University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Spotlight: Rachel Banham
12/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2011
Note: This is a feature story on freshman guard Rachel Banham that ran in the Minnesota Basketball Game Program on Dec. 4.
In just her first season as a Golden Gopher, Rachel Banham has proved that she is an integral component to Minnesota's success. The rookie guard is coming into her own as a leader on the floor and is not only one of the Gophers' top scorers, but also ranks among the team's best in assists and steals.
Banham has also demonstrated her poise in high-pressure situations, hitting the game-winning shot in the waning seconds of Minnesota's victory vs. the ACC's Virginia Tech at the St. Mary's Concord Hilton Tournament. With Banham only getting better as the games go by, Gopher fans have many things to look forward to from the talented guard this season and in the seasons to come.
Being a highly-sought after recruit, was it an easy decision for you to come to Minnesota?
"I think it was an easy decision because I knew that I always wanted to play at Minnesota. Even though I had a lot of options, it didn't really matter to me because I knew from a younger age that this was where I wanted to be. That's why I verbally committed decently early. It is also nice because I am only about 20 minutes from home, and I really like that."
What have been the biggest differences from playing in high school to playing in college?
"The speed, the strength and the intensity of the game. It is much faster and just on a whole other level."
What things have you had to change about your game?
"I have to be smarter with how I play. At this level, everyone is good and can do the same things, if not better, than what I can do. So I have to play smarter, work a lot harder and just be ready to play all of the time."
What has been your best moment on the court as a Gopher so far?
"When I made the last-second shot to beat Virginia Tech."
As a freshman, how have you handled the pressure of being a leader on this team and starting right away?
"There is a lot of pressure, but I think that I am dealing with it fine. A lot of my teammates help me get through that. They give me that responsibility and let me know that it is okay to be a leader even though I am younger than them. Everybody just makes me feel a lot more comfortable with that role, so I don't feel that much pressure, especially from my teammates."
Both of your parents are police officers, is that something that you want to do?
"Yes, I do want to be a police officer when I'm older. I am planning on majoring in sociology of criminal deviance or something in that area. I've always been interested in it. I really like what my mom does. She works in the sex crimes unit, and that has always been an interest of mine. I also always watch Law & Order: SVU, so that kind of got me into it too. I just think that it is cool, and it changes day-by-day, so I don't always have to expect the same thing every day that I go into work. It will be something different, which my parents always tell me about. So that got me into it, and plus my parents do it, so it would be cool to continue the chain."
Do you think that is why you are able to handle the pressure so easily?
"Yes, I think so. They have to go through a lot of pressure every day, plus they put a lot of pressure on me athletically. So, I think that I have been able to deal with it so well because of them and what they have taught me about it."
On the court you seem to be all business, what are you like off of the court?
"I like to joke around a lot. I kind of joke around at practice a little bit just to lighten the mood. I like to hang out and I like to sing and dance. Mostly, I like to chill."
Is there something you do as a hobby outside of basketball that not a lot of people know about?
"I just like to listen to music, and I sing a lot."
Who has had the biggest influence on you playing career?
"I would say my parents, because they have always been there for me and pushed me in a lot of ways. They have put me in situations that have made me a better player. If I didn't have them, I feel like I wouldn't be where I am today. They got me through a lot of things and they were willing to pay for a lot of things, too. They were both athletes and worked with me a lot in my backyard, doing speed drills or just going to the gym and shooting with me. They influenced me a lot."
Who has helped you out the most in your transition?
"Kiara Buford has really been my mentor. She talks to me a lot, especially when I might be down or might not know what it going on. She talks me through things, because she has been through it. And, she is also really good at basketball, so I like to do what she does."
What is your most embarrassing moment?
"I don't know why this is so embarrassing, but when I went to the dentist this summer, I accidentally wore my shirt backwards. I was so embarrassed afterward. When I was at the dentist's office I thought that I was so cool, because everyone was looking at me and smiling. When I got home, my dad asked me what was wrong with my shirt and I finally realized that it was on backwards. It was really obvious too, because it was almost choking me. It was really bad. That is probably my most embarrassing moment."
Who is your favorite basketball player?
"I would say Lindsay Whalen. Like me, she went to Minnesota and she is a point guard, and now she plays for the Lynx. She is just so good, and I want to do what she does. She is my favorite for sure."
