University of Minnesota Athletics
A Born Leader: Junior Guard Shannon Schonrock
2/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
This is just one of many indicators thus far in the season that show just how much heart and desire that this year's Gopher basketball team has in their hopes to improve upon last years Final Four appearance. It is never easy to compare present teams with past teams, and Schonrock agrees. "Its always hard to compare, I think we are a lot more versatile and that our defense is definitely ahead of where it was last year. I think that our true identity is our defense this year, and that we take more pride in it than we did and we are having a lot of fun and love to play which helps make a difference."
That intense defensive play has improved tremendously upon last year's defensive play, most notably in games against then-ranked No. 23 New Mexico and No. 20 Purdue. In those back-to-back games, they held their opponents to 35 points and 38 respectively.
"We've gotten better with our defensive system every year, because it helps to have that system under your belt a couple of years and you have core players that have been in the system, and she (Coach Borton) really emphasizes it. We have grasped onto it and seen all the hard work pay off last year where we rode our defense all the way into the Final Four. We've seen that defense wins championships, and we pride ourselves on that. We knew that we had to kick up our defense a notch if we want to get that one step further into the national championship game," Schonrock said.
Defense does win championships, and that works at levels of any sport. However, a strong defense takes a little something extra, something that cannot be recorded in any statistical form, or grasped out of air. It takes team chemistry and the ability to know where your teammates are going to be at any given time. More importantly you have to have fun doing it, day in and day out. That is something that hasn't changed with this Gopher team.
"Something that has been the same is our team chemistry. We have great chemistry on and off the court. We all care about each other a lot and want everyone to do well." Schonrock said, "We are a fun bunch of girls, and we have fun on and off the court, and we get along really well. We mix so well, given all of the different personalities contrasting from really shy to really outgoing."
While defense is important, points need to accumulate for a team to win. Schonrock gives the Gophers an extra option with her ability to hit the clutch outside shot. From beyond the arc, Schonrock is arguably the best the Gophers have ever seen. Thus far in her career, as of January 16th, Schonrock has hit for 143 career treys, which puts her in the top five in the history of the program. That's an amazing statistic given the fact that she is only a junior and still has 11 games left this season. So far, Schonrock has already hit 43 three pointers at an astounding 43 percent, and is well on her way to breaking her previous season-high of 72 baskets from three-point range.
Already a team captain last year as a sophomore, Schonrock again captains this year's team. That goes to show how much confidence both her coaches and teammates have in her. They also have confidence in themselves and their abilities to perform at a high level and achieve every last goal they set this year.
"Obviously we want to win a Big Ten title, it's never happened here before. We want to win the Big Ten Tournament, we want to get back to the Final Four and win a national championship. Last year we got the taste for it and we know what it takes to get back there," Schonrock said.
Getting back to the Final Four is not going to be an easy task after losing All- American Lindsay Whalen, however they have done exceptionally well thus far and have picked up where they left off last season. "We knew it was going to be tough after losing such a great player in Lindsay Whalen, because she did so much for the team, and we knew we all had to step and take our roles to the next level," Schonrock said.
Every year, teams set goals in regards to where they want to be at the end of the season and this team is no different. However, Schonrock looks beyond this season into the future, and knows that there are great things ahead for this Gopher program. "You never want to set your standards too low. Every year the bar is raised and the expectations rise. What I really want to see in this program is to have it continue to rise and have a tradition built here at Minnesota, to the point where we are known as one of the elite programs in the country," says Schonrock.
What is helping build that tradition this year is team unity and the ability to have fun. Those are arguably some of the most important qualities a team can have if it wants to win. "Everyone's work ethic on this team is very high, and that helps make it so much fun to play together. You know when you are out there that everyone else is working just as hard as you, and striving for the same things as you are, and that is to win games," Schonrock says.
Asked to summarize this team in a few words Schonrock says that the team is hardworking and has a great time playing together. If that is any indication on what to expect from the Gophers this year and beyond, it can only mean great things are in store for Gopher fans for many years to come.
Story by Chris Jensen, Athletic Communications Student Assistant Noticeably limping as she walks in the room after practice, Shannon Schonrock sits down and says with a bright smile "It's no big deal, I can play no matter what."
This is just one of many indicators thus far in the season that show just how much heart and desire that this year's Gopher basketball team has in their hopes to improve upon last years Final Four appearance. It is never easy to compare present teams with past teams, and Schonrock agrees. "Its always hard to compare, I think we are a lot more versatile and that our defense is definitely ahead of where it was last year. I think that our true identity is our defense this year, and that we take more pride in it than we did and we are having a lot of fun and love to play which helps make a difference."
That intense defensive play has improved tremendously upon last year's defensive play, most notably in games against then-ranked No. 23 New Mexico and No. 20 Purdue. In those back-to-back games, they held their opponents to 35 points and 38 respectively.
"We've gotten better with our defensive system every year, because it helps to have that system under your belt a couple of years and you have core players that have been in the system, and she (Coach Borton) really emphasizes it. We have grasped onto it and seen all the hard work pay off last year where we rode our defense all the way into the Final Four. We've seen that defense wins championships, and we pride ourselves on that. We knew that we had to kick up our defense a notch if we want to get that one step further into the national championship game," Schonrock said.
Defense does win championships, and that works at levels of any sport. However, a strong defense takes a little something extra, something that cannot be recorded in any statistical form, or grasped out of air. It takes team chemistry and the ability to know where your teammates are going to be at any given time. More importantly you have to have fun doing it, day in and day out. That is something that hasn't changed with this Gopher team.
"Something that has been the same is our team chemistry. We have great chemistry on and off the court. We all care about each other a lot and want everyone to do well." Schonrock said, "We are a fun bunch of girls, and we have fun on and off the court, and we get along really well. We mix so well, given all of the different personalities contrasting from really shy to really outgoing."
While defense is important, points need to accumulate for a team to win. Schonrock gives the Gophers an extra option with her ability to hit the clutch outside shot. From beyond the arc, Schonrock is arguably the best the Gophers have ever seen. Thus far in her career, as of January 16th, Schonrock has hit for 143 career treys, which puts her in the top five in the history of the program. That's an amazing statistic given the fact that she is only a junior and still has 11 games left this season. So far, Schonrock has already hit 43 three pointers at an astounding 43 percent, and is well on her way to breaking her previous season-high of 72 baskets from three-point range.
Already a team captain last year as a sophomore, Schonrock again captains this year's team. That goes to show how much confidence both her coaches and teammates have in her. They also have confidence in themselves and their abilities to perform at a high level and achieve every last goal they set this year.
"Obviously we want to win a Big Ten title, it's never happened here before. We want to win the Big Ten Tournament, we want to get back to the Final Four and win a national championship. Last year we got the taste for it and we know what it takes to get back there," Schonrock said.
Getting back to the Final Four is not going to be an easy task after losing All- American Lindsay Whalen, however they have done exceptionally well thus far and have picked up where they left off last season. "We knew it was going to be tough after losing such a great player in Lindsay Whalen, because she did so much for the team, and we knew we all had to step and take our roles to the next level," Schonrock said.
Every year, teams set goals in regards to where they want to be at the end of the season and this team is no different. However, Schonrock looks beyond this season into the future, and knows that there are great things ahead for this Gopher program. "You never want to set your standards too low. Every year the bar is raised and the expectations rise. What I really want to see in this program is to have it continue to rise and have a tradition built here at Minnesota, to the point where we are known as one of the elite programs in the country," says Schonrock.
What is helping build that tradition this year is team unity and the ability to have fun. Those are arguably some of the most important qualities a team can have if it wants to win. "Everyone's work ethic on this team is very high, and that helps make it so much fun to play together. You know when you are out there that everyone else is working just as hard as you, and striving for the same things as you are, and that is to win games," Schonrock says.
Asked to summarize this team in a few words Schonrock says that the team is hardworking and has a great time playing together. If that is any indication on what to expect from the Gophers this year and beyond, it can only mean great things are in store for Gopher fans for many years to come.
Story by Chris Jensen, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
