Considering they only graduated one senior last year, it’s somewhat surprising that the Florida women’s basketball team is expected to rely heavily on young and inexperienced players this year.
While the team only brought in one freshman recruit, coach Amanda Butler feels that the sophomore class along with a couple of transfers is going to make an impact early and often for the Gators.
Haley Lorenzen and Dyandria Anderson, both true sophomores, are likely to be big contributors if Butler’s preseason impressions carry over to the start of the regular season.
Butler has often emphasized the sacrifice that both Lorenzen and Anderson made by spending their entire summers in Gainesville training, and that sacrifice is apparently paying dividends on the court.
"Dy (Anderson) and Haley have really stepped up their games, there’s no question," Butler said.
"They’re not freshmen anymore. Sometimes you let yourself off the hook when you’re the new kid on the block, and those two, I think, have made a giant leap in terms of their expectations for themselves and then what that looks like in a team setting."
In addition to Lorenzen and Anderson, the team also expects immediate contributions from transfers Simone Westbrook and Tyshara Fleming, who both came to UF from junior college powerhouse Northwest Florida State College.
Carla Batchelor, who transferred to Florida from Northwest Florida State College before last season, said that for Westbrook and Fleming, growing pains are inevitable.
"The speed of the game is totally different from junior college," she said.
"It was hard for me to adapt so I think it might be hard for them to adapt but we’ll have to see."
Westbrook, though, is nothing but optimistic about transitioning to the NCAA level.
"I think it’s going to be a great challenge. I’m ready for this level," Westbrook said.
"I worked my tail off at Northwest Florida (State College). My coach really prepared me for this level. I feel like under the supervision of coach Butler, it’s going to be a great experience and I will mesh well."
The other two members of the 2014 recruiting class, Brooke Copeland and Isis Young, could also see considerable playing time.
Young redshirted last season after suffering an ACL injury during her senior season at Life Center Academy.
Copeland is currently nursing a concussion that was sustained in practice last week, and a timetable for her return is uncertain.
However, standing at 6-foot-2 and able to play forward and guard, her size and versatility could make her an interesting weapon off the bench for a deep Florida rotation.
For Young, the season can’t get here soon enough.
Now that she’s finally healthy, Young is eager to contribute for the Gators and hit the hardwood.
"When you’ve had to sit out a year and just watch, that really stirs something in you that it’s really hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it," Butler said of Young.
"I think she’s really gonna benefit from that year of just being able to study and to learn from other’s success and other’s mistakes and she has great role models in Cassie and Carlie."
Follow Ethan Bauer on Twitter @ebaueri
Haley Lorenzen blocks a shot during Florida's win against Jacksonville.
