TOWSON, Md. - With the start of the basketball season under 30 days away, TowsonTigers.com checked in with the women's basketball team to see how the first two weeks of practice have progressed. The Tigers have nine guards on their active roster this season and six of those nine are newcomers to the squad. Assistant coach Christie Rogers is in her second season working with the guards and Head Coach Niki Reid Geckeler. Rogers gave some insight to how the guards and practice has gone over the first two weeks. Fans can see Reid Geckeler, Rogers and the Tigers on Friday, Oct. 24 at the Tiger Tip-Off in SECU Arena at 8 p.m.

1. How has the first two weeks of practice been for the team?
The first two weeks of practice have gone very well for us. We have a lot of new faces on the floor and have been doing a lot of learning. We have been very pleased with how quickly everyone is picking things up and how hard our kids go in every single drill. There is a new energy in the SECU Arena and I think everyone is very excited about the potential in our group. We have a lot of people stepping up in a lot of different areas which will provide us with depth at every position. Overall, we're very excited about this group!

2. With six newcomers at the guard spot, what have you been working on so far? And is it challenging to have so many newcomers at that spot?
The addition of six guards this season is very exciting for us. The depth we have in every perimeter position will be key when we hit January and February and are playing the bulk of our conference season. In our first two weeks we've been hitting home a lot of fundamentals with the guards and getting them comfortable knocking down shots within our offense. Coach G is a firm believer in putting our players in positions where they feel comfortable to be successful and I think we've found each player's niche after week two. While we allow them to flourish within their strengths we are also constantly pushing them to improve upon their weaknesses to add multiple dimensions to their game. It has been awesome working with such a talented and coachable group to start of this season.

3. With so many newcomers at guard, how important has it been to have veterans like Dominique Johnson, Ciara Webb and Markell Smith?
Domo, Ciara, and Markell have been incredible for us so far. And that begins well before practice officially started. With six new guards in their group they have stepped up as leaders, teachers, and motivators. Domo and Ciara are constantly full of energy and always instructing the newcomers on where to be within our offense and defense while Markell leads by example every day, never taking a single possession off. It's been clear early on that our newcomers respect our veteran guards and the vets have been very impressed with the level of ability and competitive drive that our newcomers bring to the court. It's always a good sign when the veterans are fighting over who gets to have the freshmen on their team for a scrimmage. Our seasoned veterans combined with our hungry freshmen make for a very competitive and exciting culture.

4. What are your expectations for the guards heading into this season?
The expectations for our guards this year are very high. We've got multiple players that can put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways. Coach G has made it clear to each of our guards what their strengths are and thus, what their roles are. But of course, all of our guards know that in order to be on the court and for us to be successful, they have to defend and rebound. That has been an emphasis and an expectation in every single drill this year. We are setting the bar very high for our guard group because we recognize how special they can be this year and look forward to them meeting every expectation we have set for them. In fact, with the work ethic and desire they've been bringing to practice every day, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of our expectations are exceeded throughout this season.