Eboni Williams hopes to be ‘impact freshman’ for Mocs
Eboni Williams has dreams at night of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga assistant coach Debbie Hill telling the Mocs freshman to “slow down.”
“I’m learning,” Williams said, with Hill adding that “she’s getting it. She gets that she’s a package.”
Williams is one of four freshmen hoping to make an impact for the youthful Mocs this season as they prepare for the season opener against NCAA Division II member Lee University next Tuesday at McKenzie Arena. It’s a week that ends with a home matchup against 2018 national runner-up Louisville.
The 6-foot forward from Hoover High School was an Alabama second-team all-state selection in 2018, a year after earning first-team honors as well as the most valuable player distinction at the 2017 Class 7A state tournament. She averaged 11.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for the Lady Bucs.
She briefly gave volleyball a shot (“lasted about a week”).
She also did a lot of drawing (“I don’t know why I quit.”).
It appears she made a good choice.
“I thought the transition to college was pretty good,” she said. “My training prepared me, my coaches prepared me. I feel like I’m still learning. Now I’m just learning to do little stuff and jelling with my teammates.”
Her size and athletic ability could earn her a spot in the rotation from the beginning. If so, she’s ready for it.
“My personal goal is to become an impact freshman,” Williams said. “I feel I have a lot of potential to do a lot of things with this team. Our team goal is to make the (NCAA) tournament; I feel we have the potential to do that.”
Mocs add walk-on
Liz Wood has been added to the roster. The walk-on was a 2017 Henry County graduate and was a team captain as a senior, when she was all-district and all-district tournament. The Lady Patriots won 66 games in her final three seasons.
Louisville tickets on sale
Single-game tickets for the Nov. 9 game against Louisville are on sale. All tickets will be reserved, ranging from $5 to $20, and can be purchased at GoMocs.com or at the McKenzie Arena box office.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.