University of Minnesota Athletics
Introducing: Whitney Tinjum
6/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
This April, Whitney Tinjum signed with the Gopher women's basketball program, joining a trend of Minnesotans returning home. The Stacy, Minn., native was a teammate of fellow transfer Bryanna Fernstrom at Chisago Lakes High School. Tinjum joins the Maroon and Gold as a fifth-year graduate transfer from Bradley.
GopherSports: What does it mean to return to your home state and represent the U of M?
Whitney Tinjum: It's awesome. I get to be by my family, first of all-my little brother, who's in high school-and all of the people who followed me and Bry through elementary school and high school. It's cool to be back where all of that support started. I know that a lot of them have season tickets and they'll be at all the games. Just going back home and having people say, "I'll be at your games. I'll see you throughout the season," it means the world. It really does.
GS: In addition to coming home, you do have that additional connection in Bry.
WT: She's been showing me the ropes here and helping me meet people. Not only that, we've played together. Even scrimmaging here in the preseason, we've got that connection. We're clicking. I played with Jo Hedstrom in AAU as well since fifth grade, so a lot of these girls I know or have played against. It's neat.
GS: How have you been mixing in with the other teammates you didn't know before now?
WT: Well. It's cool. In basketball, you come from different places-East Coast, West Coast, we're all coming together and making magic happen.
GS: The team has been going through strength and conditioning workouts. Has the program here been different from strength and conditioning at your past schools?
WT: It's very different, and it's more fun. I usually don't really like lifting and conditioning, but it's actually been kind of neat. Coach Ralph (Petrella) is our strength and conditioning coach and he mixes it up. Every single day is something different. It kind of keeps us on our toes. I really enjoy it. I'm getting stronger.
GS: What are most looking forward to about the next four-plus months leading until your first game as a Gopher?
WT: Getting to know my teammates. We've got a really great group of girls. Getting to know them and how they play, different styles. That's the most exciting part for me.
GS: What are you studying in grad school?
WT: I'm doing the one-year program for sport management. I'm excited to knock it out here. I'm going to have taken six credits this summer.
GS: The game of basketball lost a legend this week with the death of Pat Summitt. What can you say about what she meant to the sport?
WT: When people think of women's basketball, she is one of the main ways. She is part of women's basketball. (Her death is) really sad. It really is. My prayers go out to her family and her old teams. Basketball really lost a good lady.
