanted people who wanted to be involved. Luckily there was enough of them.”
And he says that makes all the difference. “We haven’t been able to recruit kids until recently that were very highly
Over the years, Fennelly has been able to consistently recruit players
rated,” Fennelly said. “But we got kids that wanted to get better, accepted
who fit his system. In fact, several of his former players continued to play
coaching, wanted coaching, and over time, one thing kind of led to another.”
basketball professionally and even have gone on to coaching. What makes players want to play for him isn’t the fact that he has built a nationally recognized program. Sophomore guard Jadda Buckley said it’s much more than that. “He was very honest with me, and that’s one of the reasons I came here,” Buckley said. “He just had a genuine kindness about him. A lot of other coaches would sugarcoat things, but I wanted to go somewhere where it’s going to be honest, where he’s going to be up front with me and make me better, and I knew that he would from the beginning.”
Fennelly has been at Iowa State long enough to have seen five different men’s basketball coaches, three different football coaches and even three different presidents. His 20-year tenure is the longest of any other women’s coach at Iowa State. But if you had asked the Iowa native if he would have stayed at Iowa State, he would have to say no. “Back then I was only 37, and you’re sitting there thinking about if this doesn’t work out. I mean you have to think about those things,” Fennelly said. “But if I said there was never a doubt in my mind I would be lying
The honesty and passion Buckley found in Fennelly when he first started
to you. It’s worked out, but I don’t know if anyone thought I would be
recruiting hasn’t died down either. In fact, she says it’s only gotten better.
coaching players that weren’t alive when I got the job.”
“Oh nothing’s changed,” Buckley said. “He’s still challenging me every
For the once 10-year-old Billy, he really started to appreciate Ames, too.
day in practice and in every game. His door is always open. If you need
He started making friends and fitting in, and all the terrors of moving soon
anything, he’s always there, and that’s nice to know.”
disappeared. It wasn’t long until Fennelly found himself going to Iowa
Before the team’s recent success, recruiting options were limited for Fennelly. He says, however, that he still got players that fit his program and truly wanted to get better. 30
State and working on his father’s staff. Billy served as a team manager for three years while at Iowa State, as well as working for both Maryland for one year and Northwestern for two years after his graduation. Billy was
then able to join his father’s staff as an assistant, somewhere he always wanted to work. “You already have that built-in trust level,” Billy said. “There are things that I can say to him that most people can’t, and vice versa. I think we have that level of understanding that we’re both in it for a common goal, and we understand each other real well, sometimes too well.” While his father was one of the main reasons he wanted to get into coaching, Billy still brings a different style to the court. In fact, it’s something that Buckley really appreciates. “They have a great relationship,” Buckley said. “You can tell on the court he’s teaching so much to Billy. Billy brings a different aspect too. Billy’s more calm, and it’s a good offset between them both.” And for Billy, he doesn’t want to be anywhere else. “Now it’s all I really know,” Billy said. “I went to school here. I had the chance to get out for a few years, see some different stuff, and that was great. But I really like it. My wife and I live here, and now with a little one, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.” But it’s not just Billy and his wife, former player Lyndsey Medders, who makes the team a family atmosphere. Fennelly’s nephew, Trevor Fennelly, is currently a graduate assistant with the Cyclones. Assistant coach Latoja Schaben, who has coached with Fennelly for 18 years, is considered by the Fennellys as family, too. Schaben, who played for Fennelly at Toledo, joined Fennelly at Iowa State shortly after her professional career in Europe. Her longevity with Fennelly is something that she says isinvaluable. “It’s been great, I’ve learned a lot,” Schaben said. “It’s been great to see all of these players develop through the years. It’s been a blessing to be around and to pick his brain and learn something every year.” Along with Schaben, associate head coach Jodi Steyer has been working with Fennelly for most of her career, too. Steyer is starting her 13th year with Iowa State this winter, and has a big part in the team’s success. “Nothing against coach Fennelly or anything, but coach [Steyer] is my favorite,” senior guard Brynn Williamson said. “She knows so much about the game, and she is so helpful when it comes to basketball and wanting to do the extra stuff. She’s very committed to the program.” With such long-lasting relationships on Fennelly’s staff, many consider the whole staff like one, big family. “It’s crazy to think about; literally they’re family,” Williamson said. “They’ve been together for so long. It’s just crazy to see the type of environment that they’ve built, and it’s something that everyone, I think when they enter the workplace, aspire to be a part of.” And for Fennelly, as he looks back on the program he turned around two decades ago, he’s just happy to have been so lucky. “I love coming to work every day. Hopefully they’ll want to keep us around a little longer,” Fennelly said. “We were very lucky. There are not many coaches who can say that they’ve been at one place for an extended amount of time, for any reason. You don’t see that very often anymore.”
31
32
“ONE THING I REALLY FIGURED OUT IS YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORK OUT LONG TO SEE CHANGE. PEOPLE SAY, ‘OH I GOTTA GO FOR TWO HOURS OR BURN 1,000 CALORIES,’ [BUT] IF YOU REALLY PUSH YOURSELF THROUGH AND UP YOUR INTENSITY, I FEEL LIKE YOU WILL SEE CHANGES QUICKER THAN YOU THINK.”
NIANG’S FAVORITE SMOOTHIE INCLUDES KALE, PEACH JUICE, PINEAPPLE, CARROT, CELERY AND STRAWBERRIES– “SOUNDS LIKE A WEIRD MIX BUT IT TASTES REALLY GOOD, THE PINEAPPLE ADDS SWEETNESS.”
“PEOPLE SAY I WALK AROUND WITH MY SHIRT OFF ALL THE TIME, AND I DO, AND THAT’S JUST SOMETHING I FEEL LIKE I’VE EARNED THE RIGHT TO DO BECAUSE WHEN I WAS FAT I WASN'T WALKING AROUND WITH MY SHIRT OFF–I COULDN'T."
the transformation IN HINDSIGHT, IT WAS A LUCKY BREAK WHEN GEORGES NIANG BROKE HIS FOOT DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE CYCLONES SECOND-ROUND NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME AGAINST NORTH CAROLINA. WORDS BY: DE VIN WILMOT T
As Niang waited 10 weeks for his injury to heal,
The summer routine enabled the 6-foot-8-inch
he couldn’t do his regular work in the weight
junior to drop 25 pounds and cut his body fat in
room. He also started to eat more. That bad
half. Niang’s drive and dedication is reflected
combination saw Niang’s weight increase to 256
in his new frame, which makes him stronger on
pounds and his body fat reach the mid-teens.
the court. The transformation is complete and
It was time to change. With the help of Andrew
Cyclone fans will notice the difference in the
Moser, Iowa State’s director of strength and
new Georges Niang.
conditioning for Olympic sports, Niang started the transformation. He adjusted his daily habits, changed his weight room course and changed course with a new nutrition plan.
33
AN IOWA STATE OF MIND
34
WORDS BY: ALE X GOOKIN
him staring at the chests of many opponents,
around him. Every coach, every player, every
Matt Abdelmassih was eating breakfast in
and he wasn’t gifted with the blazing talent of
available source was used to the fullest extent.
Chicago when he got the call. His boss, Fred
others like Muggsy Bogues to make up for it.
Hoiberg, had given him and a few others tickets to see the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland
But that didn’t stop him.
Cavaliers face off in an NBA playoff game.
He was a student of the game, borderline
Matt knew that Fred was interviewing with
obsessive. He was far from the most talented
Jamie Pollard about a possible college head
basketball player on the team, but he was
coaching job at Iowa State.
determined to become the most successful in
“Hey, where are you?” Hoiberg asked. “Just eating breakfast, what’s up? Everything cool?” Abdelmassih asked. “Well, how do you feel about moving to Ames?”
the world of basketball. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Abdelmassih had his sights set on college in his home state, and he wasn’t going to settle for anything but his dream school: St. John’s.
Abdelmassih laughed, knowing Hoiberg — his
“It was the only school I applied to, and if I
best friend and partner-in-crime at the front
didn’t get in there, I said I wasn’t going to
office of the Minnesota Timberwolves — was
college,” Abdelmassih said.
messing with him after finishing what he thought was the first round of interviews. But he wasn’t. “No, I’m serious, man.”
But his hard work and persistence paid off, landing an acceptance letter from his dream school and his dream job as a Division I college basketball student manager. It was there he expanded his knowledge under head coach Norm Roberts, considered Bill Self’s
At first glance, Matt Abdelmassih may have
top recruiter at Kansas before taking the St.
just looked like another body on the floor for
John’s head coaching position.
the Cocalico High School men’s basketball team in Denver, Penn. His short stature had
“I really was a pest, I was annoying,” Abdelmassih said. “I was relentless in the fact that I didn’t want one person to say no, and if they did, I just kept going and going and going. That’s kind of who I am, I don’t take no for an answer and try to figure it out.” And that’s where he gained his trust — through hard work, maybe even a bit of stubbornness. Forcing his foot in the door everywhere he could, he was trying to move up the professional ladder before even getting out of college. “It’s the East Coast demeanor that I have,” Abdelmassih said. “It’s relentless, it’s blue collar. The only way I got where I am is because I work. I try and outwork everybody.” And he did. After interning for a season at the Minnesota Timberwolves, he caught the eye of Fred Hoiberg, who at the time was director of basketball operations.
Video. Travel. Camps. His responsibilities grew as he absorbed every bit of information he had 35
“I’m very straightforward. You’re not BS-ing these kids, you’re not BS-ing their families, and when you’re straightforward, it’s amazing how much people really appreciate that.”
Darting in and out of offices at the Sukup Basketball Complex on the west side of Ames, Abdelmassih hurried around, asking for a favor from the receptionist and relaying information to another assistant. “Just give me a few minutes, then we will hammer this thing out,” he said to me as he whizzed around like a stockbroker on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. I was early, so I told him I was in no rush. I sat down in the dimly lit, modern lobby area and glanced down at a magazine cover. “All right, let’s do this,” he said. “You’re ready?” I asked, wondering how 10 seconds was enough to finish what he was doing. Without answering, he zipped into his office and sat down in his chair as I hustled behind, not used to the pace of a “New York minute.” Dressed in cardinal and gold warmups from head to toe, Abdelmassih leaned back in his leather rolling chair behind his desk with his foot propped up next to his computer. He let out a big sigh and settled in. “My ultimate goal was I wanted to be a front office guy in the NBA, and my dream job is to be the general manager of the New York Knicks someday,” Abdelmassih said, a picture of the Statue of Liberty wearing an Iowa State jersey sitting on a shelf over his shoulder. His dream job is still in the works. But at 29 years old, his résumé is as stacked as they come. With four years of experience as student manager at St. John’s, his goal of working in an NBA front office had a solid base. After applying for an internship with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he went through a few interviews before meeting the person who would send him from the Empire State to the Midwest. “Once Fred got involved in the interview process, it was over,” he said. “I think he appreciated the sincerity I had. I flew out there in the summer of 2007, and the rest is history.” Video operations, free agency, draft prep. His years of experience as a college assistant paid off, and his pedal to the floor work ethic propelled him even higher. He developed a unique relationship with Hoiberg, with both quickly moving up the ladder as Hoiberg was promoted
36
to vice president of basketball operations, and
Dejean-Jones are all products of his recruiting,
Abdelmassih serving as his right-hand man as
an unconventional tactic that has received
basketball operations assistant.
national attention with its success.
They became more than co-workers, they
“He’s a funny guy, and it really drew me to
were friends. He quickly learned about
him,” Dejean-Jones said. “You can tell he
Hoiberg’s love for his alma mater, and Hoiberg
really cares about his players, and that was a
even sent Abdelmassih to Ames to watch a
big thing for me.”
couple of basketball games. But Abdelmassih didn’t think much of it. He was having the time of his life, achieving his ultimate goal as a kid in his mid-20s.
But Abdelmassih’s move to Ames didn’t change his East Coast demeanor, giving a quiet, mild-tempered Hoiberg a meansbusiness kind of recruiter who has developed into one of the top recruiters in the nation.
“Come on man, don’t mess with me,” Abdelmassih said, trying to wrap his head around the possibility of leaving the NBA for Ames, Iowa. “I’m serious, I was offered the job,” Hoiberg replied. Just days later, Hoiberg was at the news conference announcing his hiring as head
It’s an Empire state of mind — with an Iowa State twist. “I’m very straightforward,” Abdelmassih said. “You’re not BS-ing these kids, you’re not BS-ing their families, and when you’re straightforward, it’s amazing how much people really appreciate that.”
“Fred’s responsible for so much of where I’m at today, but I also like to think that he gave me the opportunity because he knew I could do it on my own and knew that I could take and run with the opportunity and turn it into a really big-time personal success for me.” And at the rate he’s going, there’s no telling where Abdelmassih’s success could take him: a premiere college job, an NBA job, or maybe, just maybe, his dream job as GM of the Knicks. But ISU fans shouldn’t fret. Abdelmassih’s life in the fast lane doesn’t appear to be taking an exit back to New York — or anywhere — for a long time. “Not in a million years. If someone came and offered me triple the amount of money that I’m making now, I would never think about leaving a guy like Fred Hoiberg,” Abdelmassih said, taking his foot off the desk and leaning forward in his chair. “When you are around good people
coach of the Iowa State basketball team.
that you consider friends, that you consider
The only guy Hoiberg brought from the
family, there’s no price tag to that.
Timberwolves staff was Matt Abdelmassih.
Leaning back in his chair, he checks his phone as I ask him another question. He wiggles the
“Wherever Fred goes in life, whether it’s being
What happened during the next four years is
mouse to his computer to wake up his screen,
at Iowa State for 15 years or being somewhere
well documented: Three NCAA tournament
glancing quickly at his email inbox.
else, I hope I’m blessed enough that I can keep
appearances, a Sweet Sixteen appearance and a Big 12 Tournament Championship.
In the back corner of the room, a window
going on the journey with him.”
overlooks the practice court where several ISU
Behind the scenes, Abdelmassih was doing
players — many there because of Abdelmassih’s
his part to better the team. Transfers like
efforts — are shooting hoops despite the team’s
Royce White, Deandre Kane and Bryce
official practice not starting for hours.
“You can tell he really cares about his players, and that was a big thing for me.” BRYCE DEJEAN-JONES
37
THE FUTURE IS HERE THEY CAME TO AMES FROM THE NORTH, THE SOUTH AND THE EAST, TRAVELING MORE THAN 2,500 MILES AND 38 HOURS BY ROAD. WORDS BY: HARRISON MARCH
This highly touted crops of freshmen–quite possibly the best in program history–came from all over the United States to become Cyclones. Among them are three McDonald’s All-American nominees, five high school state titles and numerous conference and district accolades. BRYANNA FERNSTROM
All five players have an 89/100 rating or above, according to ESPN scouts, and each of them is a top 50 player from the 2014 class in their respective position.
EMILY DURR
“What do I expect to get out of the freshmen? A lot, I hope,” head coach Bill Fennelly said. “I would say four of the five right now are for sure going to play.” The class is headlined by Emily Durr, a 6-foot guard who loves nothing more than firing from beyond the arc. In her senior season, Durr broke New York’s Section 3 all-time scoring record previously held by Team USA’s Breanna Stewart. The transition to college could be tough for Durr, who will have to face a longer three-point distance and the physical style of Division I basketball. “I’m still getting used to the college three, and I’m getting stronger, too,” Durr said. “I didn’t lift in high school because weight training wasn’t a big thing where I’m from.” Teaming up with Durr in the backcourt will be Nakiah Bell, a quick and athletic point guard from Florissant, Mo., that Iowa State generously says comes in at 5-foot-6-inches. The No. 25-ranked floor general in her class was an honorable mention All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. What Bell lacks in size, she makes up with in skill. “Nakiah can play the one or the two,” Fennelly said. “She’s undersized, but very, very skilled [and] very smart.”
38
“That’s going to be a great advantage for her,” assistant coach Billy Fennelly said. “A lot of post players are very right-hand dominant, so when all of a sudden you’re facing Bry, a kid who’s big, hard to move and gets great position, BLAIRE THOMAS
she’s also going to go the other way on you.” In spite of the fact that they hail from all over the country, the group has already begun to mesh. Everyone – from Durr, whose hometown of Utica, N.Y., is more than 1,000 miles away, to Thomas, who comes from less than 100 miles away in Waterloo, Iowa – has been brought together to don the cardinal and gold in Ames for the next four years. “We’re super tight,” Ricketts said. “I think it’s really cool that all of us are from different areas – none of us are from the same state
NAKIAH BELL
even. It’s really awesome that we all have a different background, but at the same time we’re super close.”
CLAIRE RICKETTS
Though the talent pool is deep with this incoming group, they face a tough challenge in adapting to the college game. Whenever they put on their uniforms, they won’t be allowed to act like freshmen. Moving down low, the Cyclones have added two post players who Fennelly said are in the best situation of any freshmen in the country. With the graduation of two-time Honorable Mention All-American forward Hallie Christofferson, Iowa State has questions in its front court, and both freshmen have the chance to be part of the answer. Claire Ricketts, a 6-foot-3-inch power forward from Parker, Texas, committed to play for Texas Tech during her junior year of high school, but she decided to re-evaluate when the Lady Raiders brought in a new coach. “I knew in the back of my mind that this was the program that fit me and who I am,” Blaire Thomas, the player Fennelly isn’t as
Ricketts said. “I reached out to [Iowa State]
sure will see a lot of minutes, finds herself in
before I officially decommitted, and with
a positioning predicament. The only Iowan in
everything they did to help me during that, it
the freshman class played as a forward in high
boosted my confidence in picking Iowa State.”
school, but at just under 6 feet, she’s small by Division I standards. Because of this, Thomas is making the switch to guard, where she’ll fit more naturally in the college game. While she makes the transition, though, she’ll also have to play catch-up with Durr and Bell. “Blaire Thomas…is probably a little bit behind them skill-wise,” Fennelly said. “Athletically, she’ll be ready, but we’re trying to find a position for her.”
“I think the challenge is the separation between understanding ‘I’m a freshman,’ and ‘there’s a learning curve,’ but you got to go in and play,” Bill Fennelly said. “You’re on a scholarship and when the game starts they’re not going to say, ‘Hey, are you a freshman?’ No – they’re going to say, ‘You got to go play’.” They’ve come far to get here; they hope the traveling isn’t done. It’ll be 700 miles to Dallas for the Big 12 Championship and another 1,400 to reach the ultimate goal–the Final Four in Tampa Bay. “We always want to win the Big 12 and go to the [NCAA] tournament. Those are the big ones,” Durr said. “We know we’re young and we’ve got to figure some stuff out first, but I think it’ll be an exciting season. “At the end of the day, we just want to win.”
Accompanying Ricketts down low is Bryanna Fernstrom, a 6-foot-5-inch center from Center City, Minn., with a knack for stuffing the stat sheet. Fernstrom averaged a double/double in points and rebounds her last two years of high school, while also blocking 4.5 opponents’ shots per game her senior campaign. She also has a unique advantage in being lefthanded, which can give defenders headaches as they try to contain her in the post.
39
JUST A KIDD AT HEART IT STARTED WHEN NICOLE BLASKOWSKY WAS THE LONE FRESHMAN ON THE STEPHEN F. AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM. “EVERYONE CALLED ME ‘KID,’ AND I’D HAVE TO GO GET THE BALLS AND DO ALL THAT EXTRA WORK,” SHE SAID, LAUGHING. “ONE OF MY TEAMMATES THAT WAS A SENIOR AT THE TIME STARTED CALLING ME ‘KIDD’ AND IT JUST PICKED UP. I LIKE IT. I THINK IT FITS. I FEEL LIKE I’VE ALWAYS HAD AN INNER KID IN ME.” WORDS BY: HARRISON MARCH
40
Kidd, as she’s still known, is usually seen under the bright lights of Hilton Coliseum, making the crowd roar after hitting a clutch 3-pointer. But when the 5-foot-7-inch junior unlaces her basketball shoes and hangs up her jersey, she won’t be found in the same type of electrifying environment she creates in Hilton. Instead, she prefers the peaceful environments – places where she isn’t Kidd the basketball player, but rather Kidd the person. “Being at home, I can hang out with my dog and have normal conversations with my roommate or friends that has nothing to do with basketball,” Kidd said. “You go other places and it’s like, ‘Oh, that’s Kidd. She plays basketball.’ Well, there’s a little more to it than just that.” Though Kidd enjoys putting up some extra shots as much as any guard at the Division I level, she makes sure not to live and breathe that basketball lifestyle 24/7. Her dog, Diamond, often aids in that regard. Kidd has had Diamond, a black lab/pit bull mix, since August 2013, and while they mostly just go on walks, Kidd also has plans to go deer and boar hunting with her back home in Sugar Land, Texas, someday. “I’ve been training her, been working with her,” Kidd said. “I could bring her hunting – she’d do it – but I can’t up here [in Iowa] because the license is different. I think she has the ability to do it because at the apartment there’ll be rabbits running around and she’ll just take off on them before I even see them.”
“Going home and getting away from basketball
by coaching or serve in the military if coaching
and the city life, going to the beach house, get
doesn’t pan out. Either way, Kidd is set on
away with my buds and hang out,” Kidd said.
using her life to change others for the better.
“It’s more of a bonding experience than about catching fish.” Though getting to spend time outdoors is a priority for her while the Iowa weather still allows, it also helps maintain an important balance between athletics and normal student life. “I think it’s important to have the other side of it, to be just a student,” Kidd said. “If you’re having a rough practice or it gets hard on you, it’s important to just step outside of that spectrum and get yourself together as a person rather than a basketball player. When the next
“It’s about giving back,” she said. “Basketballwise, what I know about that game and sharing that with younger kids that may not get it just as well. In the military, just to have that motivation that I’m not doing something for myself but that it’s for literally everybody.” If she does someday become Coach Blaskowsky and ascends to the ranks of Division I hoops, there’s one man she’d particularly enjoy a matchup with – current ISU coach Bill Fennelly. “It would be about the team. If they want it they’ll get it,” Kidd said. “It would definitely be
Perhaps her favorite way to get away from the
day comes, regroup and get back at it.”
hustle and bustle of life is by fishing. From the
That next day came Nov. 4, 2014, when the
man. He knows a lot about the game, and he’s
Cyclones stepped onto the court at Hilton
taught me everything.”
banks of the Boone River to right off the shore of her family’s beach house in Texas, you name the fish and she’s gone after it – even the occasional shark. It’s the serene, yet unpredictable nature of fishing that has drawn Kidd back to that
Coliseum for an exhibition game against William Penn. Right away, Kidd reminded the ISU faithful that she’s back for more with a 3-pointer for the game’s first score. She followed that up Nov. 9 with a mess of
a respect thing – I would never not respect that
Finding the right balance in all aspects of her college life is a challenge Kidd has openly embraced. Though the checklist for her remaining time in Ames is long, ranging from a deep NCAA tournament run to grabbing a
pastime for so many years. “I’ve been doing
3-pointers against Winona State.
that since I was a little baby,” Kidd said with a
Though her playing career is little more than
Kidd approaches it all with the mindset to
halfway over, Kidd already has her sights set
make it all work out.
smile. “I like the patience of it. A lot of people think, ‘Let’s go fishing. We’ll catch something today.’ It’s kind of a thrill because you never know.” For Kidd, though, fishing is not as much about the catch as it is about the experiences shared.
on making an impact when her run with ISU basketball is over.
couple more beef enchiladas from El Azteca,
“Whatever I do, I’m going hard to the paint. I’m going to make something happen.”
Right now it’s down to two choices for her – either stay connected with the sport she loves
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All four of the women’s basketball team members wondered what was going on while agreeing that this was extremely unusual. The feeling of dread and confusion immediately turned into laughter, though, when they called Pete Link, strength and conditioning coordinator for the women’s basketball team, and heard the sound of panic over the phone from the man who is always 20 minutes early. “Link is early to every workout, so when our lifting group saw that he was not inside already waiting for us, we were shocked,” Williamson said. “Link is early to everything, so he told us we could pick a workout for him being late. We made him do step-ups along with everything else he always made us do, and he did it with no questions asked.” Link has not been late to a workout since. Regardless if that is because he fears his athletes picking another workout for him again or not, Link is one of the key factors to the Cyclone women’s success. “When people look at our success and wonder what things have gone into where we are, we all know Link is a huge part of that,” said Williamson, a senior who plays both guard and forward. Before Link, the men’s and women’s team would share a strength and conditioning coordinator. Often, that resulted in the women’s team being on their own for workouts if the men’s team was on the road. “It has been extremely nice to have [Link]
THE MISSING LINK TWO SEASONS AGO, BRYNN WILLIAMSON, KIDD BLASKOWSKY, ELLY ARGANBRIGHT AND HALLIE CHRISTOFFERSON ARRIVED TO THE SUKUP FACILITY ABOUT 6 A.M. FOR THEIR ROUTINE MORNING WORKOUT. THIS TIME, THOUGH, THE CAR THEY ALWAYS SAW SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. WORDS BY: K YLE KUBIAK
44
here these past couple years and now into my senior year,” Williamson said. “His sole purpose is to get the women’s basketball program better, faster and stronger. “Before [Link], we would have some freedom here and there if [Andrew Moser, men’s basketball strength and conditioning coach] was gone, and you’re really able to see how much more athletic we are over these couple years due to [Link],” she said.
Before focusing on the women’s basketball
Link is one of only eight full-time strength and
around the players more than any other coach,
team, Link served as Iowa State’s assistant
conditioning coaches with the sole focus on
and without becoming a part of their lives, it
strength and conditioning director for
women’s basketball in the NCAA, but he does
would be impossible to keep them interested
Olympic sports, where he worked with the
not think the group will remain that small for
in the continuous morning workouts.
volleyball, softball, tennis and swimming and
too much longer.
diving programs. While working with those programs, the volleyball team advanced to the Elite Eight in 2011, and the softball team saw a pair of players break the school record for career home runs. “The biggest thing is allowing the girls to have
“It is kind of cool to be one of the first because I think this field is going to continue to gain
they are just simple things that don’t have anything to do with what we are doing that
specifically, you will start to see more
day to keep them rolling – just talking about
positions like mine, which is good for the
different shows that I know they watch or if
sport and athletes,” Link said. “It’s only going
they have a favorite sports team.
to help them perform better on the court and
them all the time,” Link said. “Travel-wise
hopefully be a small piece in raising the total
and at every practice is a big piece of what a
ability of women’s basketball players.” A strength and conditioning coach becomes
Link said one of the most important parts
much more to the athletes than just someone
of his job is getting the women ready for a
who is making them faster and stronger. Link
game, not just in the days leading up to the
is the person who ends up joking with the
game but the day of the game in the time
players on a daily basis, strengthening a bond
leading up to the start of the game. Since his
that can become a love-hate relationship.
arrival, the Cyclone women are 44-20 with two consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
“Some days we hate coming in early and seeing him because we know he is going to
“It is definitely an honor, especially to work for
push us as hard as we can,” Williamson said.
[head women’s basketball coach Bill] Fennelly,”
“He can be the toughest guy in the gym, and
Link said. “He has been here for 20 years and
then he can be the only guy you want to talk
runs a great program.”
to because he’s so relaxed.
Fennelly said Link’s contributions to the players’
“He understands all of us and listens and talks
development is essential to the team’s success.
to us sometimes more as a friend rather than
“Coach Link has been a major addition to our staff,” Fennelly said. “His expertise and daily involvement with our players is critical to our success.”
different things,” Link said. “Most of the time
more coaches, and in women’s basketball,
a strength and conditioning coach around
strength and conditioning coach does.”
“When they come in, I try to talk to them about
“I know Brynn’s a Kansas City fan so we would talk about the Royals,” he said. Link knows there is more to his job than just teaching and demanding in the weight room. He understands that he must become invested in their lives to see results, but that’s just the kind of person he is. “He is one of those people where you’re never scared to walk into their office and have a conversation with,” Williamson said. “You feel like you’re talking to one of your friends, and that is what makes Link so great.”
a coach,” Williamson said. “He is really good at individualizing what each of us do and care about.” As a strength coach, that just becomes part of the job, especially in the offseason. Link is
45
HUMBLE CONFIDENT SELFLESS
WORDS BY: ALEX GOOKIN
The Sixth Man. The “Long” Ball. Three-sus of Nazareth. Naz Long’s knack for hitting clutch three-pointers has earned him more nicknames than he can count. He’s as much of a celebrity on the Iowa State campus as any Iowa State athlete, but he will be the first to tell you the rest of the team gets just as much attention as him. That’s how Naz Long operates: Humble. Confident. Selfless. That’s why coach Fred Hoiberg was confident re-inserting him into the Oklahoma State game in Stillwater, Okla., despite shooting 0-for-4 to start the game. The No. 16 Cyclones had dropped four of their last six games heading into the matchup against the No. 19 Cowboys, hanging on to their top 25 ranking by a thread. Long struggled in regulation, turning the ball over twice and failing to score. But in the second overtime with less than 15 seconds remaining, Hoiberg reinserted Long into the game. As time ticked away, Long watched as 46
Matt Thomas missed a 3-pointer to tie the
But there was no celebration, no taunting,
game. Deandre Kane pulled down the long
no begging for attention. Instead, Naz
rebound, stepping back behind the 3-point line
was the first to the huddle giving words of
to tie the game as the seconds ticked away. But
encouragement going into the third overtime.
instead, Kane saw Long calling for the ball and dumped it over to him.
“Coach Hoiberg believes in me,” Long said. “Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to hit
With a defender charging at him and the
that shot. I knew that when I got the ball in
clock winding down, Naz caught the ball
my hands, I didn’t have to think twice about
and shot in one motion, nailing the fade-
shooting.”
away 3-pointer with less than two seconds remaining to force a third overtime.
That’s how he operates: Humble. Confident. Selfless.
Then he did it again in Ames, forcing overtime
points per game. But it helped his team, and
on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for the second
that’s all that mattered to Long.
time against the Cowboys. Long only took a moment to recognize the home crowd in Hilton before heading back to the huddle to help his team focus going into overtime. “The reason I didn’t celebrate is I knew we still had an overtime. We had an overtime we needed to win, so someone like myself, I’m going to get hyped here and there, but I’m going to keep it to a minimum.” FINDING HIS ROLE Long looked destined to be a star from day one. Hoiberg showed confidence in Long, playing him 20 or more minutes in the first
Whether it’s putting up 500 shots hours after practice or walking into an empty gym on the weekends to work on footwork, Long is working harder than he ever has to improve himself. But he will be the first to tell you it’s not just him — it’s the whole team. That’s how he operates: Humble. Confident. Selfless. “He just finds a way to put himself in the position to be successful, and when you have a guy like that who’s next to you all the time, you want to work just as hard as he does to make yourself just as successful,” Niang said. “It’s a great story behind his whole M.O. and
three games of his freshman year. Then, the
how he is. He’s going to work harder than the
dropoff.
next guy just so he can be successful, and I
“I went from playing 30 minutes a couple games
think it’s great.”
to 17, 15 to not playing at all,” Long said.
NEW TEAM
To outsiders, Long was just another body
Hoiberg has assembled his deepest team
on the floor. Some people thought Hoiberg
yet, with anywhere from 10 to 12 young men
had misinterpreted his level of talent on the
capable of helping the Cyclones win games.
recruiting trail. Maybe Naz wasn’t ready for the
Naz is one of those guys. But the sharp-
big stage. None of that got to Long’s head.
shooter came off the bench most of last
“My freshman year, I didn’t do too much. I wasn’t actually on the court doing things I wanted to do, so that humbled me,” he said.
season, only starting in seven of 36 games near the end of the season. With highly anticipated transfers and fresh
“That’s something my dad was as an athlete.
faces ready to make their Cyclone debuts,
Humble, yet competitive and being able to
Hoiberg said players may see their minutes
push people. That’s who I am.”
go down. Don’t worry — you will see a lot of
So he worked harder. Long’s roommate and rising star, Georges Niang, only fueled his already competitive nature. When the 2013-14 season kicked off, Long was near the bottom of the list of players people had high expectations for. It’s not that they didn’t like him, they just had no reason to believe in him. He gave them a reason to believe after knocking down 8-of-11 threes and scoring 26 points in the season opener. “Naz has worked super hard, probably harder than anybody I know just to find a niche,” Niang said. “He came in here as a point guard and now he’s our best shooter on the team.” And, boy, did he shoot. Long made it no secret that he was going to shoot 3-pointers with 80 percent of his shots coming from behind the arc. He made 64 threes — a top-20 mark in school history — and hit game-tying
Naz Long, but after his meteoric rise from the end of the bench to Cyclone celebrity status, you have to wonder what that does to Long’s psyche, right? Nope. “If I play a minute a game, I’m going to go in there and give it my all,” Long said. “I’m going to make sure every shot I take has the best chance of going in, every dribble I take is the right dribble. Whatever role I’m given, I’m going to take advantage of it.” And as far as any harsh feelings between players fighting for playing time, forget about it. Long and Hoiberg said players have been practicing harder than ever before for one reason: a national championship. Whether that means three-point buzzer beaters or being a vocal leader on the bench, Long is ready to embrace his role. "It doesn’t matter how many minutes I play, I
3-pointers in three games to force overtime or
just know that I’m striving to be great," Long
allow the Cyclones to hit a go-ahead shot.
said. "I just want to leave my mark here at
It wasn’t the role he expected to play after
I knew that when I got the ball in my hands, I didn’t have to think twice about shooting.
Iowa State.”
being recruited as a point guard. It was a long
Because that's how he operates:
cry from his freshman campaign of 1.4 points
Humble. Confident. Selfless.
per game, increasing his production to 7.1 47
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