April 20, 2010

With graduation approaching in just a few weeks, UKathletics.com caught up with UK Hoops seniors Amani Franklin (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Lydia Watkins (Hopkinsville, Ky.) to find out what they thought about their amazing senior season and what they plan to do after graduation.

Amani Franklin

1. Now that the season has been over for a few weeks, have you had time to reflect on your amazing senior year? “Yes, I’ve had lot of time to think about this year and I’m just so happy about how far we made it and how far this program has come in the past three years. We went from the WNIT to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and no one expected us to be there. It was an amazing run and I’m glad I was a part of it.”
2. What are you getting your degree in? “Agricultural economics with a minor in business.”
3. What are your plans after graduation? “I will use the summer to relax and recover and then I’m going try to play basketball overseas.”
4. What is your most memorable moment as a basketball player at Kentucky? “The most memorable moment for me was beating the No. 1 seed (Nebraska) to go to the Elite Eight. We played so hard and were determined not to lose. All of the odds were stacked against us as everyone picked Nebraska to beat us. We came together, played hard and got the victory.”
5. Do you have a favorite fan memory? “My favorite fan memory was ‘Senior Day.’ It just was a very special day and then I looked up in the crowd and saw a sign a fan had made for me and Lydia. It said something like ‘Let’s go Grannies!” It just made me realize how special our fans are and how much they support us. They are the best fans in the world.”
6. If you could do it all over again, would you change anything? “I really wouldn’t change anything. Everything happens for a reason and I learned from it. I’m proud of my career and everything I had to go through to get to where I am now.”
7. What advice would you give to younger basketball players that desire to play collegiately? “My advice is to go to school, work hard, get good grades and work on your time management. Time management is the key in college. In the gym, make sure you come to practice motivated with the mind-set that you can get better and you will succeed.”
8. What about college life will you miss the most? “I’ll miss being around my friends and teammates and just goofing off with them. I’ll miss playing basketball with my teammates.”
9. What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now? “I hope to still be playing basketball and making myself better every day. Although I was considered a ‘Granny’ on the team because of my aches and pains, I want to play as long as I can, maybe 10 to 15 years.”
10. Any special message to all of the UK Hoops fans? “Thank you for all the support over my four years at Kentucky. I really appreciate everything you did for me and my teammates. Keep supporting UK Hoops!”

Lydia Watkins

1. Now that the season has been over for a few weeks, have you had time to reflect on your amazing senior year? “I actually have thought about it a lot and I feel like we accomplished so much. My senior year ended on a good note even after all of the obstacles I had to face. I’m proud of finishing and sticking through everything even when it was so hard.”
2. What are you getting your degree in? “I’ll graduate in May with a degree in sociology.”
3. What are your plans after graduation? “I will continue focusing on my son, Jaylen and I plan on going to Eastern Kentucky University to work on a master’s degree in juvenile justice.”
4. What is your most memorable moment as a basketball player at Kentucky? “Definitely going to the NCAA Tournament and the Elite Eight. It was so much fun.”
5. Do you have a favorite fan memory? “If I had to pick just one my favorite memory would be the fans at the NCAA first and second rounds in Louisville and just how they showed up at hotel and at the game. Our fans are so supportive of us. They are truly amazing.”
6. If you could do it all over again, would you change anything? “No. I think everything played out perfectly for me. I wouldn’t change a thing. Everything that happened made me who I am today.”
7. What advice would you give to younger basketball players that desire to play collegiately? “My advice is to start now by getting in the gym and putting in extra work. Even when the season starts, get in the gym and do extra work outside of practice. It will make you a better player.”
8. What at UK will you miss the most? “I’ll miss my teammates and coaches. We spent a lot of time together and they are like another family to me. I’ll also miss the game of basketball.”
9. What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now? “I hope to be a juvenile probation officer. I want to help change children’s lives. ”
10. Any special message to all of the UK Hoops fans ?
    “I want to thank all of the UK fans for your support. Thanks for sticking by me, believing in me and giving me a second chance even after I had Jaylen. Thanks for everything.”