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The Daily OrangeFace of a program: Michael enters senior year with a chance to become SU's all-time greatest player
By Brett LoGiurato
Posted: 11/4/09, 8:26 PM EST Section: BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW
Over the past three years, almost everything about Nicole Michael's career has been a blur to Quentin Hillsman.
She was his first major recruit after he was appointed to head coach in 2006, and since then, has helped him take his first steps toward building a program at Syracuse.
"You don't realize somebody is a senior until you sit down and you start looking at your recruiting classes for the next couple of years," Hillsman said. "So we were looking at next year, and finally someone says, 'What about (replacing) Slinky?'"
"And I said, 'What?'"
In her final season at Syracuse, Michael has become arguably her team's most important player as one of four starting holdovers from last year's Women's National Invitational Tournament squad. And she already has the accolades piling up to prove it.
Michael was named one of 31 candidates for the women's Wooden Award, which has been given annually since 2004 to the nation's top player. In 2008, the award was given to a fellow Big East star, Maya Moore of Connecticut.
It has been the smooth transition from heralded recruit to bona fide star over Michael's three years at Syracuse that has blurred the passing of time for Hillsman.
Hillsman reminisced of Michael's decision to commit to Syracuse when he found out about the Wooden Award nomination, reflecting on how far his first prized recruit has come during her stay.
"When it first came out, you kind of just sit there and you go, 'Wow,'" Hillsman said. "This is a kid who took a chance when Top 20, top 15 programs were recruiting her. She's just reaping the rewards of her sacrifices."
In addition to the Wooden Award nomination, Michael is chasing multiple school records. At 1,286 career points, Michael is only 319 shy of the Syracuse mark, and she needs 204 rebounds to topple that school record as well.
"They mean a lot to me," Michael said of the records. "But I really don't think about it. I just want to play my game, play hard and let that come to me."
She was his first major recruit after he was appointed to head coach in 2006, and since then, has helped him take his first steps toward building a program at Syracuse.
"You don't realize somebody is a senior until you sit down and you start looking at your recruiting classes for the next couple of years," Hillsman said. "So we were looking at next year, and finally someone says, 'What about (replacing) Slinky?'"
"And I said, 'What?'"
In her final season at Syracuse, Michael has become arguably her team's most important player as one of four starting holdovers from last year's Women's National Invitational Tournament squad. And she already has the accolades piling up to prove it.
Michael was named one of 31 candidates for the women's Wooden Award, which has been given annually since 2004 to the nation's top player. In 2008, the award was given to a fellow Big East star, Maya Moore of Connecticut.
It has been the smooth transition from heralded recruit to bona fide star over Michael's three years at Syracuse that has blurred the passing of time for Hillsman.
Hillsman reminisced of Michael's decision to commit to Syracuse when he found out about the Wooden Award nomination, reflecting on how far his first prized recruit has come during her stay.
"When it first came out, you kind of just sit there and you go, 'Wow,'" Hillsman said. "This is a kid who took a chance when Top 20, top 15 programs were recruiting her. She's just reaping the rewards of her sacrifices."
In addition to the Wooden Award nomination, Michael is chasing multiple school records. At 1,286 career points, Michael is only 319 shy of the Syracuse mark, and she needs 204 rebounds to topple that school record as well.
"They mean a lot to me," Michael said of the records. "But I really don't think about it. I just want to play my game, play hard and let that come to me."
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