Photo by: Frank Fortune - Georgia Southern Athletics
W. BASKETBALL: Spencer Relishes Role with the Eagles
1/31/2014 5:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
STATESBORO, Ga. – Danielle Spencer has inserted herself into an extremely important role on the Georgia Southern's women's basketball team this season.
"Danielle is the glue," says head coach Chris Vozab. "She's usually a step ahead of the game, reading where she'll be needed, getting herself in position and making the play that needs to be made."
It's a role she finds comfort in.
"Whenever I'm out there, I just try to help my team with whatever they need me to do, like make this pass here or be in help-side over there," Spencer says. "It's something that just happened."
Something else that has happened is that her scoring and rebounding averages are up from a season ago. She enters Saturday's 5 p.m. game against Samford in Hanner Fieldhouse as the Southern Conference leader in rebounding at 8.7 boards a game and is scoring 6.2 points a contest.
"I think I've become more confident playing," she says. "I feel more comfortable. I feel myself not thinking as much and just going out there and playing."
She may have been a little lonely on the hardwood last season as well. Because of injuries, the Eagles played their final 12 games of 2012-13 with just one player listed over 6-foot on the roster available – the 6-foot-3 Spencer. That made playing good defense and finishing a defensive possession with a rebound a little more difficult from time to time.
Help came this season in the form of 6-foot-2 sophomore Briana Jones, 6-foot-2 sophomore Kelsey Corcoran and 6-foot freshman Jessica Marcus. Athletic sophomore Sierra Kirkland, listed at 5-foot-11, plays above her height, and 5-foot-11 senior Brittney Benzio recently got medically cleared for game action. The additions have helped the team as well as Spencer on both ends of the floor.
"I feel like I don't have to think as much because I know they have my back," Spencer says. "It's helped us a lot. We've really developed our post game. It's gotten so much better."
Spencer's role with the Eagles this season will serve her well in the future. The senior is a civil engineering major from Atlanta. Since she can remember, she has had a keen curiosity about how things work.
"When I was little, I was always taking apart all the toys and stuff in the house," she says. "It's just something I really like to do."
It's a difficult major and extremely time consuming, especially when coupled with her role as a student-athlete with practices and games six days a week. When the Eagles play host to league leader Chattanooga Monday night, Spencer will attend a 3-hour class in the afternoon, then go straight to the team's pre-game meal before heading to Hanner Fieldhouse for the game.
Is it funny when your teammates complain about classes?
"Not funny," she says with a laugh. "It's just that, well, I'm in class all day while ya'll are getting ya'll's naps."
Furthering her education in graduate school or maybe a job with the Georgia Department of Transportation are possibilities after graduation from Georgia Southern.
How about a job fixing Atlanta traffic?
"That is just an epidemic that's been there forever," Spencer says with a smile. "That's a good question. I'd take it in a heartbeat."
But Spencer is not quite ready for her basketball career to be over yet. There is the matter of nine games left on the Eagles' schedule plus whatever comes in the postseason. Scouts for European teams have inquired about the possibility of her playing professionally when her GSU career ends.
"I'm not ready to give it up yet at all," she says. "I also want to travel so that'd really be fun. I'd love to play no matter where - it depends on if my body holds up."
Any place in particular?
"Paris. I've always wanted to go there," she says.
Forget Paris. Atlanta traffic needs some glue.
"Danielle is the glue," says head coach Chris Vozab. "She's usually a step ahead of the game, reading where she'll be needed, getting herself in position and making the play that needs to be made."
It's a role she finds comfort in.
"Whenever I'm out there, I just try to help my team with whatever they need me to do, like make this pass here or be in help-side over there," Spencer says. "It's something that just happened."
Something else that has happened is that her scoring and rebounding averages are up from a season ago. She enters Saturday's 5 p.m. game against Samford in Hanner Fieldhouse as the Southern Conference leader in rebounding at 8.7 boards a game and is scoring 6.2 points a contest.
"I think I've become more confident playing," she says. "I feel more comfortable. I feel myself not thinking as much and just going out there and playing."
She may have been a little lonely on the hardwood last season as well. Because of injuries, the Eagles played their final 12 games of 2012-13 with just one player listed over 6-foot on the roster available – the 6-foot-3 Spencer. That made playing good defense and finishing a defensive possession with a rebound a little more difficult from time to time.
Help came this season in the form of 6-foot-2 sophomore Briana Jones, 6-foot-2 sophomore Kelsey Corcoran and 6-foot freshman Jessica Marcus. Athletic sophomore Sierra Kirkland, listed at 5-foot-11, plays above her height, and 5-foot-11 senior Brittney Benzio recently got medically cleared for game action. The additions have helped the team as well as Spencer on both ends of the floor.
"I feel like I don't have to think as much because I know they have my back," Spencer says. "It's helped us a lot. We've really developed our post game. It's gotten so much better."
Spencer's role with the Eagles this season will serve her well in the future. The senior is a civil engineering major from Atlanta. Since she can remember, she has had a keen curiosity about how things work.
"When I was little, I was always taking apart all the toys and stuff in the house," she says. "It's just something I really like to do."
It's a difficult major and extremely time consuming, especially when coupled with her role as a student-athlete with practices and games six days a week. When the Eagles play host to league leader Chattanooga Monday night, Spencer will attend a 3-hour class in the afternoon, then go straight to the team's pre-game meal before heading to Hanner Fieldhouse for the game.
Is it funny when your teammates complain about classes?
"Not funny," she says with a laugh. "It's just that, well, I'm in class all day while ya'll are getting ya'll's naps."
Furthering her education in graduate school or maybe a job with the Georgia Department of Transportation are possibilities after graduation from Georgia Southern.
How about a job fixing Atlanta traffic?
"That is just an epidemic that's been there forever," Spencer says with a smile. "That's a good question. I'd take it in a heartbeat."
But Spencer is not quite ready for her basketball career to be over yet. There is the matter of nine games left on the Eagles' schedule plus whatever comes in the postseason. Scouts for European teams have inquired about the possibility of her playing professionally when her GSU career ends.
"I'm not ready to give it up yet at all," she says. "I also want to travel so that'd really be fun. I'd love to play no matter where - it depends on if my body holds up."
Any place in particular?
"Paris. I've always wanted to go there," she says.
Forget Paris. Atlanta traffic needs some glue.
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