Freshman forward Cecily Carl chose AU after being offered scholarships from 13 different Division I schools, and she has already notched her first collegiate point for the Eagles this season. With Patriot League games approaching, Carl said she looks forward to competing against teams in the conference but remains focused on playing against her remaining non-conference opponents. Carl and the Eagles take the court tonight against the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and she said the team will be playing with an underdog mentality in search of its first win. Earlier this week, The Eagle sat down with Carl to talk Broadway, business and basketball.
How did you come across American, and what ultimately made you decide to come to the school?
I had gotten letters and emails from the previous coaching staff, and then I guess when they started to leave, I lost communication with the school, so I was talking to other schools, obviously. Then, one of the last or second-to-last AAU tournaments my junior year, the coaches now came to watch me play, and then they really started talking to me, and I came for a visit and spent all day here. I think I knew at that point that I really wanted to come here.
What has the transition been like from high school play to college play?
It’s a lot faster in college. Being in the post it takes a lot of strength and just sticking with it because it’s really tough in the post especially. I don’t know what it’s like being a guard, but in the post the girls are a lot bigger and stronger. For me, at my high school, we never played against anyone who was taller than 5’10, so it was a little bit easier for me in high school. So yeah, it’s just faster and picking things up faster, and everyone’s a lot stronger.
What has been the best part of the season so far?
I mean, it’s kind of tough since we’ve lost our first six games, but [Sunday] was exciting, like the way we came back from that deficit, but just being with the team and all of the time we’ve spent together and team dinners and stuff like that, it’s just a lot of fun.
Looking ahead, what are you most looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to the Patriot League and getting to play against some of the people I know from high school because they have gone to schools in the Patriot League. And just seeing what the level of play is like in the league.
You have four freshmen in your class. What has the dynamic been like?
Three of us, Kaitlyn [Lewis], Michaela [Nieuwenhuizen] and I were here over the summer for summer classes and to work out and stuff, so we got to know each other for six weeks over the summer, which was fun. Elina [Koskimies], obviously she’s from Finland so she wasn’t here, but it’s good, we all get along really well. Kaitlin and I have lived together since June, so we’re together all the time, so it’s fun.
Broadway ambitions?
I was in several plays and musicals when I was younger, and I was in chorus until my freshman year of high school, and then basketball took over.
Business major, but not art?
I think business is just so broad, I don’t know. I really like math, and I don’t know what my specific major is yet, but I think that I’m probably going to do accounting or finance, but not so much the arts other than Broadway stuff.
You’ve recorded some serious points in the early games and scored nine points against Hofstra. What has it been like to play so much as a first-year?
It’s been exciting. I think getting the opportunity to do it, and I think getting this experience in the non-conference is really important because obviously the level of teams were playing right now, it’s not going to be the same for the Patriot league, so the non-conference is basically to prepare for the conference play. Getting to play against some really good teams in the country is really exciting for me, getting to see what it’s like and getting to see how much potential I have is really exciting and seeing what areas I have to improve in.
Do you have any individual or team goals?
For me, my goal is to be ‘All-Rookie’ in the Patriot League and then make a difference on the court. [The] team goal is obviously to win the Patriot League, but we were picked fifth, I think, in the league for the end of the year, so it’s sort of the underdog mentality that we have to have, which I think I play better as underdog personally, but I think it will be good for us as a whole.
sscovel@theeagleonline.com
