TicketsCINCINNATI – Cincinnati women's basketball took center stage at the Big 12 Basketball Tipoff, presented by Old Trapper Beef Jerky, on Tuesday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
As the season clock officially hit the 20-day out mark, Cincinnati was welcomed once more into the Big 12 with a multitude of on-camera interviews, radio hits and social media stations alongside its conference members.
Head coach Katrina Merriweather, senior forward Jillian Hayes, graduate student guard Mya Jackson and junior guard Braylyn Milton represented Cincinnati at the event. In her first on-camera appeareance of the morning, Jackson made sure to compliment the first-class event and her early impressions of the new league on the main stage.
"My biggest takeaway from this event was that the support of the Big 12 and women's basketball is huge, you don't see that in every single conference," Jackson said. "To have that exposure and support from everyone around the conference and around Cincinnati is an honor. I am just excited to be here."
Cincinnati was one of seven programs that took part in the morning session, joined by Houston, Kansas, Oklahoma, TCU, UCF and West Virginia.
Coach Merriweather and players met with ESPN, appeared on Sirius XM and participated in a roundtable discussion with six-time WNBA All-Star Sheryl Swoops and ESPN reporter Kris Budden at the apex of the morning. Sandwiched in between these on-camera appearances were a series of breakout stations with Big 12 social, T-Mobile Digital, BYU.TV. and ESPN.
The Bearcats concluded the session by taking part in scrum-style interviews with the local and national media in attendance.
When asked to introduce her style of coaching to the media, Merriweather detailed her approach both on and off the court.
"My style is a combination of pushing you to be the best that you can and being there to support you when you feel like you aren't. Whether that's on the floor, in the classroom, or personally. We are going to teach, grow and develop," Merriweather added. "On the court, we will rebound the ball, defend, and play with effort on both ends of the floor in order to represent this city and program proudly each day."
Jackson, Hayes and Milton are three of seven returners on a revamped Cincinnati roster that welcomed in the addition of eight newcomers – three transfers and five freshman – over the offseason.
"We couldn't be in the position that we are in without the leadership of those three in particular. Kudos to the entire seven returners for stepping up and making sure that they are being an example," Merriweather added. "Our newcomers and freshmen are all extremely coachable, but I think without that buy-in and them being able to see the importance of everybody being on the same page, we would be very far behind. Fortunately, that's not the case."
Merriweather returns to Cincinnati for her first season at her alma mater, where she was a team captain and four-year letterwinner for the Bearcats from 1997-2001, to lead the program into its new era.
"I have learned a lot from her so far. She played at Cincinnati, so she's been in our shoes before. She knows what it is like to win here," Hayes said about Merriweather. "I am just grateful to be learning from her. She has bled that red and black, she has put Cincinnati across her chest. That brings a whole other level of passion and purpose to everything you do, you can see that through the way she coaches."
Cincinnati tips off the 2023-24 campaign inside Fifth Third Arena with No. 17 Louisville on Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's basketball, visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWBB on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Head coach Katrina Merriweather, Players Big 12 Tipoff Panel Discussion
Head coach Katrina Merriweather and senior Jillian Hayes Big 12 Now/ESPN+ Interview
As the season clock officially hit the 20-day out mark, Cincinnati was welcomed once more into the Big 12 with a multitude of on-camera interviews, radio hits and social media stations alongside its conference members.
Head coach Katrina Merriweather, senior forward Jillian Hayes, graduate student guard Mya Jackson and junior guard Braylyn Milton represented Cincinnati at the event. In her first on-camera appeareance of the morning, Jackson made sure to compliment the first-class event and her early impressions of the new league on the main stage.
"My biggest takeaway from this event was that the support of the Big 12 and women's basketball is huge, you don't see that in every single conference," Jackson said. "To have that exposure and support from everyone around the conference and around Cincinnati is an honor. I am just excited to be here."
Cincinnati was one of seven programs that took part in the morning session, joined by Houston, Kansas, Oklahoma, TCU, UCF and West Virginia.
Coach Merriweather and players met with ESPN, appeared on Sirius XM and participated in a roundtable discussion with six-time WNBA All-Star Sheryl Swoops and ESPN reporter Kris Budden at the apex of the morning. Sandwiched in between these on-camera appearances were a series of breakout stations with Big 12 social, T-Mobile Digital, BYU.TV. and ESPN.
The Bearcats concluded the session by taking part in scrum-style interviews with the local and national media in attendance.
When asked to introduce her style of coaching to the media, Merriweather detailed her approach both on and off the court.
"My style is a combination of pushing you to be the best that you can and being there to support you when you feel like you aren't. Whether that's on the floor, in the classroom, or personally. We are going to teach, grow and develop," Merriweather added. "On the court, we will rebound the ball, defend, and play with effort on both ends of the floor in order to represent this city and program proudly each day."
Jackson, Hayes and Milton are three of seven returners on a revamped Cincinnati roster that welcomed in the addition of eight newcomers – three transfers and five freshman – over the offseason.
"We couldn't be in the position that we are in without the leadership of those three in particular. Kudos to the entire seven returners for stepping up and making sure that they are being an example," Merriweather added. "Our newcomers and freshmen are all extremely coachable, but I think without that buy-in and them being able to see the importance of everybody being on the same page, we would be very far behind. Fortunately, that's not the case."
Merriweather returns to Cincinnati for her first season at her alma mater, where she was a team captain and four-year letterwinner for the Bearcats from 1997-2001, to lead the program into its new era.
"I have learned a lot from her so far. She played at Cincinnati, so she's been in our shoes before. She knows what it is like to win here," Hayes said about Merriweather. "I am just grateful to be learning from her. She has bled that red and black, she has put Cincinnati across her chest. That brings a whole other level of passion and purpose to everything you do, you can see that through the way she coaches."
Cincinnati tips off the 2023-24 campaign inside Fifth Third Arena with No. 17 Louisville on Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's basketball, visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWBB on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Head coach Katrina Merriweather, Players Big 12 Tipoff Panel Discussion
Head coach Katrina Merriweather and senior Jillian Hayes Big 12 Now/ESPN+ Interview