Every Sunday, The Emerald sports staff will collect their favorite quotes from the previous seven days. Athletes, coaches, media or anybody with a quote pertaining to Oregon sports can be included. Below are The Emerald’s favorites from the week of March 31- April 6.
Softball
“I just had to wipe the slate. I just really had to start slowing the game down as I was rushing myself too much, trying to do too many things and just see every pitch.”
– Utility player Kailee Cuico said of her three-run home run which broke the Oregon softball career record for RBIs.
Men’s Tennis
“It’s definitely going to be a void when he’s not on the team. He’s got a lot of charisma, a lot of character and brings a lot of flare to the team. He’s a dynamic personality and someone else needs to step up and fill that role.”
– Head coach Nils Schyllander on Robin Cambier’s last year.
Women’s Lacrosse
“I was most pleased about how everyone stepped up when they needed to, especially the defense. The moments where our defense collapsed, Caroline stepped up when she needed to and made those crucial stops that helped us get the win.”
– Head Coach Jen Beck on Caroline Federighi’s performance which included six saves.
Men’s Lacrosse
“We are definitely about business. Business is first. But at the end of the day, we do it for ourselves and to have fun. We are a good group of guys who mesh well.”
– Senior captain Matt Samet on team dynamic with such a young team.
Baseball
“In eighth grade I was the bat boy for Oregon. I always kind of knew I was going to come here. I looked at other schools, but this just feels right, and I get to see my dad all the time.”
– Catcher Cooper Stiles on how he came to play at Oregon with the rest of his family.
Football
“The kids, they want to do well. They just want direction and if you give them direction, lay it out and give them a clear path, then the good kids will do it and there’s evidence it’s starting to build.”
– Defensive coordinator Don Pellum said in reference to Oregon defense.
“My mentality is still the same. I have to continue to get better. It’s still a competition out here. These guys are going to continue to push me and hopefully I’ll push these guys. As we continue to grow, as a unit, hopefully we can continue to make each other better.”
– Quarterback Marcus Mariota on improving for spring football.
Men’s Basketball
“He has great integrity. He’s a very loyal person, a very hard worker, he’s committed to helping student-athletes succeed and he’s a tremendous student of the game of basketball.”
– Montana State University athletic director Peter Fields on Oregon assistant men’s basketball coach Brian Fish being named head coach of the MSU men’s basketball program.
Club Sports
“As we continue to get better and better, more and more people are going to recognize club baseball and maybe treat us more like a Division 1 team. We’re still a real baseball team.”
– Club Baseball’s senior third baseman Andrew Walzeron on wanting to play in PK Park for home games.
“We can’t go too in-depth in knowledge because we don’t have it. Everything else — like a standard for perfection or the will to do wushu — it’s all there. Each of us helps each other out to push each other to the max or to our limits.”
– Club Wushu captain Kenney Hersch on learning without a coach.
“I happened to sit next to the one guy on the team who was super into triathlons his entire life. He started telling me about his personal trainer, and here I am having never done anything remotely close to a triathlon in my life. I thought, ‘Wow, I shouldn’t be here right now.’”
– Club Triathlon team coordinator Matthew Dracker on the first club meeting he went to sophomore year.
Follow Anne Yilmaz on Twitter @anneyilmaz