Breona Gray has earned her starting berth on the Notre Dame quintet through hard work and the ability to share with others.

A 5-7 guard, Gray has more than doubled her playing time from one year ago as a freshman. She started in the Irish's first 15 games, and had career highs of 17 points vs. Syracuse; seven rebounds vs. Syracuse and Nebraska; and four assists vs. Syracuse and Michigan State.

"Bre" averaged 16.3 ppg. and 6.0 rpg. during her four-year career at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. She was a four-time all-state selection, including first team as a senior. Gray also ran track and won the state 400-meter run in 2002.

She has been a volunteer coach for the Nevada Special Olympics, as well as Candlelighters Children's Cancer Center. High school classmates who have joined Gray at Notre Dame are sophomore tennis players Catrina and Christian Thompson.

Gball: You had an excellent high school career, but you waited until spring to make your final decision on where to attend college. How did the recruiting process go, and how did you land at Notre Dame?
Gray: I was still trying to wait out my options, and Notre Dame was still interested. I was also interested in some places close to home such as Washington, Arizona, and Cal-Berkley. I came up to the Notre Dame campus, and I just loved everythingÉthe whole atmosphere, and what the school could provide for me, and I thought that this would be an excellent program for me to spend my next four years.

Gball: What does it mean to be the first Nevada resident to ever play basketball for Notre Dame?
Gray: Most people don't want to go that far away to school. I am very happy and proud to represent Nevada as part of the Notre Dame women's basketball program. I received good preparation from my high school days, and especially from playing with my traveling team which really made me ready to play in college.

Gball: You averaged 11.4 minutes of playing time per game as a freshman. What do you feel you contributed to the team in your first year?
Gray: My defense. I wasn't coming in looking to score like I did in high school. I needed to do the best thing I could to contribute, and that was my defensive ability.

Gball: This year, you are a sophomore starter, averaging 26 minutes of playing time per outing (3rd on the team), what areas do you think you have improved in to earn that starting berth?
Gray: My defense has stepped up extremely from last year. I'm accepting a little more of an offensive role, and my rebounding has improved. It's just that my overall game has stepped up. What you have to do as a sophomore is bring your game up a notch from your first season.

Gball: Now that you are seeing so much playing time what is your role with the veteran players on the current Irish team?
Gray: Basically my role is to try and get them the ball, but also take some of the pressure off of them, for example Jackie (Batteast) when she is double teamed. It is my job to look for some other teammates, or be offensive myself.

Gball: You play in a lineup with a number of high-profile players, namely Jacqueline Batteast and Meagan Duffy. What's it like to play with these players who get most of the recognition?
Gray: It's a lot of fun. I'm just glad to be out there and be a part of the success we have enjoyed. I'm happy to come in and do the little stuff to help them be better, and help us win.

Gball: What is it like to play in the Big East Conference?
Gray: It's extremely tough, but it gets us prepared for the NCAA tournament. The Big East is one of the top conferences in the country and by playing these tough opponents, it takes some of the pressure off when we go beyond the regular season because we know what to expect.

Gball: What would you consider your most memorable college game?
Gray: Last year's UConn game that we won 66-51 on our home court. We were all hyped, and we were just feeding off one another--from offense to defense--to talking on and off the court. We had so much communication that we knew we couldn't be stopped, and if we just kept it up we would win the game.

Gball: You led Bishop Gorman High School to three state semifinals out of four years. How would you compare your high school competition to what you face in college?
Gray: It's a lot harder. In high school, you just went out there and everyone was not up to your level, but when you get to college, everything is so much faster. Everyone knows how to play both offense and defense. And everyone is so much stronger and faster than the players in high school.

Gball: You were a high school track star, winning the Nevada high school 400 championship. How has this helped your basketball career?
Gray: It helped me stay in shape. After the basketball season, I just went to running track mainly to keep me in shape, keep me focused, and to make me stronger in the long run.

Gball: Notre Dame has a number of high-profile sports, and this past fall the women's soccer team won the NCAA championship. What kind of effect does this have on the rest of the athletic programs? Do teams support other teams?
Gray: We support every team by going to different games such as softball and soccer. We want to show our support because they don't get as many fans as we get in basketball. We go out there and cheer them on like they come to our games and support us. When the soccer team came back to campus, there was a ceremony for them, and there was much media coverage. When the individual players came to class, we were still cheering and congratulating them, and talking about the games and how excited we were for them to win because a lot of people weren't expecting them to win, but we knew they could step up and be the best.

Gball: Outside of basketball, what are other activities you like to do?
Gray: Mainly, I hang out with my teammates, watch TV, do homework, and work on my game.

Gball: Your mother is a blackjack dealer at the Aladdin Casino, what has been her role in getting you to where you are today?
Gray: My mom has always been there supporting me. In high school, she was there for every game, video taping, taking stats, and being our little DJ. She has always been there for me 100 percent, and even when I'm down on my game and I don't think I'm doing my part, she's always there to back me up.

Gball: What are your career goals after completing your education at Notre Dame?
Gray: I would still like to continue playing basketball. I might just go overseas and get more experience before I come back to the United States. My goal is to help kids today and keep them on the right track. I'm still thinking about being a criminologist or working in some other position in a related field. I really have a feel for helping others who are in need, or if they just need someone they can talk to.

Interview conducted by Gball Editor Dave Wohlhueter


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