GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- In facing 6-foot-8 Baylor
center Brittney Griner, Florida women’s coach Amanda Butler got an
up-close look at how size -- extreme, in this case -- impacts just about
everything on the basketball court.
Not that Butler needed reminding of that, of course.
But
starting next fall, Butler will experience giant post play in her very
own gym, thanks to the arrival of Oklahoma State transfer Vicky
McIntyre, who at 6-6 will be the tallest player in the 40-year history
of the UF program.
“I’ve never really had someone like her, so I
really don’t know what to do,” said Butler, who can’t wait to take on
her new (and very large) dilemma.
Like they say, size matters. It matters even more when accompanied with skills.
McIntyre,
who per NCAA transfer rules will have to sit out the 2012-13 season,
averaged 11.2 points and 5.5 rebounds while starting 17 of 31 games as a
freshman in ’10-11. Those numbers, however, dipped considerably (4
points, 4.1 rebounds, just nine starts) as a sophomore, but there were
circumstances.
A second-team all-state selection out of Omaha,
Neb., McIntyre was extremely close to OSU coach Kurt Budke and assistant
coach/recruiting coordinator Miranda Serna. Both were killed in a plane
crash last Nov. 17 in Perry County, Ark. -- just four days into the
start of the ’11-12 season.
McIntyre was not as close to OSU
associate head coach Jim Littell, who was promoted to replace Budke and
had other plans for the low-post position. The emotional scars, coupled
with her lack of playing time, sent McIntyre into the offseason looking
for a change of scenery.
“She’s had some adversity in her life the last few months,” Butler said. “But she’s starting a new life at Florida.”
And
McIntyre has demonstrated nothing but enthusiasm for that change since
arriving last week for the start of the summer “A” semester.
“We
get a kid with her size and length, but now combine with that the
experience she gained in Big 12 program, plus the work ethic, attitude
and excitement about being a Gator," Butler said. "That’s a winning
combination.”
During her successful freshman season, McIntyre
finished sixth in the Big 12 in field-goal percentage (49.5) and fourth
in blocked shots (2.1 per game).
She had 14 points and eight
rebounds in a win against Colorado, had a stretch of four straight games
in double-figures scoring, tallied a career-high 24 points (to go with
eight boards) against Iowa State, and went for 21 points and nine
rebounds in a loss to Texas Tech in the conference tournament title
game.
For Butler, just as intriguing as those numbers are the
ones that won’t necessarily show up on McIntyre's line in the box score.
“We're talking about a player that can alter everything,” Butler
said. “Like how you want to play defense and the level of attack your
guards may want to have knowing an individual like that is behind you.
I'm just thrilled with the possibilities.”
McIntyre chose UF after also visiting Arkansas in April.
