CONWAY — As he gets set to enter his second season at the helm of the Central Arkansas women's basketball program, Matt Daniel is cautiously optimistic.
Despite having one of the nation's youngest teams – with no seniors and six freshmen among the 11 student-athletes who will suit up this year – the coach likes the outlook for the future of his program.
"I'm definitely excited about the season," Daniel said during the Southland Conference Media Day teleconference. "We've got a totally new look as far as our roster goes and it's a breath of fresh air. We tried to change the environment, and I think we've done that. We're young and lack experience, but I am excited about where we're headed as a team and hopefully sooner rather than later we'll have some success."
Daniel has at least one firm believer.
In the Southland preseason polls released on the first day of the league's two media days, the Sugar Bears were selected fifth in the East Division ahead of Nicholls – and even received a first-place vote from one coach after going 2-14 in the league last season and overhauling the roster in the offseason.
"That's the second year in a row we've gotten a 1st-place vote," Daniel said. "Whoever that coach is, I owe that coach something. Either they're eagerly optimistic or trying to get back at me, I'm not sure which."
First-place vote aside, the poll played out about how Daniel expected.
In both the Coaches and Sports Information Directors polls, Stephen F.
Austin was picked to win the East followed by Southeastern Louisiana, Northwestern State, McNeese State, UCA and Nicholls.
"I think fifth is pretty fair," he said. "You never know how it's going to play out and I certainly don't disagree with the poll. Just like anything else, you know more about that once you get involved with the season and it really means nothing either way so it's not something I'm concerned with."
What he is concerned with is getting an incredibly inexperienced team prepared for its season opener next Friday at Belmont in Nashville, Tenn. That has proven to be a task that is at times daunting, if not educational.
"It's certainly teaching me a lot of patience," he said. "I feel like their basketball IQ is high and we're trying teach our style as a whole and get to where he have organization on both sides of the ball. The young ones are still trying to figure it all out and they're still not wanting to step on each other's toes. But we're getting better each possession – we just need more possessions. Time is kind of running out on that, though. But I'm excited about going to practice every day.
Their mentality is right and they're welcoming all the teaching we're throwing at them. They've got to try to absorb what they can and hang onto it for a week and a half and here we go."
To have a chance to be competitive, the talent level on hand will have to outweigh the inexperience. And though that may not be the case immediately, Daniel has hopes it'll swing that way rather quickly.
"With their basketball IQ and level of competitiveness, their understanding of the game and just their natural feel for it, I feel like even with the lack of experience we have a chance to be pretty good," he said. "Will that equate to wins immediately? I don't know.
We'll have some bumps and bruises and take our lumps but the hope is that pretty soon we'll start to put up some numbers, get some stops, put some baskets together, build on what we've established and start putting some in the left-hand column."
With so many unknowns and unproven quantities going into the season, there has been little discussion of certain goals and particular win thresholds and things of that nature. But the expectations are simple.
"Just come with a positive attitude and relentless effort and continue to try to get better," he said. "Take what we're trying to give them and comprehend it, and then take it one possession at a time until we establish who we are with an identity of how we wantthat put together quickly then I think we'll have some success. We're seeing them growing up already. It's an exciting team to watch grow up on the floor – there's a lot of personality, they have a good time playing and a good time playing together."
And ultimately, the hope is to have as many good times as possible.
Daniel thinks they're coming – it's just a matter of when.
"Any time you take over a program that has lacked success in recent years, the first year is about survival," he said. "We did that. We put together a plan and executed it within our program. We hit the recruiting trail hard and were well received in the state. With six newcomers from Arkansas it shows the pride and belief the state has in our program and that will only help us in the future. We feel like we're starting to get the talent in place, it's just a matter of getting them to grow up. Whether that's today, tomorrow, next week or next year I don't know. I just know I'm excited about this group and look forward to what the future holds."
