Hi ya'll! Malena Washington here. My teammates call me Mel, and it's about time you can too! So here it is, Monday With Malena. Each Monday I will be sharing with you thoughts, videos and pictures from this year's team. Leave no doubt, my teammates and coaches all have unique personalities and talents! I can't wait for you to get to know them on and off the court as I take you on the journey of our season!
 
Cats in the Community
Coach Barnes came in and really emphasized that we need to get our faces in the community, so that's what we did this summer. We spent days at the Boys & Girls Club, volunteered at Ben's Bells and invited our amazing fans to some events where we could hang out with them. The reaction has been great and we can't wait to show our fans what we can do!

My Last Go Around  
It's really hard to grasp the fact that this is the last year I will be wearing the red and blue and representing my school. People tell me that you need to cherish your college days because it goes by fast, and you know what, that is spot on. Stepping on campus for the first time feels like yesterday, and now I'm about to play in my final season opener of my college career. I'm not a very emotional person, but I must say, it's my dream to make it to the NCAA Tournament, and I can't wait to play ball and show you all what I've been working on.  

Kickoff to GameDay
With the start of the season upon us, I have to be honest, we are both excited and anxious for what the future holds. There have been many changes this season and as a group we have embraced them all. The biggest change has been our new coaching staff, which we all love. It has been nothing but progress since we met them last April. Coach Adia Barnes has introduced a new style of play, which we hope you will like as much as we do. We have been working day in and day out to be well prepared for our first game. Seeing the team progress individually and collectively has been very rewarding. With six seniors on this year's roster we all feel the importance of this year, not only for ourselves, but for you all as well. It's our last chance at a championship. It's our chance to start a new culture and the opportunity to leave a positive legacy on a program we are all thankful to be a part of.
 
Thank you for embarking on this journey with us. Look forward to seeing you all back in McKale Center on Tuesday!
 
-Mel