STORRS -
How many times can one be divided by three? Good question, but the answer is more complicated than it appears.
And yet, it will be the most vexing problem facing the UConn women early in the season as they attempt to repeat as national champions.
The plan calls for a combination of three guards — junior Lorin Dixon and sophomores Caroline Doty and Tiffany Hayes — to fill the void left by All-American Renee Montgomery.
And some help might come down the road from freshman Kelly Faris.
"We'll know after the first week of practice," coach Geno Auriemma said. "They're all so different. They all played point guard in high school. They're all different, though, which is good. I don't think there are any similarities between [Dixon, Doty and Hayes]. So that means we could have three different things going on out there, which would be pretty good. I don't think any of them will be bad. It's just going to be levels of good."
The time to start figuring it out comes with today's start of practice. It did not come Friday at First Night, unless the choreography displayed by Hayes and Dixon upon their introductions is easily transferable.
"We all can play both [guard] spots, and I would imagine at this point that Lorin and I will probably play the most at the point spot, but it will be a team effort thing," Hayes said. "All of us are going to have to contribute for us to have the kind of backcourt we want. We've been working at it, rotating positions. But whatever [Auriemma] wants is how it will play out."
The four guards have had intriguing summers.
Faris won a gold medal with the U.S. Under-19 team.
Hayes, coming off a spectacular NCAA postseason, made the World University Games team that also won gold.
Dixon attended point guard school to refine her skills.
"We had three sessions a day, and along with them there were lectures," Dixon said. "They talked to us about all aspects of life: leadership, responsibility, being able to hold ourselves accountable for the things we do. They talked to us about confidence and how to form relationships. If there's an aspect of life a person could grow into, they talked to us about it."
Doty spent another offseason rehabilitating a serious knee injury, this one sustained in January against Syracuse.
But now all have one common goal.
"We're doing what we can to improve the little things: ball-handling and shooting," Faris said. "Coach wants us to be able to do multiple things, so that's what we're working on, concentrating on getting the necessary fundamentals down. We're doing a good job at it, but we're still need to improve. I know I need to work on my ball-handling because I'm not a classic point guard, per se. I'm more than happy to do anything he needs, but I think right now I'd be more effective as the off-guard trying to work to improve in other areas."
Doty, reaching an apex when her injury ended her season, said she is in much better shape than last October, when she was coming back from a soccer injury in September 2007.
"I feel stronger and quicker than I did at this time last year, when I was somewhat uneasy about my situation," Doty said. "Now I'll do a cut, take a step and realize it's easier. It feels great. I remember saying last year that I felt better than ever, but now I feel way stronger. ... This a great time for me to prove that even after two surgeries, I'm still going, maybe give hope to the kid who this might happen to. I want them to know it can be done, if you stay positive, connect yourself to the right people and work hard."
And yet, it will be the most vexing problem facing the UConn women early in the season as they attempt to repeat as national champions.
The plan calls for a combination of three guards — junior Lorin Dixon and sophomores Caroline Doty and Tiffany Hayes — to fill the void left by All-American Renee Montgomery.
And some help might come down the road from freshman Kelly Faris.
"We'll know after the first week of practice," coach Geno Auriemma said. "They're all so different. They all played point guard in high school. They're all different, though, which is good. I don't think there are any similarities between [Dixon, Doty and Hayes]. So that means we could have three different things going on out there, which would be pretty good. I don't think any of them will be bad. It's just going to be levels of good."
The time to start figuring it out comes with today's start of practice. It did not come Friday at First Night, unless the choreography displayed by Hayes and Dixon upon their introductions is easily transferable.
"We all can play both [guard] spots, and I would imagine at this point that Lorin and I will probably play the most at the point spot, but it will be a team effort thing," Hayes said. "All of us are going to have to contribute for us to have the kind of backcourt we want. We've been working at it, rotating positions. But whatever [Auriemma] wants is how it will play out."
The four guards have had intriguing summers.
Faris won a gold medal with the U.S. Under-19 team.
Hayes, coming off a spectacular NCAA postseason, made the World University Games team that also won gold.
Dixon attended point guard school to refine her skills.
"We had three sessions a day, and along with them there were lectures," Dixon said. "They talked to us about all aspects of life: leadership, responsibility, being able to hold ourselves accountable for the things we do. They talked to us about confidence and how to form relationships. If there's an aspect of life a person could grow into, they talked to us about it."
Doty spent another offseason rehabilitating a serious knee injury, this one sustained in January against Syracuse.
But now all have one common goal.
"We're doing what we can to improve the little things: ball-handling and shooting," Faris said. "Coach wants us to be able to do multiple things, so that's what we're working on, concentrating on getting the necessary fundamentals down. We're doing a good job at it, but we're still need to improve. I know I need to work on my ball-handling because I'm not a classic point guard, per se. I'm more than happy to do anything he needs, but I think right now I'd be more effective as the off-guard trying to work to improve in other areas."
Doty, reaching an apex when her injury ended her season, said she is in much better shape than last October, when she was coming back from a soccer injury in September 2007.
"I feel stronger and quicker than I did at this time last year, when I was somewhat uneasy about my situation," Doty said. "Now I'll do a cut, take a step and realize it's easier. It feels great. I remember saying last year that I felt better than ever, but now I feel way stronger. ... This a great time for me to prove that even after two surgeries, I'm still going, maybe give hope to the kid who this might happen to. I want them to know it can be done, if you stay positive, connect yourself to the right people and work hard."