George Washington University Athletics
Meet Sarah-Jo Lawrence
11/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2004
A Q&A with Sarah-Jo Lawrence is GWsports.com's third interview with a freshman member of the women's basketball team. Lawrence was a McDonald's All-America nominee and two-time District Player of the Year at Orange High School in Virginia. Here is what she had to say:
Why did you decide to come GW?
"I chose to play basketball at GW for two major reasons: The first is to get a great education and the second is to play basketball at the highest level. The coaches, the facilities, and the overall positive attitude of the team were also deciding factors in my choice to come to GW. I couldn't turn down the opportunity to be a part of a great academic as well as athletic program."
What is your favorite Washington, DC attraction and why?
"My favorite attraction is the Holocaust Museum because it gives its visitors an in-depth look at exactly what happened during that time. I think people who visit the museum come away with a deeper understanding of the brutality of genocide and hopefully we can all learn to respect people and their differences."
What do you do when you aren't studying or playing basketball?
"I love to watch movies and dance when I'm not practicing or studying, but I like sleeping the most during my free time."
What are your goals for the upcoming season?
"Our number one goal for this season is to win the A-10 championship and compete for the NCAA title. Whatever I have to do to help this team get there are my goals."
What has been the most difficult part of adjusting to college life?
"The biggest adjustment has been learning how to manage my time. There are so many places that student-athletes must be every day that you have to make a schedule every week to help you remember where you have to be. Another adjustment I've had to make is not being able to eat my mom's home cooked meals every day! I've had to learn how to cook quick, quality meals for myself, instead of eating out all the time. To me that is the hardest part of college life!
What is one thing your teammates would be surprised to find out about you?
"My teammates would be surprised to know that I'm very shy around people I don't know because around them (my teammates) I'm exactly the opposite."
If you could script your collegiate debut how would it go?
"We would win by 30. Anna (Montañana) would have 30 points and some assists. Jessica (Simmonds) and Corinne (Turner) would have 15 boards each and score in double figures. Whitney (Allen) would have five steals. Amanda (LoCascio) would have no turnovers, some assists and a couple of three's. Kristina (Gineitis) would shoot 60 percent from beyond the arc. Liz (Dancause) would score plenty of times from the baseline. Lisa (Steele) would shoot 100 percent from the free-throw line. Kenan (Cole) would score over 6-0 defenders and Kim (Beck) would block shots on post players. Lora would hit lots of fade-away jumpers. I'd have seven or eight rebounds, a couple of blocked shots and steals, and maybe 10 or 15 points."
How would you describe your game?
"I would describe myself as an all-around player because I don't fit any one position or category. I played anywhere from the one to the four in high school and it looks like I'll play the two, three, or four here. I can defend guards or forwards and my best quality is my athleticism. I can jump high and get rebounds and I'm hard to guard. If a post player is playing me, I can get by them and go to the basket or create space and make jumpers. If a guard is playing me, I can post them up and score. I would say my defense leads to offense because I can get points off of steals and rebounds which brings out the other aspects of my game."
