Nov. 26, 2001

Freshmen Keiko Tate and Sara Potts are young and inexperienced, but neither feels overwhelmed about suiting up for their first college game as tradition-rich UK plays host to Temple in the season-opener.

Tate, whose first name Keiko means “to be adored” in Japanese, is honored but not awestruck to be a Wildcat.

“Being able to come to Kentucky and play basketball at this level is challenging,” Tate said. “But I like challenges and I know that with a lot of hard work and dedication that this team is going to be successful.”

Potts lived in Louisville as a youngster before moving to Michigan when she was nine years old. She grew up a fan of the Big Blue and dreamed of someday becoming a Wildcat. She now cherishes the realization of that dream.

“I know that by playing at Kentucky and playing in the Southeastern Conference, I’ll be playing against the best players in the nation, night-in and night-out,” she says.The two newcomers have more in common than the fact that “Kentucky” will be on their jerseys when they begin their collegiate careers.

Both Tate and Potts credit their fathers for their current status as student-athletes.”My dad really got me into basketball,” Tate said. “He taught me how to be a complete player.”

Potts’ says her father, an FBI agent, always made time for her.

“He was always there at tournaments, helping me out from the sidelines and at home in the driveway for many hours,” Potts said.

UK’s freshmen will together let go of their old dreams and start making new ones as they begin a new phase in their athletic journeys this season.