Everything From Head Coach Nell Fortner at ACC Media Days

Fortner met with the media today at the ACC Tip-off

Jackson Caudell | Oct 24, 2023

Everything From Head Coach Nell Fortner at ACC Media Days /

In this story:

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Today was the beginning of the 2023-2024 ACC Media Tip-Off and every Women's Basketball Head Coach met with the media.

Georgia Tech head coach Nell Fortner talked with the media and here is everything that she had to say today:

1. Coach, returning three starters for this season, what does this look like having your freshmen that led you in scoring in last season with Tonie Morgan, but also building on that with the group and the core that you have?

NELL FORTNER: "Yeah, it's definitely the place that we start. We are anchored by them, and they were able to get some really good experience last year throughout the season but really in the ACC. Tonie really finished strong being on that freshman all-ACC team.

Kara I think would have been on that team. She suffered the injury at the end of the season, but she really was coming on, playing very, very well. Now heading into this season you have to use that experience to really -- and parlay that into something special this year.

I think Kayla Blackshear having just -- she's such a versatile player. You've got three players here that can do multitudes of things on the floor, and that's what we're trying to build around.

We're not there yet. We're still learning where we can really take advantage of our moments offensively. But we'll get there, and we'll get there behind these three showing up every day and practicing at a level that they have shown us they can do, and then everybody jumping on board.

I like the attitude and the effort of the team we have. We're still a little on the young side, but that will not be any excuse for us ever. We're hungry, and that's a really good thing when you're hungry and feisty."

2. Then we have the ACC-SEC challenge. You understand the level of talent that they have within this conference, but the ACC isn't shabby, sending eight teams to the NCAA Tournament. What are you excited about for what this does not just for the league but for women's basketball?

NELL FORTNER: "I think it's phenomenal. I think it's two of the best conferences in the country. I think the ACC from top to bottom is the best conference in the country, but the SEC is incredibly athletic and fast and big and just really, really strong.

We play Florida this year, and looking forward to that challenge. I think anytime you can play teams at a high level early in the season, I think it's good for you. It might be a little daunting, like oh, are we ready for that. Yeah, we're ready. You have to get yourself ready. But it also lets you know where you are right now as a team, and we'll find that out pretty early on in our schedule."

3. We've talked about what this season looks like. I know you have two transfers but also last season you were like we have a couple of freshmen that are on the way. What do you think they can provide for you out of the gate?

NELL FORTNER: "We've got -- really our freshman class this year provides great size. We've got some players at 6'6", 6'3" that really give us a presence inside defensively right now more so than anything. We're excited about that. It adds that depth to us.

We also have a nice little shooter that comes from Lithuania, and I'm just going to say it, she's just a little baller. She loves life. She's got this energy about her and this light about her. She's happy when her shot goes in, but she's just as happy when her shot goes in, and she celebrates it. It's something that you don't tell a kid, you don't keep a kid from doing that, she just comes with it.

I think she's going to be a fun player to watch, but I think she's a great addition for this team, also."

4. If you would build on just fast, long, if there's one thing that you were missing last season that you know that you can fulfill this year, what would it be?

NELL FORTNER: "Well, I think we can push pace better. I think we have the ability to really get out and run. We just have to be able to understand what we're running into, like what are we doing when we get down here. Because we're getting down here pretty fast; now what are we running into. We're continuing to learn that.

A lot of that falls on Tonie's shoulders because she's the point guard. Look, keeping up with Tonie is not easy because that ball is going to be way out in front. Everybody has got to get out there pretty fast.

Then she's got to know what to do with it. Hey, nobody is down here yet. What do I do with the ball.

We're learning, we're getting better at that, and I'm excited to see where that can end up, where that can take us, because we've got a lot of versatility on this team, and that's something that we're continuing to work through and figure out.

Our freshman class is definitely going to be able to help us this year."

Facebook: AllYellow Jackets

Twitter: @AllYellowJacket

Follow Jackson on Twitter: @jacksoncaudell

Check out all Georgia Tech Photos

More Georgia Tech Related Content: