Cheryl Dozier is head coach of the women's basketball team. Former assistant coach of women's basketball at Michigan State University, she joined the Division of Athletics in June.

How did you discover that you loved the game of basketball?

I discovered my tremendous love for the game during my college years. I believe during those years you really find out what the game brings to your life as a whole.

Do you come from a family of basketball lovers?

I did not come from a basketball family. I have three older brothers and one older sister who all were swimmers in high school. But with all those older brothers, they made me one tough cookie. They helped develop my game as a high-school player, and took pride in the fact that I went on to play college ball.

What piqued your interest in coaching the UB women's team?

UB was a very interesting job because of the school's reputation academically. So when I looked at the job, it had the total package for me. It had a tradition of excellence in the classroom and the women's basketball program also had a tremendous tradition of success.

Your predecessor was male. Does being a female coach of the women's team have its advantages and, if so, what are they?

I think being a female coaching women definitely has its advantages, because, being a woman, I can understand why they react the way they do to certain situations. Also, I think it's important for young women to have good role models that they can learn from, and as coaches we wear more than one teaching hat.

How is leading women's basketball at UB different from Michigan State?

The biggest difference in running the UB program is that now I am the head coach and the buck stops here. At MSU, I was an assistant, and there is a big difference between being an assistant and a head coach. But maybe that's a subject for another article.

Are there advantages to leading a MAC program like UB's, as opposed to a Big 10 program?

The biggest advantage is that now I can implement all the things I learned as an assistant for nine years. As an assistant coach, I had the opportunity to work under four different head coaches and I took certain things from each of those experiences that I will implement as a head coach. All of those coaches helped prepare me for this opportunity.

What's been your greatest challenge since joining the UB athletics staff in June?

My biggest challenge has been recruiting, because I got the job right before the most important time for recruiting. We also moved into a new conference, so that meant educating all of the recruits and the university community about the MAC conference.

When does the 1998-99 season begin?

The 1998-99 season kicks off tomorrow with Midnight Madness, which will lead us into the first practice. This is an opportunity for the UB campus community to meet the players and new coaching staff, also to get them excited about this year's squads-both men and women. By entering the Mid-American Conference, people will see an exciting new brand of basketball played at a higher level than seen before.

What's your greatest concern about the 1998-99 season?

My greatest concern about this year's squad is our depth in the low post area. We will have to play certain players out of their normal positions because of our lack of size.

The UB women's basketball program traditionally has fielded a strong team. What's your assessment of this year's team?

I am extremely excited about this year's squad. I am one of a few coaches in this country who took over a winning program. I told our players that I am not looking at this as a rebuilding process, but a reloading time. They know how to win-they proved that time and time again-so now we implement a new system and continue the winning traditions here at UB.

What's something people don't know about you and should?

I would like people to know that I am very approachable and have an open-door policy, whether it's my players or anyone else I can help in any way.

What question do you wish I had asked, and how would you have answered it?

The one question that I wish you would have asked is, what is the most important thing to you as a young coach?

The most important thing to me is the development of my players as people, not just basketball players. This game teaches us so much about life, and how to achieve things in life