Q & A With Telia McCall

Story Links

Freshman forward Telia McCall recently checked in with VirginiaSports.com to answer questions about the team’s 2009-10 season and her first year with the Cavaliers. UVa faces Clemson on Thursday night at John Paul Jones Arena. Tip-off is 7 p.m.

Question: How would you describe your first season of college basketball?
McCall: It’s a lot! I would say it’s fun and exciting, sometimes you’re happy and sometimes you’re not. It can be hard but it’s fun. College basketball is more physical and as a post player you have to finish with contact. In high school things came easy and whoever had more talent usually won. In college, things are not as easy.

Question: You have the versatility to play multiple positions for the Cavaliers. Has that always been the case?
McCall: Depending on the team I was playing for growing up and in high school, I could be a post player or a guard. Most of the time I was a guard, because it made me harder to guard. I’ve been working on my shot a lot, so my shot has improved, which allowed me to play the guard position. This year, I’ve been working on what it takes to be a post player. It’s funny, if you would have told me I would be playing the post in college, I would have never believed you. I always had this idea that playing down low was very physical and hard.

Question: Is it a change you’ve enjoyed?
McCall: I will do whatever it takes for the team.

Question: Did you play other sports in high school?
McCall: I played volleyball in high school and club. I thought about playing both in college but I thought it would be too much.

Question: Have you made it out to watch the Virginia volleyball team:
McCall: Yes, I went to a couple of their games in the fall and I wished I was out there playing!

Question: Coming off of a tough loss at Wake Forest on Sunday, what can you tell us about the team’s preparation for Clemson?
McCall: Practice is more intense and our main focus in practice is getting rebounds and defending. We’ve been working on boxing out because that is something we really need to work on.

Question: Being from the Atlanta area, is there anything you miss from home that you can’t get in Charlottesville?
McCall: Macaroni and cheese. It is just not the same.

Question: Have you found a viable substitute in town at least?
McCall: No. It can’t even compare.

Question: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
McCall: I like watching movies.

Question: What’s your favorite movie or a good movie you’ve seen recently?
McCall: I just watched 2012, and I thought that was pretty good. The movies I know by heart are Men in Black and Love and Basketball.