As she stands on the threshold of her last season of Wichita State women’s basketball, DJ McCarty shared goals for her team this season as well as for the future of her career beyond basketball.
McCarty, a senior point guard, is most excited to play under new head coach Terry Nooner.
“I think he has a type of passion — a type of fire that I think a lot of coaches can learn from,” McCarty said.
This season’s team is a mix of newbies and returning players. McCarty said from practicing during the summer to stepping onto the court, the team has adapted to one another.
“Hanging out outside of the court has helped us a lot,” McCarty said. “It’s been a very easy transition.”
McCarty said Nooner’s skill lies in balancing the team’s dynamics and managing the interplay of work and fun.
“There’s a time and place for everything,” McCarty said. “He knows (when) we need to joke, (and) he knows when we need tough love and when we need to be on the line.”
On the court, McCarty outlined the team’s goal to connect and work as a unit to win more games and advance further in postseason play.
In the gym, McCarty prioritizes her health, taking precautionary measures to make the most of her time left on the court.
“I’m doing the little things in the weight room and getting treatment when I need to get treatment, making sure my body is ready for everything,” McCarty said.
McCarty and her teammates hope to attract more fans to the women’s games. She said it’s a matter of marketing and outreach to get more people in the stands.
“We’re putting ourselves out there,” McCarty said. “I think we’re going to try to invite more high school (students) and more middle schoolers to our games, just to get a little more people in the crowd and cause a little bit more excitement.”
Having graduated in May with a bachelor’s in business finance, McCarty is now focused on earning her master’s in sports management.
“My end goal is also to become a coach, either at the high school level or at the college level,” McCarty said. “It’s just something that I can have on my back burner, just getting into the coaching world.”
