University of Minnesota Athletics
Courtside with Bryanna Fernstrom
12/31/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Bryanna Fernstrom (Center City, Minn.) will make her home debut against Maryland on Sunday after posting a double-double at Ohio State. The center sat out the past two semesters due to NCAA transfer rules after joining the Gophers from Iowa State.
With a whole redshirt year to work on things, what do you feel like you improved?
I feel like playing on the scout team has helped me because I have to play like other players in the Big Ten. So one thing I improved was going up with my right hand.
Being on the scout team has to help you prepare to go against players you have played "as."
Yeah. I know a lot of players in the Big Ten now, which I didn't before. And playing as them gets me to do stuff that I don't usually do.
How did you stay patient during the time you had to sit out?
I don't think it was as bad as it would have been if I had to sit out a full year at a time. The summer broke it up nicely. Coming in last year, I was part of the team, but I wasn't there from the beginning. So this year's the only year that I really felt impatient at all. It actually went by pretty quick. I guess practicing really helped.
Since Kenisha Bell and Allina Starr also had transfer redshirt years, did you talk about it with them at all?
Starr's was similar to mine because we both came midseason. She said the same that I did, that it wasn't as bad because of the summer. No matter what, it's going to be hard to have to sit out.
What has it been like being reunited with Chisago Lakes teammate Whitney Tinjum?
It was really fun. I never thought I was going to play with her again. We both transferred, and it's great that we ended up here on the same court where we played the state tournament. That was our last game together. I definitely never thought we'd be able to play together again so it's really cool. It's going to be a lot of fun playing with her again Sunday and I think there are going to be a lot of people from our hometown there.
What do you want the fans to see in your first home game as a Gopher at Williams?
As a team, a win against Maryland, the top-ranked team in the Big Ten, would be good. For myself, do whatever it takes to win.
What did you do during the team's brief holiday break?
I was at home the whole time. I was actually stressing about my grades and e-mailing professors and hoping they would be posted in time to travel to the Ohio State game. But I like being home. I'm home a lot now because I'm closer.
Sunday is New Year's Day. Do you make New Year's resolutions?
No, I don't really make New Year's resolutions. But I was thinking it would be really cool to start the year with a win.
You used to be a softball pitcher when you were younger. How did you make the decision to choose between that and basketball?
Softball was my favorite sport up until about ninth grade. I was on varsity. I was a pitcher. And then it just got too busy. I was missing softball tournaments for AAU tournaments. When I started AAU, I started getting into basketball more. I saw a future in that more and I was better at it. So after ninth grade I just decided that it would be better to focus on basketball.
Is there a Big Ten opponent you're especially looking forward to facing?
I like playing Iowa. At Iowa State that was a big rivalry, too.
Is there a talent you don't have that you wish you had or could learn?
I wish I could speak another language. I wish I could sing. Not really anything unusual.
