BeaversEdge.com continues its exclusive Q&A series as we spoke with Oregon State Women’s Basketball coach Scott Rueck about the offseason, expectations for the upcoming season, and more.
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What has the offseason been like for you and your staff? What have been the biggest priorities?
Rueck: “The first thing was to take care Syd and get her going and off to the draft. We wanted to get her drafted and get her off to a great start in the WNBA. We’ve got three others graduating and finishing strong. For our returners, we’ve been trying to set the tone for the future. We lost a lot of leadership through this graduation cycle and we’ve got a lot of growth that is needing to happen. The team voted Marie (Gülich) and Katie McWilliams our spring captains to direct what is happening this spring. And recruiting of course. It’s been exciting.”
When you lose a player like Sydney Wiese, how do you move on as a program?
Rueck: “It’s part of what we do. I’ve been asked that quite a lot. With Sydney you have a player who has had the ball in her hands for four straight years and has been a significant figure on our campus, let alone our program during that time. As you look at the college process, it’s normal. This is what happens. They progress through their four years, and they move on and go out into the so-called real world. We have plenty of time to brace for it; it wasn’t a surprise. When you lose a leader and a dynamic person like Syd, it does leave a void and I think our team is aware of what she provided for us, and I think they are ready to step into those roles. Next year’s team will have leadership, they will have players with the ball in their hand and want to make plays just like Sydney did.”
Talk a little bit on the impact of Destiny Slocum and how the process went of getting her to come here.
Rueck: “She will fit in perfectly. It was really nice to have her visit and get to sit face-to-face with her and understand her and her story and then visualize exactly how she would fit. She has relationships with a couple people on our team already. Mikayla Pivec is a friend of hers, and she knows Katie McWilliams from the AAU circuit and has played against Kat (Tudor). I knew her peripherally and watched her play a lot ever since she was a freshman in high school. When we first heard there was interest from her in us, it was exciting. Not only is she a great player, but she is something that we lack on her roster. She is a breakdown one, who is a playmaker. She is different than what we have currently on our roster and provides a different look. She also plays with a similar swagger to Sydney in the sense that she is a baller and a dynamic player. This is a great fit for our program, and for Oregon State, and you look for the perfect relationship and she’s what we need and we are what she needs.”
Can you speak on each player in the 2017 recruiting class briefly and what their strengths are?
Rueck: “Aleah Goodman is a heady, skilled guard who understands the game and can really shoot it, pass it, and handle it. She fits our system perfectly. Taya Corosdale provides us a four that can shoot the three and she is a shoot first player from the three-point line with range. That is something that we lacked last season. I’m looking for Maddie (Washington) Janessa (Thropay) and even Marie (Gülich) to elevate their game in that way. Then you look at Jo (Grymek). She is that imposing presence that we lacked last year on the inside. We had it for four years with Ruth Hamblin. Here comes 6’8 and that’s a game changer in itself. She had such a great sophomore year at Seward county, becoming a dominant post-presence, finishing well, blocking shots, and rebounding. All those things that she provides are dynamic and what we have built our program upon.
Who is a player on the current roster who might make a big jump next season?
Rueck: “I think everybody better (make a jump next season). That is the opportunity that they have. You graduate nine over a two year period, and that opened up a lot of opportunity for those who haven’t necessarily had their shot. You look at a year ago and we all hoped that Kolbie (Orum) and Bre (Brown) would play big and sure enough they did. As you look at this team, I’m looking for growth from everyone. I’m looking for an expanded role from Marie (Gülich) as we are looking for her to be more of a go to player. You look at Mikayla Pivec, and as many minutes that she played a year ago, she was the third option from the guard position behind Syd and Gabby (Hanson), and now she maybe becomes primary. Katie (McWilliams) of course has played in the biggest games we’ve had in the past two seasons and had huge roles for us. The sky's the limit for her. You look for more from Kat (Tudor) to grow on the defensive end. Taylor (Kalmer) is such a dynamic scorer and I’ve seen growth from her overall in the spring and in our film sessions. Maddie (Washington) and Janessa (Thropay) had very limited roles, but had very impressive seasons from a growth standpoint in practice.”
With the PAC-12 continuing to get better and better, how do you win those recruiting battles?
Rueck: “Well I think we keep doing what we are doing. We’ve won the conference the last three years and that speaks for itself. We’ve led the conference in attendance the last four years I believe. That speaks for itself. We’ve put players in the WNBA. That speaks for itself. We’re graduating academic award winners across the country and that speaks for itself. The longer that we go, the more eyes are opened to what’s happening at Oregon State. It’s attractive and then they get to know us and see what we are about. It’s finding the right fit for us, and once we do, that’s where the magic happens. I think it’s a combination of all of that. This conference is growing and getting better and better, and it’s so well coached and that’s the fun of it. We are the best conference and have been for the last two years, and I don’t see that changing and so there is great challenge in that and one we embrace.”
Are there any non-conference opponents in next years schedule that you are excited to play?
Rueck: “We’ve got a couple signature games next year early in our schedule. One is at home and one is on the road. We’ve got a couple huge tests early on our schedule next year and I’m excited about that because it’s going to help us grow quickly.”
What is a strength and a weakness heading into 2017?
Rueck: “Our weakness is overall experience. We will be so young in so many places and I see that as something we will have to battle through early and that is why I’m excited about testing ourselves early in the year. We will grow up real fast. A strength is that this team is really versatile. You have Marie (Gülich) who can play anywhere, guards who can play one through three with point guard skills. I think this group is so ready for the challenge. We have several people who have just been waiting their turn and we can just see this hunger coming out of them. Our culture is tight and intact and this team is going rise to the challenge.”
Would you say that the 2017 season is a year to rebuild or a year to reload?
Rueck: “I don’t know about those words. You look at last year and we were rebuilding in some ways because you're putting new people in new places. We graduated four and that was a significant hit, but then you have other people step up. This year I feel like we have the opportunity to do the same. I never know. Every year is different and every year is unique to me. I like this team and I feel like we are going to have great leadership within and they will grow quickly and reach our potential. What that is, and how good is hard to say.”
What do you like to do in the free time that you do get? Favorite hobby/thing to do in Corvallis.
Rueck: “Golf. That is my favorite thing to do all the time. My son Cole and I have already been out a few times and that is his thing in the spring and summer. So that’s always been my favorite thing to do in the offseason forever and then you have kids and can’t really justify being on a course unless there is a purpose for it. Around Corvallis, any time I have down time I’m golfing or going out to eat or something. Two weeks ago, Cole and I went over and golfed in Bend and we got to play Pronghorn over there among others. It was an awesome father-son golf trip. To me, that is what it’s all about. If there are opportunities you better get out there. It doesn’t matter what my family and I do as long as we are together. Whether it’s riding bikes, at the park, out to eat, church activities, or driving to meet family in Sherwood or Oregon City. Whatever it is, family time is magic when you're together.
Is Oregon State your destination job?
Rueck: “I would have you ten years ago that I was never leaving George Fox and I was 100 percent cool with it. I was like, I’m gonna be here until I die and I’m great with it because I love it. And that’s how I feel here. I could be here until I die and be happy and love it. It’s a great fit for me. Is there a better fit? It’s hard for me to imagine that. But I also learned, never say never. I never saw this job coming either. I love it here; it’s home. Our family is flourishing here in Corvallis and it’s an incredible community. It’s close to where I grew up and my family. There are so many positives right here for us. We have a chance to win, and it’s my school so there’s a lot of pride for me in representing this place everyday and I take great joy in that. There is nothing more special to me than making Beaver fans happy. Let’s make this place, the place.”
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