Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State Previews 2011 WCWS
June 01, 2011 | Cowgirl Softball
June 1, 2011
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma State women's softball team held a press conference Wednesday afternoon at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium to preview the 2011 Women's College World Series.
Head coach Rich Wieligman and senior infielder Alysia Hamilton talked about the upcoming event:
Coach Rich Wieligman
Opening comment
“This is Oklahoma State's seventh time here but my first. So this is all new to everybody on this team. We are having a blast. I think the girls are having a great time. They found out what it was like to go through a lot of interviews and didn't have to go to practice. I think they are doing a great job with the organization of the tournament. I know our kids have grown up living the dream of being here, and actually being here – it's just awesome and I am so proud of them.”
On Oklahoma State's respect toward Baylor after two head-to-head games in the regular season
“Playing Baylor, you always have to think of one thing: their speed as a team. The pressure they put on your defense. And then you add in the fact that you have Whitney Canion pitching. It's about playing defense and holding teams down until we can find a way to stretch a couple of runs across. That's softball in a nutshell to me. I believe they were No. 1 or 2 in the conference in offense. So we know what's ahead of us. Every time we have played it has been a close game. Everyone has said 'you've beat Whitney Canion,' but those games have been nine innings long. It wasn't like we went out and scored a bunch of runs. I think it's going to be a good game. It's going to be a tough contest, a well-played game. It's just Big 12 ball.”
On the excitement of being at the College World Series
“We started out the year playing a couple of tournaments, playing No. 1 Georgia in Palm Springs and coming out on top 1-0. At that time I told our team that if they stuck together we could be here. They believed that. We went through the Big 12. We got beat up a little bit, took some knocks, but they never quit. They never stopped practicing. For them to go out every day and look at the outfield wall with the College World Series banners on it, with players like Michele Smith, Lauren Bay, Melanie Roche – and for them to put themselves on that wall is really special and exciting for them. I think they have a lot of pride in that, and they will always be able to come back and look at that.”
Senior Infielder Alysia Hamilton
On the excitement of being at the World Series
“We are very excited. I think we worked really hard. Everyone – freshmen, sophomore, juniors, seniors – all of us worked hard. We go out every day in practice and it's pretty exciting when everyone isn't ready for the season to be over. We are really excited and we worked really hard to be here.”
