As the women’s basketball team opens play in less than a month, they’ll add a welcome returnee to the backcourt in junior Megan Edwards, who red-shirted in 2006-07 with a knee injury. Edwards led the OVC in assists in conference games as a freshman two seasons ago, and was third on the team in scoring at 10.5 points a game. She recently sat down with staff reporter Mike Mears to talk about her return to the court, what she learned while out of action last season, her future in teaching and coaching, and her disdain for millionaire basketball stars who can’t make a free throw.

How did you hurt your knee?

It was the second preseason game last year. We were running a play, and I was driving to the basket and just came down on it. It went in and out, dislocated and tore the ACL.

Did you know right away that it was torn?

After it happened it felt like something I’ve never had happen to me before and I knew that there was no way that I was going to be walking away from this one. So I knew it was going to be real bad. I didn’t end up finding out until after the game because we had to wait for the doctor to come, but I kind of had a feeling. They were giving hints, but they really wouldn’t tell me right away.

How long was it before you were back on the court?

I didn’t get released to fully play until this past June. Before that I could run and lightly jump, but I couldn’t really play basketball until this past June.

Looking forward to game action?

Yeah, I haven’t really played any game situations besides scrimmaging, but that’s not completely like a game because you’re playing against your friends. So I’m eager to play and have some competition.

Any worries about the knee holding up?

In the beginning months I definitely was not prepared and was definitely scared of hurting it again. But after going through preseason already, I really barely think about it anymore. I just go out there and worry about basketball instead of worrying about my knee.

As a junior, how will you be better than you were as a freshman two years ago?

I’ve already had a year of college experience. Basically a year and a half. And then sitting out and being able to watch all the games taught me a lot, too. You get to see all the aspects of the game without playing it. You get to see it from the coach’s position, and you start to understand where they’re coming from.

Did that make you think about a future in coaching?

I’ve always wanted to coach later in life. Actually, during my high school years I coached sixth, seventh and eighth-grade girl’s basketball teams, and that was always fun. But I want to go higher up and coach high school, because I plan on teaching high school.

You hold your high school’s (Maine West) career scoring record, and as a freshman at Eastern you led the OVC in assists in conference play. Do you like scoring or playmaking better?

I’d rather pass the ball than shoot it. I love ending a game and having a lot of assists because I think I’m pumping my team up more by getting the ball to the people who I know could score.

Who do you model your game after?

Diana Taurasi is an amazing player. She has all the aspects, she can shoot it and she can make an amazing pass at any time. So when I watch her I look at stuff she does, but it’s stuff I’ve been taught by my coaches that I basically play my game off of, and watching my other teammates like Jess Huffman, who’s a great point guard. She had a great season last year as a freshman, now she’s coming in as a sophomore and has a lot more knowledge about the game

You played varsity as a freshman in high school and started all 29 games as a freshman at Eastern. Which is harder?

Coming in as a freshman in high school was probably a lot harder, personally, because my friends were not happy that I got moved up. Here there really isn’t that level difference between freshman, sophomore and varsity. And there’s not much of an age difference anymore (in college).

You hit 85.2 percent of your free throws as a freshman, fifth in the conference. Does it ever bother you to see great players who can’t make a free throw?

I hate watching Shaq play. I just don’t understand it. I mean, I understand he’s giant and he holds the ball like it’s a tennis ball. But free throws, they’re free. Those are the key points in a game. They’re given to you and if you can’t finish them, you’re losing points for your team.

What part of your game do you hope to improve the most?

Defense. I have always been slower at the defensive end. It’s almost like a new start with a new knee, so I have this whole month of preseason to get working on it, and that’s mostly what I’m going to be focusing on for this whole month of practices before we start playing games.

What do you need to improve most as a team?

Right now we have to get used to playing together. During preseason you don’t really get time to work with each other, it’s more individual or two or three of us. So this next month we really have to work on coming together with our offense, and how to play with each other and off of each other.

Who is poised for a breakout season?

I think Jess Huffman’s going to come out with another great season now that she’s got a year under her belt, and I’ve already seen a lot of changes in her play from last year, over the summer. I don’t know, everyone this year has a great amount of talent and everyone brings something different to the table. It’s going to be shocking to see who actually comes out and who’s going to be the standout this year.

Who on the team wins in a game of H-O-R-S-E?

Wow.I don’t know. Lindsey Kluempers has a great outside shot, that’s what she’s been working on all summer. Me and Huff are pretty good at the three-point line. Wow, that’s a hard question. We’ve all got great shooting abilities on this team, I think it just depends on the given day.

Which teammates are you closest to?

I’m closest to Rachel Galligan and Ellen Canale. I roomed with Rachel our freshman year and we really got to know each other. These past two years I’ve been living with a bunch of the girls but I think me and Ellen have really grown close to each other, and me and Rachel have that close friendship bond. If I needed someone to talk to I’d probably go to either one of those two.

Who is your biggest influence in sports?

Probably my high school coach (Derril Kipp). He has been coaching me since third grade. He runs this camp during the summer and he noticed this picture of me in a basketball uniform on my grandma’s desk at the high school, and he told her to bring me to camp and ever since then I’ve been going every summer. He basically formed me into the player that I am. He taught me everything about the game, he still calls me to this day. He’ll hear about the game and he’ll coach me over the phone. I think he’ll always be a great influence for me to keep playing and keep getting better.

Why secondary education?

I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, and for some reason I think I would enjoy teaching high schoolers more than the younger kids. My sister is a grade school teacher and she talks about how fun it is, but I think I’d get more out of my job teaching high school kids because I can teach them more life skills.

Did you pick Eastern more for the major, or for basketball?

They were actually equal. It was a great basketball program to come into, plus Eastern is well-known for its teacher education program in the state of Illinois, so that definitely was a big influence on coming here.

Tell us something about your coach, Brady Sallee, that people outside the team don’t know.

(Laughs) Probably that he actually has a great sense of humor. During the games people don’t usually see him smile that much, because he’s usually got that stern face on and yelling at someone, yelling at the refs. Behind those closed doors, when you stop by the office or at practice when something funny happens, he’ll laugh. He loves to make jokes. They’re funny, but you’re like, “Really?” Because you’re getting picked on, but it’s still funny when it’s not you being picked on.

Junior Guard Megan Edwards was redshirted last season due to a knee injury and is excited about returning to the basketball court this season. Robbie Wroblewski/The Daily Eastern News

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