On the block

Women's Basketball, Oct 2003 by Kritchevsky, Janice

Although Kelly Schumacher recently wrapped up her third year with the WNBA's Indiana Fever, the center remains very much a member of the University of Connecticut's "Husky Nation."

"That bond stays pretty strong," explained Schumacher, a member of UConn's 2000 National Championship team. "There are always things that bring us back to UConn. Rita [Williams] had a celebratory basketball game last October, and all of us came back for that. For me, it was really great to go back to Connecticut this year with the Sun team. Also players in the league, like Swin Cash or whoever, we're all still close-knit. Even players that I didn't play with in college, like Rebecca Lobo. Everyone is still really friendly.

"Team loyalty is a lot different in the pros, because you never know where you're going to end up or for how long," she ended. "Indiana has treated me well. I'm really happy to be here, and I think [Indianapolis is] a great basketball town. But if I were traded tomorrow, I'd be able to handle it."

Schumacher, 25, now plays alongside some of her former college rivals. "As soon as you're on the same team, that hate turns into respect for them," she said. "When we went to Connecticut, [my teammates] were all rolling their eyes at me because the fans were so crazy."

Schumacher has steadily improved her game since she was selected by the Fever in the first round of the 2001 draft. In the just-concluded season, she averaged more than 5 points and 3 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, her strong defensive presence inside has earned her the nickname "Kelly Shot-blocker."

Fever head coach Nell Fortner said the best is yet to come for the 6'4'' center.

"The experience she has gained is very important," Fortner said. "Kelly just continues to grow, and she's still not anywhere close to where she could be as a player. Hopefully, she'll keep working on her game and keep growing."

- Janice Kritchevsky