The Ball State women’s basketball program isn’t a prestigious one. But it is taking steps in that direction.
The hire of new associate head coach Rekha Patterson provides the program with a winning mentality. For the last two seasons, Patterson was the associate coach and recruiting coordinator at Baylor.
Bringing her on board was an easy choice for Ball State’s head coach Brady Sallee.
“You look at her experience at Baylor, where she got a National Championship ring, that she’s bringing to Ball State,” Sallee said. “The level of player that she coached at Baylor, and the level of game that she coached in — all those experiences, when you bundle them up ... it was a no-brainer.”
The Bears posted a 74-2 record during her time with the team, picking up a National Championship as well. Adding Patterson to an already improving Ball State team could mean a dose of raised expectations.
Sallee said even incoming freshmen have developed a new perception of the team they are about to join. Though they originally looked at signing on with a struggling program, things are much different now.
After opening the 2012 season with a 4-10 record, Ball State dominated its Mid-American Conference schedule to finish the year 16-14 overall — a huge improvement from the 9-20 mark two years ago.
A pair of unlikely victories, including the upset of No. 1 seed Minnesota, helped the Cardinals advance to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament’s final 16.
Building on that late-season stretch of success is something that Sallee feels Patterson can help to achieve.
“One of the big things for me, when I had this spot come open, is I wanted to make sure I was able to bring in somebody that would allow us to keep the momentum going,” Sallee said. “I think her experience level does that. You’re not going to have any place in the game where the players wonder about her credibility.”
Making sure his staff can work with a young team will be critical. With six incoming freshmen, it is likely that Ball State will look to its recruits to help carry the load.
Sallee pointed out that having six freshmen on the roster is not always the ideal equation for a successful season. But he continues to focus on the positives of his recruitment class.
Recruits will provide improved depth, for one. Additional length, size and some raw talent will also help to give the Ball State team a new overall look. A new look that will enable Ball State to get away from the one-dimensional feel it had last season.
“When you’ve got a Brandy Woody and a Nathalie Fontaine returning, with Brittany (Carter), Shelbie (Justice) and Katie (Murphy), you’ve got five players that have played at a pretty high level, and really done it pretty well,” he said. “It gives you a little wiggle room with the new kids.”
The Cardinals will put a promising mix of young and experienced players on the floor in 2013.
The catch? Having such a deep roster means individuals will be competing for playing time. Sallee doesn’t seem to mind though.
“That’s what I’m most excited about — to see how my group responds to that competition in practice,” Sallee said. “It’s a good group. I’m excited to see how it all plays out.”
Whatever happens, one thing is for sure. Sallee is working to build winning traditions within the program.
“The culture is continuing to change. It didn’t just change over night,” he said.
