University of Minnesota Athletics
Nicole Mastey Feature Story
11/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nicole Mastey knows her role. It's not as glamorous as being the go-to player, and it doesn't ensure her time on the court. Nicole's role is to come to practice everyday and make her teammates better. Sometimes this means playing against her teammates in practice on the scout team. Sometimes it means having to sit back while other girls get more practice repetitions than she does. Sometimes it means cheering her teammates on from the bench. It is not only a role that she does exceptionally well in; it is one she embraces.
"Every day going into practice maybe I'm not going to get as many reps as I need, but just going out on the court, and maybe if I am on the scout team, I'm playing and therefore making myself better."
In her first year at Minnesota and the beginning of her second, Nicole has made herself a player that the coaches can count on.
"The thing I like most about her is that she comes ready every day, and she is very steady. You can count on her. You can rely on what she's going to do, and she delivers," Gophers assistant Coach Ted Riverso said of Mastey.
The Becker, Minn. native is not only known for her hard work, but for being a good teammate as well.
"I think she's a great teammate. I think everybody has a great relationship with Nicole," said Coach Riverso.
"I love my teammates," Nicole said. "I want to be able to help my teammates out. I think it's really important to have a good relationship."
A self-described "Mother Hen", she also tries to make sure that the team's three freshman, Leah Cotton, Katie Loberg, and Amber Dvorak, as well as transfer China Antoine feel comfortable at the University.
"When you see them you want to talk to them and see how their day is going. If they have questions you hope they feel like they can ask you," Mastey said.
Nicole is known as a ringleader of sorts for team activities. She often organizes study breaks and trips to Applebee's for half price appetizers. Nicole also sees a lot of movies. My Bloody Valentine 3D was her favorite movie that she's seen with her teammates.
"That was a good one, because the teammates that I went with, a lot of them didn't like scary movies, so they were like, "I'm never seeing another one again!" That was a fun one to go to."
In the future Nicole sees herself working with disabled children and having a family. In the more immediate future her goal is to earn playing time.
"My goals always are just to keep improving because I want to see the floor. I don't know when my time's going to come, so I just need to stay ready and be prepared for when my time does come."
Coach Riverso coaches Minnesota's post players, and therefore works a lot with Nicole. He has seen her hard work, and has noticed a big improvement in her play from her freshman to sophomore seasons.
"It's her second year here, and there's such a big difference between the first year and the second year. She's so much improved. She's bigger, she's stronger, she's faster," he said.
The 6'1" sophomore has seen improvements in her game as well.
"I think I've gotten a lot stronger, and that obviously comes from the weight room, but [I've also improved] defense and boxing out and stuff like that," Mastey said, but was quick to identify what areas she still needs to work on, "Offensively, learning different ways to score against bigger players, and finding my strengths, whether that's my speed or my shooting ability, to be able to score on taller, bigger players."
Nicole Mastey plays an important role on the Gopher women's basketball team. It is a role that demands emotional and physical strength, self-motivation, and the ability make the most of what playing time is given to her.
"I think she understands her value to the team," Riverso said. "Everybody has a different role on the team, and Nicole not only understands her role, but really performs well in her role and does it enthusiastically. It takes a lot of different components to make a good team. She's a component that we desperately need, and she does it well."
"Players like Nicole are essential to a good program," added Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. "Not every player is going to play 40 minutes a game or even see the court in any given game. You need to have players who can accept their roles. Nicole is continuously getting better and better."
Article by Alli Johnson
