Pitt freshmen adapt to change

It didn’t take long for the freshmen on the Pitt women’s basketball team to realize that they… It didn’t take long for the freshmen on the Pitt women’s basketball team to realize that they weren’t in high school anymore. Shawnice ‘Pepper’ Wilson, Sarah Ogoke and Kate Popovec all had demanding schedules in the classroom and on the court throughout secondary schooling, but what once seemed burdening has become a faded pleasant memory compared to the current challenge. ‘It’s a very different life,’ said Pitt guard Ogoke, a Texas native. ‘The classes are longer and the workload is heavier. But managing time has been most challenging.’ Wilson, a native Pittsburgher and Westinghouse High School product, shares Ogoke’s sentiments. ‘The transition, it just hasn’t been easy,’ she said. But no one should confuse difficultly with being unsuccessful. The work put into adjusting to college and handling the rigors of Pitt academia are translating to on-the-court success and serving bigger purposes. ‘To grow, you need to work and challenge yourself,’ said Ogoke. ‘All the work we put forth every day helps us come together as a team. It prepares us for the real world.’ The current real world consists of 12-hour days for the three freshmen. And those are the slow days. After waking up at 9 a.m., Ogoke and Wilson prepare for class, then practice, then study hall. A trip to the gym likely follows. Popovec, out of Canton, Ohio, endures a similar grind. But while the long hours are routine for the freshman center, one part of the day is foreign. ‘Weightlifting is a first for me,’ she admits. ‘It’s not something I was used to, and you have to put a lot of time and energy into it.’ Shadowing the grueling schedule and daily grind has been the universal passion for and commitment to making the most of the opportunity at hand. ‘This is something we all love,’ said Popovec. The coaching staffs helps to instill that sense of love-of-the-game. ‘We’re breaking down the game a lot more [compared to high school], and the coaches let nothing slide,’ said Ogoke. ‘They look at absolutely everything. It’s all about the details.’ The transition hasn’t been as difficult as imagined for Popovec. She said a lot of that is because of her involvement with the team. ‘You’re always surrounded by great people and a great staff,’ she said. ‘They try to make things as easy as possible, and everyone on the team is focused on helping one another, too.’ The players’ experience at Pitt hasn’t been a constant struggle, though. Like many students, Wilson, Ogoke and Popovec enjoy all that the school has to offer. ‘I love Pitt,’ said Popovec. ‘It’s the only school I looked at, and I committed really early.’ The proximity to home ‘- which allows family to visit ‘- made the decision easier for Popovec. But the support from fans has been overwhelming. ‘We’re getting a lot of campus support, and that’s been great,’ she said. ‘It’s been a lot of fun.’ Popovec, the self-proclaimed ‘Disney freak’ admits to being a 6-year-old in an 18-year-old body. (Yes, ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’ are her favorites). Wilson is more than familiar with Pittsburgh, but sees the Oakland campus as a separate ‘city within a city.’ Having family nearby helped with deciding which school to attend. When not developing her on-the-court skills, Wilson is preoccupied with figuring out how the 6-foot-6 center is afraid of heights. ‘It’s not something I can explain. It’s weird,’ she says.’ And while Popovec watches Aladdin court Jasmine, Wilson uses the rest of her free time for something more mellow. ‘Sleep,’ she said emphatically. ‘All downtime is for sleep.’ No surprise to Pitt students, Ogoke works just as hard on her academics as she does on taking the ball to the rim. The successful pharmacy program at Pitt was just as impressive for Ogoke as the basketball program. It was one of the big reasons for her choosing to come to Oakland. ‘I take my grades very seriously,’ she said. ‘But I can be goofy, too.’