Editor's note: This is the first in a series of weekly features profiling newcomers on the UTC women's basketball team, leading up to the Nov. 13 season opener against McNeese State.
Queen Alford always has been a part of something big. Typically a large group of people.
As the fifth of 10 kids, growing up she was never really alone. She played basketball throughout her high school career and earned a scholarship to Jacksonville University, where she was the Atlantic Sun freshman of the year and twice was named all-conference.
After two seasons, though, she was ready for a change, so she transferred to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to play for Hall of Fame coach Jim Foster. She had to sit out last season, so when the Mocs left for their first road trip, she experienced a feeling she'd never really felt before.
The feeling of being alone.
"I guarantee that was something that changed my life and my outlook for basketball, because I learned so many things," she said recently. "I grew as a player and as a person, too."
The 5-foot-10 guard, who has two seasons remaining with the Mocs, averaged 12.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 58 career games with the Lady Dolphins. She admitted that the year away from playing in competitive games was very, very good for her and has made her better in many areas heading into this season.
"I wasn't playing for me (last season). I was playing for the team," she said. "Everything was for the team, and that was something I needed to work on myself. Last year I got to work on it and practice; I was working to get the team better and working to help them win.
"Every practice was like a game to me because I wasn't playing. Before coming to Chatt, I wasn't a practice player, I was a game-time player, so I had to readjust my whole mentality."
She said the year helped give her a better attitude and made her more open to learning and open to criticism, something she hadn't been accustomed to.
The time away from the game has made her especially eager to get the season started. She'll get her chance to play on Nov. 13 when the Mocs take on McNeese State in the first round of the Women's Preseason National Invitation Tournament at McKenzie Arena.
"It's going to be a surreal type of feeling," she said. "I know all the emotions will come back to me. I can't remember how it feels to step out on the court."
Any fears of missing that first shot?
"I'm not afraid. There's no reason to be afraid," she said. "I just sat out a whole year and worked hard. Kobe Bryant's first shot this season went behind the goal, and if he can do that, then I can make mistakes, too. Coach Foster developed me into a better player, and I'm excited to see how I fit in with this team."
Madness love
Foster's Mocs are No. 17 in the Associated Press preseason poll, No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 2 in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25. Tuesday, College Sports Madness listed Foster as the Southern Conference preseason coach of the year and UTC's Jasmine Joyner as player of the year, and Joyner made the Madness All-Mid Major first team.
Chelsey Shumpert and Keiana Gilbert joined her on the All-SoCon first team.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.