Quotes from Princeton's pre-tournament media session:
Princeton head coach Trina Salcido:
We're excited to be here, excited to visit Amherst for the first time myself. The program has had a history back in the ?90s of coming out here and we're excited to return. It's great to not have to go very far. We can make it a nice little bus trip. The girls are excited getting back to the NCAA tournament. We're just happy to be here, excited and ready to play ball.
On the spring break trip to California:
Salcido:
I always say that every coach makes a road trip like that knowing it can make or break your team. I hoped that it would make us and we came on the positive end of that. We had ups and downs. We had some heartbreaking losses against some really great competition. I think our girls grew in the way that we needed them to and confidence was built rather than kind of dwelling on the losses. We tried to learn from them and that's been our thing the whole way through, just getting better every day. You can definitely get better when you're losing. There's a lot to build off of. There's a lot of ways to get better the next day, and they did that. We definitely came back home to the Ivy League and we applied everything and we did what we needed to do.
On Ivies:
Salcido:
I thought we got better at being a team every day. Teams are built on learning how to win, how to lose. We started out the season learning how to lose together and if that doesn't break you, you can definitely learn how to win. Every extra win, whether it came from the pitching staff, we learned how to work together better, how to rely on one another. Our hitters, 3-4-5, have been key for us this year. I think that was the beginning and the rest of the lineup kind of fed off of that. It was contagious and we just learned how to be a team. We learned how to win together.
On Salcido as a new head coach:
Princeton junior shortstop Kathryn Welch:
I don't think there was really an adjustment period. It's a different style of coaching, obviously. Trina's got a ton of energy and so it was nice to get into you to work hard. We started right off the bat working hard, conditioning hard, just practicing hard, which I think was great for our team. Not really an adjustment period, but we just did things a little bit differently and it worked.
Princeton senior pitcher Kristen Schaus:
I think the standard and some of the expectations we started having as the preseason grew into the season was a little bit different. We were out there a lot. I think our conditioning was very intense this year, which really set a tone going into the season.
Princeton sophomore outfielder Kelsey Quist:
We all knew coming into the season that we would build off last season and do things this year that we didn't do as well last year. I think a lot of us knew the intensity that we were going to have to build coming into this season and knew our conditioning was going to be rough, knew our practices were going to be long and that it would make us better that way.
On the strong schedule preparing the team:
Welch:
I think so. We played Oklahoma (4-3). It was a tight game. We played well. When we play these teams, you see what you can do against better pitching, better hitting, things like that. I think it just prepares you. Our spring break trip really prepared us, I think, for now. Hopefully we aren't shocked with any team. We know how we play against very good teams and we expect to do it.
Schaus:
I think it just teaches us a lot about ourselves. We're really not too worried about the other teams, we're really focused on what we can do. Being out there earlier this season and in previous years, we know what we're capable of and that's kind of exciting for everyone.
Quist:
I think that spring break trip really showed the potential as a team. We went in there thinking we had nothing to lose. These are great teams, they're televised. We have the opportunity to play against great teams, and it kind of made us excited and it made us have that mentality that we have nothing to lose, why not play all out? I think we did and it really showed us our potential as a team.
Difference between teams in Ivy play and at NCAA Regionals:
Welch:
It's also very different when we play these to her teams because we're playing them one-and-done. With the Ivy League teams, we're seeing them four times in a weekend, maybe. I think that's very different. We're going to see a great pitcher at Stanford one time. There's more time for us when we play these Ivy League teams to kind of adjust to their style, adjust to their pitching, to their hitting, get a feel for what their team is like. I think it's just a very different game playing a team four times compared to playing one intense seven-inning game. It's just different.
Schaus:
I'd say some consistency too. Obviously you're playing bigger programs than a lot of the Ivies, but that's about right.
Quist:
The atmosphere, a little bit, changes. I remember going to Stanford and playing on their big field with the huge stadium surrounding us and fans all over the place. It's a different experience and it's really exciting. We draw a crowd at Princeton but definitely not as major as schools like Oklahoma and Stanford. It's really exciting to play at facilities that are top-notch facilities like they have.
On the home runs:
Welch:
I think we're just hitting well. We've been working a lot. We work hard on our swings. We take a lot of (batting practice). If you're getting all that practice and come game time, hopefully you want to do the same exact thing. We hopefully go from BP right into the game.
Quist:
I think, too, we push each other. 3-4-5, we push each other. If one person doesn't get it done, the next person wants to and it kind of goes down the line like that. If someone is having an off day, we know that the next two hitters behind us are going to get it done. Or if all three of us are getting a bad day, the bottom of the lineup is going to get it done. We have that confidence in each other and that kind of helps push one another like a little intra-team rivalry kind of thing. Like ?If I hit it out, can you hit it out?' kind of thing. It's really pushed us forward as a team.
Schaus:
I don't hit, but what I've noticed is that everyone feeds off each other really well. It says a lot through the 3-4-5, but also throughout the order and even pitching, which is what's so unique about our team this year.
On UMass:
Salcido:
I'm not a big focus-on-the-other-team kind of coach. I prepare and obviously I know they have a great program. I know they have great pitching. I just need to know a few things. They throw hard, they throw well, they've had great success this year. I haven't had the opportunity to see them play at all and people were throwing out names. ?What's your opinion on this?' I don't really know. I just know I prepare my hitters. We prepare our pitchers. We prepare as a team. Throwing my arm out throwing them batting practice, add in a few miles an hour to my pitch. But other than that, we're just preparing the girls to come out and be successful. It's the same game we've been playing, it's just a different opponent. It's about choosing a good day to be great and hope it falls your way.
On the challenges of playing in the Northeast:
Salcido:
I think facilities is one thing, as far as being in this part of the country. You need to have good facilities as far as not just playing surface but being able to accommodate practices in the offseason when it's raining, when it's cold, when it's snow on the ground. You're trying to attract the best recruits from all over the country. You want the sunny-state recruits, you want the Californias, you want the Floridas, the Arizonas and you've got to give these kids who've been playing year-round the opportunity to let them know you're going to be able to come and practice and play and get better year-round. You're not going to be on the gym floor. I think that's a big thing. And then just something special. You've got to have a great philosophy. I think you've got to preach and you've got to tell kids what your philosophy is and what you're trying to get to. (You've) got to have some time to try and build a tradition. You've just go to work hard and just hope you get the good ones. I feel like we get the good ones. And you've just got to put your best foot forward. You've got to work hard every day. We've got to work a little harder than the big programs, the big facilities, top 25, but that's why we do that. We love the game, we love to coach, we love the kids. You've just got to work hard and hope you get the good kids every year.
