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Welcome to The Amy Eagan Podcast. Every Saturday Lindenwood University's Head Women's Basketball Coach Amy Eagan talks women's basketball and much, much more. We'll talk about past games, future games, players, the OVC, the NCAA, academics, careers, and many other interesting topics.
Gary Stocker (00:01.028)
Welcome back to the Amy Egan Show, where each week we interview Lindenwood University Head Women's Basketball Coach Amy Egan. We talk basketball, of course. We talk academics. We talk leadership. We talk NCAA and much, much more. Today we're starting off the podcast with two players just brand new to the Lindenwood campus, Noah Garcia and Alicia Jones. Alicia, what's the last name? I'll edit that part out.
Aleshia Jones (00:11.871)
you
Aleshia Jones (00:26.248)
Jones, yeah you're right.
Gary Stocker (00:30.596)
I'm going do that again. Today we welcome Noah Garcia and Alicia Jones who are new to the program. Ladies, thanks for making time to join us today.
Aleshia Jones (00:39.359)
course.
Noah Garcia (00:40.417)
Thank you.
Gary Stocker (00:40.484)
So Noah, let's start with you. If you will, please just kind of share with the listeners where you're coming from, what your major is, and we'll take it from there.
Noah Garcia (00:50.829)
So my name is Noah Garcia. I'm from Madrid, Spain and my major is psychology.
Gary Stocker (01:00.196)
And how long have you been playing basketball?
Noah Garcia (01:03.245)
Um, I actually started kind of late. started when I was 13. So almost 10 years. I'm 22 now just turned 22. yeah.
Aleshia Jones (01:04.671)
I'm coming from a little town called Leavenworth. It's in Kansas, right by Kansas City. I am a sociology major, but here I am doing a certificate in criminal justice administration.
Gary Stocker (01:13.252)
And Alicia, same question for you. Where are you coming from?
Gary Stocker (01:32.876)
And so of course Leavenworth is home to one of the most famous prisons in the world, right? That's right. And I have been by that area many times. You drive to Denver a couple of times a year. So I know that area pretty well. And let's talk basketball. And we'll just start with Noah for each question. And Noah, I'm guessing when you had the chance to choose a new college to play basketball for, you had a lot of options.
Aleshia Jones (01:36.927)
Yup, that's what everyone knows this for.
Gary Stocker (01:59.554)
Step us through what your process was to decide and why you ultimately chose Linwood and Coach Egan.
Noah Garcia (02:07.117)
Um, so previously I was at New Mexico State this last year. Um, I was just looking for a change in just like culture wise, um, having like a better, um, relationship with my teammates and coaches. Um, and well, as soon as I, um, got in contact with coach Egan and coach, uh, Jordan, um,
Aleshia Jones (02:21.638)
Okay.
Noah Garcia (02:35.149)
They were really welcoming. We connected really well. And then I came on my official visit and all the players were in the same way. I love the place. I felt welcomed like from the first minute that I stepped on campus. I also like basketball wise, I saw that I had like potential with the team too and I could provide for the team. So we thought, I thought it was the best option for me.
Aleshia Jones (02:43.494)
Aleshia Jones (03:02.494)
Yeah, so the process has been long. I went to Jucco, then went to Saginaw Valley State University. Saginaw Valley State is in Michigan, so it's pretty far away from home. This fifth year that we got, I got in contact with Coach Jordan.
Gary Stocker (03:05.336)
And Alicia, you had quite a bit of success playing college basketball. Tell us about the process that led you to come to Lyndon University and St. Charles.
Aleshia Jones (03:32.445)
and Coach Egan and was able to get a quick trip down here just to come and visit. It's closer to home. It's where I have some of my other family members here too, like my aunts and cousins and stuff. But as soon as I stepped on campus, I felt welcomed. The diversity was great and just the culture. Seeing the girls and how everyone speaks about each other was great. Had a good experience coming down here. I also know
Jordan from previous years. He coached my sister when she was in high school. So, but yeah, I've been looking into this program even when they were at Drury and being able to just come up with them here at Lindenwood and being able to play for them and being able to be close to home so my family would be able to come out and watch a few games too.
Gary Stocker (04:06.189)
Okay.
Gary Stocker (04:22.276)
Yeah, that'd be fun. And when we're there, make sure you get a chance after a game sometime to introduce me to your family, because I will be there all the games. So, Alicia, I'll do a follow-up with you. So I'm guessing the success that you had seen Lyndon would have last year with the 23-11 record kind of positively impacted you?
Aleshia Jones (04:29.084)
of course.
Aleshia Jones (04:42.137)
Yeah, made me, wanted to, for my fifth year for sure, I wanted to go to a good program. I want to go to a winning program, a program that I know I can succeed in and get better in. So picking here was like the winning portion of basketball portion wasn't a like thing that I really like had to look very, very into because I knew they were winning program. I knew they were a good program. I knew coach Egan is a great coach and everything like that. So.
But yeah, I just wanted to come here and win some games and know that this is a team that works hard, has great work ethic.
Gary Stocker (05:21.492)
I guess the same thing for you, Noya. It had to be comforting to see that a team went from seven wins one year to 23 wins the next.
Noah Garcia (05:29.856)
Yes, for sure. You definitely appreciate that. When you talk to coaches and they talk to you about the evolution of the team and how they develop through time, you definitely appreciate that development. me personally, I was like, OK, I want to be a part of that growth. Also coming from my freshman and sophomore year, I was in Canada. well, our team like.
Aleshia Jones (05:54.392)
you
Noah Garcia (05:55.774)
It wasn't really a winning program. They were like starting to build a program. So it's definitely a good, a good change.
Gary Stocker (06:05.124)
So Noah, you've been on campus this summer and of course the fall season practices. What are your early observations about both Lindwood as a college and about the Lindwood basketball program?
Aleshia Jones (06:15.556)
Okay.
Noah Garcia (06:17.164)
I think throughout the whole summer and this like first start of fall, you can really see like how every player puts in the work every day, how they support each other, how we support each other to just better ourselves every day. And even like through challenges, I feel like we really stick together very well. And through the summer too.
with conditioning and stuff, feel like we did a pretty good job of just staying united, staying together. had, well, I wasn't really lucky. a meniscus, I tore my meniscus. So I've been kind of on the sideline for me. I've planned the work in a different way, but I'm waiting to come back now. I'll say that seeing it from the outside is a great thing to see. And it's also,
Aleshia Jones (07:11.867)
Saginaw Valley State, obviously it's real cold up there if you know Michigan is. But it's Division II school so I stayed over the summer but it was mostly just personal work.
Noah Garcia (07:14.025)
Great to know that I'm part of that too and I'll soon be participating with them.
Gary Stocker (07:19.278)
So Alicia, Saginaw State to Lindenwood, what are the differences between the two programs and the two colleges?
Gary Stocker (07:28.615)
Hahaha!
Aleshia Jones (07:38.745)
and everything like that, but being able to get in in the summer with Lyndenwood was great. Learning the program well, learning the girls, learning the facilities, learning everything that I need to know before I came here was great. I feel like it really helps you push ahead, especially when preseason comes around and makes you be prepared, which the coaches love when you're not prepared. So I really liked that. just the communities are kind of the same. I love both of the communities.
People are great around the community, small towns, for both.
Gary Stocker (08:14.766)
So you do know, Alicia, that come December and January, you will have to wear a coat here in St. Charles.
Aleshia Jones (08:19.875)
yes, I understand, we have four seasons here, but in Michigan there was only three. You had winter for a good chunk of it.
Gary Stocker (08:21.646)
Ha
Gary Stocker (08:26.276)
I can believe that. And then final question, the first game for your careers at Linwood is inside of two weeks right now. Noah, what are you doing to prepare yourself for that first game?
Noah Garcia (08:38.574)
well, as I said, I'm on the silent on the sideline right now. but I'm. Preparing the same way I would if I were to play, you know, just kind of focusing on the scout and, it's like the other teams plays, how they play defense, how they run their offense, just kind of prepare the same way that I would if I played this. So when I actually step in, I'm ready for that.
Aleshia Jones (08:57.595)
Yes, I'm awake.
Gary Stocker (09:08.846)
So Alisa, you know this education game on November 5th. There's going to be hundreds of screaming grade school children there, Did you get a chance to experience anything like that at Saginaw?
Aleshia Jones (09:21.363)
and second, all we did have a, chosen day where people from our camps that we had, on the summer did come and it was pretty packed out with a lot of elementary kids.
Gary Stocker (09:33.572)
Well, our two guests have been Noah Garcia and Alicia Jones, both new players to Linwood University Women's Basketball program. Ladies, thank you very much for joining us. I look forward to seeing you on the basketball court.
Aleshia Jones (09:44.334)
Thank you.
Noah Garcia (09:45.533)
Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity.
Gary Stocker (09:48.174)
You're welcome to jump off these.
Noah Garcia (09:51.155)
Okay, bye.
Hehehe.
Gary Stocker (09:57.667)
Hey Coach!
Amy Eagan (09:58.573)
Hi.
Gary Stocker (10:00.452)
That went quite nicely. Thank you for setting that up.
Amy Eagan (10:03.299)
They're two good kids, aren't they? Really easy.
Gary Stocker (10:04.994)
Amen to that. Amen to that, It reminded me of myself when I was growing up.
Amy Eagan (10:11.646)
Hahaha!
Gary Stocker (10:13.156)
I don't have any video on my screen. Do you have video on your screen? I don't know what's going on. I'm telling the girls my next call is to AT &T because I have serious issues with my internet speed here. So if you me breaking into obscenities, that's why. All right, so the questions we're going to have are about the preseason stuff, the OVC announcements, and then the media day with you and Ellie. And then just some basic questions about style of play, question about...
Amy Eagan (10:16.045)
Yeah.
Amy Eagan (10:23.277)
Internet? Huh.
Amy Eagan (10:29.016)
Yeah.
Amy Eagan (10:37.24)
Okay.
Gary Stocker (10:43.044)
Good.
What's your message to students and fans to get them out to the games this year? And then finally, for the fans who will be watching, who may come for the first game, what's the one thing they should pay attention to that will tell them a lot about the 25-2016?
You can probably handle those. But before we forget, I do want to take you up on your offer for the Iowa passes. Can we still do that? OK. Two, one for me, one for Connie.
Amy Eagan (11:03.911)
yeah.
Amy Eagan (11:12.055)
Yep, for sure.
Okay.
Gary Stocker (11:17.912)
And then I noticed that the Eastern game is just the women only, the men go up on a different date.
Amy Eagan (11:23.212)
Yeah, so we were supposed to play it. So we played Western Illinois Thursday at home. We were supposed to play them on Saturday at home or at their place. Well, they have graduation. So they figured that out afterwards. So then they wanted to flip home and away. But that would mean we'd have our last like four five on the road again. We were like, we're not doing that. So the guys, we had to find just dates.
Gary Stocker (11:32.706)
Yeah.
Gary Stocker (11:39.3)
Hahaha
Amy Eagan (11:49.409)
And that was the date that worked for us and it didn't work for the guys. So that's why it's separate.
Gary Stocker (11:53.637)
That's also a sign of a college with not enough resources to do proper planning. reason I ask, is that going to be a day trip up and down the same day? OK, then I'm not going to go up. Who? OK. OK, I might wrap with her.
Amy Eagan (11:57.175)
Yeah.
Amy Eagan (12:00.789)
No, we'll go the night before. Jen might though. Jen. So if she does, yeah. Just remind me and I'll see.
Gary Stocker (12:13.572)
And then do you want to set up our November breakfast while we're together?
Amy Eagan (12:16.971)
Yes.
Gary Stocker (12:19.63)
and you dictate it because your schedule is now goes crazy.
Amy Eagan (12:32.089)
How about November?
Amy Eagan (12:41.229)
Fourth.
Gary Stocker (12:44.004)
Day before the first game.
Amy Eagan (12:45.153)
Yeah, or I can do November 6th after the first game. Okay, let's do that then.
Gary Stocker (12:53.898)
Let's do after the first game. I've already got that on the schedule so let's do number six.
Amy Eagan (12:59.865)
Okay.
Gary Stocker (13:02.628)
8 a.m. cracker roll.
Amy Eagan (13:03.992)
Yep.
Sounds perfect.
Gary Stocker (13:12.42)
calendar.
Amy Eagan (13:17.529)
Let me add it to mine.
Gary Stocker (13:19.812)
I'm my car calendar, automated car calendar system here so I've to reserve the car.
Amy Eagan (13:27.085)
That's right.
Gary Stocker (13:30.414)
Don't wanna screw that up.
Amy Eagan (13:32.868)
I love it.
That's so awesome.
Gary Stocker (13:38.86)
It works. It's stunning how well it works.
Amy Eagan (13:42.197)
Yeah. When do you think you guys are putting your house up?
Gary Stocker (13:45.924)
It's still going to be early March. We have it ready for listing now. have done all the contract work with the Realtor and if somebody wants to look at it now that's fine but we're not going to be able
Amy Eagan (13:47.758)
Yeah.
Amy Eagan (13:57.281)
Yeah, absolutely.
Gary Stocker (14:00.037)
All shall we continue on with the podcasting?
Amy Eagan (14:02.199)
Yep.
Gary Stocker (14:05.016)
So Coach Egan joins us and coach since we did the first podcast of the season. A lot has happened at Lindenwood University, including some big announcements from the OVC. Talk to us about that.
Amy Eagan (14:17.463)
Yeah, so we got picked OVC preseason number one and it was a little bit of a shock most of the time. Those polls go just based off of how last year finished. So it was a good surprise for us, I think. As I kind of said, I spoke with the OVC media day and I kind of said it just shows a lot of the respect that people have for our program and
A lot of the success and hard work that our coaches and our kids have put in. we were happy about it, but we also know it doesn't mean anything. And we have to go out every night and prove that we can win. And we have to go through, in order to win a championship, you have to go through every gym in the OVC. So we got to continue with the process and continue just every day to work to get better with it. But.
A good, think, as I said two years ago, we were picked number 11 just two years ago. So it's pretty cool to see that and just really proud of the people that I'm surrounded by every single day.
Gary Stocker (15:22.724)
And then talk a little bit more about the media day. And I think we talked about this last year, but you go and you're with all the other coaches and the coaches, the women's coaches, and each bring one of their players. What's that social environment like?
Amy Eagan (15:28.825)
Yep.
Amy Eagan (15:36.526)
Yeah, it's really good. mean, I have good relationships with the...
Gary Stocker (15:36.836)
What's that environment like when you're together with all those folks?
Amy Eagan (15:42.297)
Yeah, I have good relationships with a lot of the coaches in the OVC and I've gotten to know a lot of them even better. So it's been really, really good. And I think that it's kind of cool to see them just not on the sideline where it's before the game and it's kind of that pressure of heading into the game. It's kind of nice to see them outside of that and talk to them and so forth. And we kid around and talk some trash a little bit, all that kind of stuff. So it's fun.
Gary Stocker (16:11.972)
And do the players interact as well in that event?
Amy Eagan (16:19.021)
Yeah, they do some. think they have a lot of respect for each other. You know, I think most of them kind of know each other because there's usually veterans there. So they'll say hi and chit chat maybe a little bit with stuff. But I think there's a lot of respect, you know, at that OVC media day, whether it's coaches and or players with it. So but it's a fun day. You know, you spend time like I get to spend all day with Ellie and get, you know, just get to talk about stuff other than basketball as well.
We got to do some videos and some pictures and all that kind of stuff. So it was a really good day.
Gary Stocker (16:55.572)
I want to talk about that. So Ellie was the player you took with you this year. In addition to spending a day with the coach, that's kind of an opportunity for players to develop their own set of professional competence as well. How does something like Ellie, who's such a skilled basketball player and such a fine person, handle that kind of environment?
Amy Eagan (16:59.021)
Is it?
Amy Eagan (17:14.274)
Yeah, I think it's a little bit nerve wracking just because you don't know some of the questions they're going to ask, know, where I'm kind of veteran with that because I've been put in those situations before, but I think it really helps them grow. You know, they learn how to even continue to talk to media and answer.
you know how to answer some things and I kind of told her you know and everything that she does you know kind of speak from a coach's perspective and listen to kind of some of the things that I say and she does a really really good job with that so I think it's fun I think you know again I think it helps them even personally just with growing.
Gary Stocker (17:54.105)
And let's turn to basketball a little bit. last year, I'm going to talk like a basketball nerd here. Last year, the offense revolved kind of around a double high post lots of times. What are we going to see that's different or supplemental this year that we didn't see last year?
Amy Eagan (18:08.409)
Yeah, I think we're building a lot on last year and the fundamentals of our system and our program. So I do think that. I think we're adding in some things to maybe make us just a little bit more versatile with some things. know, last year we were pretty much like, hey, this is our system. This is the only thing we're able to do right now type stuff. think.
Our kids are a lot more veteran now where we can make some in game changes and make some in game adjustments where we didn't feel like last year that was always the best thing. So we're hoping to do that. So we're adding some different twists and different ball screen deed coverages. We're adding a little bit of some pressing.
another zone. offensively we're building on what we did last year. Continue to add different looks, different reads, different situations with that. So I think it's been really, really good. I think our kids have really taken to it and I think that you know it will continue to grow in that area.
Gary Stocker (19:06.82)
So I had the chance to stop by a practice, I think it was a week or so ago, and I noticed how tightly scheduled you run practices. Is that a common D1 practice or is your approach unique to how you run those practices?
Amy Eagan (19:10.167)
Yeah.
Amy Eagan (19:20.602)
You know, I think everybody does them a little bit different depending on what they feel like they need to do. Maybe personnel, maybe experience versus non-experience, you all that kind of stuff. But, you know, I'm really big on let's get in, let's get in, let's work hard, let's get out. You know, I'm not about like dragging it out and that. We typically go two hours maybe with it. But I expect during that two hours it's going to be intense, it's going to be focused.
And we're just gonna, you know, go from one thing to the next in a quick transition. I think it, again, I think it depends on, you know, your team in that. don't think our first year here, we were able to do quite that. There was a little bit more lag between all of our drills and that kind of stuff. But I think we're at that point now where our kids, again, we just wanna continue to challenge them and continue to develop them. And I think that's one thing, one way we can do it.
Gary Stocker (20:15.872)
And for what it's worth, would say about an hour or so. I, to Amy, I was tired just watching.
Amy Eagan (20:20.409)
Yeah, we did a lot that day. We did a lot of up and down that day too.
Gary Stocker (20:26.308)
So last question, fans in the gym. So for folks listening to this podcast, both family members and community members, give them an incentive to come and watch their first or more than one, Lindenwood game this year.
Amy Eagan (20:41.817)
Yeah, so a little bit of a story that comes to mind. You know, I was out on the golf course the other day, not because I had time, but because it was the LindaWood Golf Outing. And I was playing in it. we had one of the guys that was playing in it came up to me and, you know, asked if I was the women's basketball coach. And I said, yeah. And he introduced himself and he does ESPN plus replay here.
Gary Stocker (20:52.248)
Yeah.
Amy Eagan (21:10.617)
at Linda Wood and he was like, I have never enjoyed watching women's basketball. And he's like, I am so excited for this year. Like he's like, I loved watching you guys. And you know, he's like, sometimes I think I almost forgot to push replay type stuff because I was so, I got so into into you guys. And he's like, I'm just really excited and to watch some women's basketball this year and see, you know, that next step you guys take. And so
I think that's it. think, you know, like, whether you've, whatever idea you have of women's basketball, like, our group is really fun to watch. The way they move the ball and share the ball offensively and the way they make reads offensively to, you know, how hard they work defensively. I think our system is enjoyable and fun to watch. And I think a lot of people would say that, that I've watched it.
and our kids enjoy playing in it. And so when you find, when you have kids that enjoy playing in your system, there's going to be some joy there. And, and, so I encourage everybody to come out, whether you've watched women's basketball before you haven't come out and see what you think, because I think you're going to enjoy watching us play.
Gary Stocker (22:20.068)
Well, coaches, always thanks for coordinating both Noah and Alicia for joining us and we'll do the next podcast. I think we're going to do that after your first game. For those listening to the podcast, make sure to share it with your friends and family and neighbors and come see some Linda Wood basketball. Linda Wood women's basketball season. Linda Wood women's basketball this season. I'll make sure to post the link to the schedule on the website and you can go find when the games are. And we'll look forward to seeing you live in St. Charles for the 2025-2026 season.
Amy Eagan (22:24.557)
Absolutely.