George Washington University Athletics
Learning to Lead
12/12/2019 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
After redshirt season, Hyduke's steady play has lifted women's basketball
Tori Hyduke's eyes never strayed far from the action during GW women's basketball games last season.
Despite being sidelined after surgery to repair a torn ACL, the point guard had a job to do.
Whether at Smith Center or on the road, Hyduke took seriously her charge to track the Colonials' high-fives, fist bumps and slaps on the back. The "Power of Touch" stats were a reminder of the importance of being a good teammate through thick and thin.
"There wasn't really much else I could do," Hyduke said. "So I had to do that to the best of my ability."
For GW head coach Jennifer Rizzotti, the assignment was a way to keep Hyduke feeling involved and locked in on the game with the ultimate aim of better understanding all it takes to be a collegiate floor general.
Rizzotti didn't need to see Hyduke's stat sheet to know senior point guard Mei-Lyn Bautista would be the team leader in "Power of Touch" moments every time out, but the coach wanted the newcomer from New Jersey to be paying attention to each and every empowering exchange.
"We talked a lot about how even though she might not get to play with Mei she at least gets to watch her," Rizzotti said. "They have different styles in terms of how they play and how they lead, but I wanted her to see the responsibility that I put on my point guard's shoulders and that if she was going to take the reins over this year, she was going to have to be ready for that."
After the patience-testing start to her career, Hyduke has found those lessons are paying dividends on the court.
Now healthy, the redshirt freshman has displayed veteran aplomb through her first nine games in Buff and Blue, ranking third among Atlantic 10 rookies at 13.2 ppg while also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists over a team-high 32.7 minutes per contest.
Of course, Hyduke has made her share of rookie mistakes in the early going, but she's even surprised herself with how smooth her transition has been to the college game.
"I honestly think the sit-out year was really good for me," Hyduke said. "I've seen everything that's going on. I understand what's about to happen. And also, because I was out so long, I'm just so excited to freakin' play."
A two-time All-State honoree at New Jersey's Rumson-Fair Haven High School, Hyduke figured to factor into the Colonials' rotation last season. She arrived in Foggy Bottom in the summer of 2018 eager to show she was ready to help.
Those plans changed abruptly during the team's preparations for their trip to Spain. When Hyduke's knee buckled on a jump stop, she hoped it was merely hyperextended, but a few days later, she received the bad news that she'd need surgery to repair her torn ACL.
Rather than competing for minutes, Hyduke dove into rehabilitation.
Rizzotti and her staff made sure to keep Hyduke involved as much as possible, encouraging the young guard to watch and learn at every turn. Each game, there would be teachable moments when a coach would get Hyduke's attention at the end of the bench to highlight the finer points of directing an offense.
"There's just so many little details," Hyduke said. "It's about understanding what works, what makes us score and what exactly is going to help us win games."
The road back required perseverance: Her first summer conditioning session felt disastrous. It helped when captain Sarah Overcash hung back on the run and offered encouragement as Hyduke dragged behind her usual pace.
Once she was cleared for contact, progress was measured in small victories like a hard drive to the hoop without pain or a defensive possession in which she simply reacted and didn't think about the surgically repaired knee.
Along the way, roommate Kayla Mokwuah did her best to brighten the tough days with impromptu dance parties, scary movie nights, shopping trips and Mario Kart battles on their Nintendo Wii.
"The recovery process was not easy – physically, mentally, emotionally," Hyduke said. "I'm just so thankful that I had my teammates supporting me and helping me through it."
Sixteen months after surgery, Hyduke didn't know exactly what to expect from the season opener at Villanova on Nov. 6.
More than anything, it just felt good to return to the pregame rhythms she'd missed so much. She tossed on headphones and found a quiet spot in the locker room to visualize making shots, dishing passes and grabbing steals, a trusted piece of her routine that began in high school.
With her parents and younger brother in the crowd, Hyduke proceeded to record 10 points, six rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes in a 68-56 victory. Rizzotti had planned to ease the point guard back into game action, but she'd proven ready and more-than-willing to handle a heavier workload.
"I don't think I can describe how it feels when you're out that long to finally do what you love again," Hyduke said. "It's just an exhilarating feeling."
Hyduke has built on those positive vibes, showcasing tremendous consistency in hitting double figures in seven of nine games.
The guard has leaned on a balanced offensive skillset, blending an ability to create off the dribble with impressive outside shooting. For the season, she's connected on 23-of-47 3-pointers this season, good for a 48.9 percent clip that ranks 22nd nationally and third among first-years.
Defensively, Hyduke has impressed Rizzotti with her willingness to help on the boards at 5-foot-6, and she's also tied for the team lead with 10 steals.
To be sure, there's work to be done, but Rizzotti, herself a former All-American point guard, has been largely pleased with the work of her newest pupil.
"It speaks to her competitiveness," Rizzotti said. "She's out there getting a lot done, and she's not getting a lot done based on experience because she's nine games into her career. She's getting a lot done based off of her determination and her competitiveness."
Hyduke's growing confidence was on full display in a pair of road wins last week that earned her A-10 Rookie of the Week honors. She poured in a season-high 22 points on the strength of a 5-of-9 showing from deep on Wednesday at Delaware. She logged a career-best 38 minutes, playing the entire second half to help the Colonials pull away. On Saturday, she equaled that scoring mark vs. Quinnipiac with four more long balls, plus four rebounds and three assists, in a 78-67 triumph.
"It's been great seeing her really open up to the team, on and off the court," Mokwuah said. "I think every day you can see her getting more and more comfortable playing with her teammates, playing like herself and just being great like she knows she can be."
Hyduke much prefers this role to holding a clipboard, but the lessons gleaned from a season on the bench are never far from mind.
She's stayed calm under pressure and offered steady production for a group still learning to play together. Her "Power of Touch" stats might not be at Bautista levels yet, but she's working on it.
Bautista regularly sends Hyduke pregame inspiration via text, and the Colonial point guards – past and present – had the chance to catch up after the home opener vs. Princeton.
"She said to just keep doing what I'm doing," Hyduke said. "She just gave me some words of wisdom about staying on it and being positive no matter what."
Despite being sidelined after surgery to repair a torn ACL, the point guard had a job to do.
Whether at Smith Center or on the road, Hyduke took seriously her charge to track the Colonials' high-fives, fist bumps and slaps on the back. The "Power of Touch" stats were a reminder of the importance of being a good teammate through thick and thin.
"There wasn't really much else I could do," Hyduke said. "So I had to do that to the best of my ability."
For GW head coach Jennifer Rizzotti, the assignment was a way to keep Hyduke feeling involved and locked in on the game with the ultimate aim of better understanding all it takes to be a collegiate floor general.
Rizzotti didn't need to see Hyduke's stat sheet to know senior point guard Mei-Lyn Bautista would be the team leader in "Power of Touch" moments every time out, but the coach wanted the newcomer from New Jersey to be paying attention to each and every empowering exchange.
"We talked a lot about how even though she might not get to play with Mei she at least gets to watch her," Rizzotti said. "They have different styles in terms of how they play and how they lead, but I wanted her to see the responsibility that I put on my point guard's shoulders and that if she was going to take the reins over this year, she was going to have to be ready for that."
After the patience-testing start to her career, Hyduke has found those lessons are paying dividends on the court.
Now healthy, the redshirt freshman has displayed veteran aplomb through her first nine games in Buff and Blue, ranking third among Atlantic 10 rookies at 13.2 ppg while also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists over a team-high 32.7 minutes per contest.
Of course, Hyduke has made her share of rookie mistakes in the early going, but she's even surprised herself with how smooth her transition has been to the college game.
"I honestly think the sit-out year was really good for me," Hyduke said. "I've seen everything that's going on. I understand what's about to happen. And also, because I was out so long, I'm just so excited to freakin' play."
A two-time All-State honoree at New Jersey's Rumson-Fair Haven High School, Hyduke figured to factor into the Colonials' rotation last season. She arrived in Foggy Bottom in the summer of 2018 eager to show she was ready to help.
Those plans changed abruptly during the team's preparations for their trip to Spain. When Hyduke's knee buckled on a jump stop, she hoped it was merely hyperextended, but a few days later, she received the bad news that she'd need surgery to repair her torn ACL.
Rather than competing for minutes, Hyduke dove into rehabilitation.
Rizzotti and her staff made sure to keep Hyduke involved as much as possible, encouraging the young guard to watch and learn at every turn. Each game, there would be teachable moments when a coach would get Hyduke's attention at the end of the bench to highlight the finer points of directing an offense.
"There's just so many little details," Hyduke said. "It's about understanding what works, what makes us score and what exactly is going to help us win games."
The road back required perseverance: Her first summer conditioning session felt disastrous. It helped when captain Sarah Overcash hung back on the run and offered encouragement as Hyduke dragged behind her usual pace.
Once she was cleared for contact, progress was measured in small victories like a hard drive to the hoop without pain or a defensive possession in which she simply reacted and didn't think about the surgically repaired knee.
Along the way, roommate Kayla Mokwuah did her best to brighten the tough days with impromptu dance parties, scary movie nights, shopping trips and Mario Kart battles on their Nintendo Wii.
"The recovery process was not easy – physically, mentally, emotionally," Hyduke said. "I'm just so thankful that I had my teammates supporting me and helping me through it."
Sixteen months after surgery, Hyduke didn't know exactly what to expect from the season opener at Villanova on Nov. 6.
More than anything, it just felt good to return to the pregame rhythms she'd missed so much. She tossed on headphones and found a quiet spot in the locker room to visualize making shots, dishing passes and grabbing steals, a trusted piece of her routine that began in high school.
With her parents and younger brother in the crowd, Hyduke proceeded to record 10 points, six rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes in a 68-56 victory. Rizzotti had planned to ease the point guard back into game action, but she'd proven ready and more-than-willing to handle a heavier workload.
"I don't think I can describe how it feels when you're out that long to finally do what you love again," Hyduke said. "It's just an exhilarating feeling."
Hyduke has built on those positive vibes, showcasing tremendous consistency in hitting double figures in seven of nine games.
The guard has leaned on a balanced offensive skillset, blending an ability to create off the dribble with impressive outside shooting. For the season, she's connected on 23-of-47 3-pointers this season, good for a 48.9 percent clip that ranks 22nd nationally and third among first-years.
Defensively, Hyduke has impressed Rizzotti with her willingness to help on the boards at 5-foot-6, and she's also tied for the team lead with 10 steals.
To be sure, there's work to be done, but Rizzotti, herself a former All-American point guard, has been largely pleased with the work of her newest pupil.
"It speaks to her competitiveness," Rizzotti said. "She's out there getting a lot done, and she's not getting a lot done based on experience because she's nine games into her career. She's getting a lot done based off of her determination and her competitiveness."
Hyduke's growing confidence was on full display in a pair of road wins last week that earned her A-10 Rookie of the Week honors. She poured in a season-high 22 points on the strength of a 5-of-9 showing from deep on Wednesday at Delaware. She logged a career-best 38 minutes, playing the entire second half to help the Colonials pull away. On Saturday, she equaled that scoring mark vs. Quinnipiac with four more long balls, plus four rebounds and three assists, in a 78-67 triumph.
"It's been great seeing her really open up to the team, on and off the court," Mokwuah said. "I think every day you can see her getting more and more comfortable playing with her teammates, playing like herself and just being great like she knows she can be."
Hyduke much prefers this role to holding a clipboard, but the lessons gleaned from a season on the bench are never far from mind.
She's stayed calm under pressure and offered steady production for a group still learning to play together. Her "Power of Touch" stats might not be at Bautista levels yet, but she's working on it.
Bautista regularly sends Hyduke pregame inspiration via text, and the Colonial point guards – past and present – had the chance to catch up after the home opener vs. Princeton.
"She said to just keep doing what I'm doing," Hyduke said. "She just gave me some words of wisdom about staying on it and being positive no matter what."
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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