Coquese Washington is greedy. She won't hide it. In fact, she openly admits it.
One degree at Notre Dame — completed in three years, no less — wasn't enough for Washington. She went back and earned a Juris Doctorate from Notre Dame's law program. While doing that, she was also playing professionally.
She would help guide the Houston Comets to a WNBA title in 2000, all the while serving as the founding president of WNBA Players Association. At the same time, she was tripling as an assistant at Notre Dame, where she was a rabid recruiter and was on the bench for the Fighting Irish's 2001 national title.
So, when Washington wants something — a degree, a contract, a championship — she gets them, and she gets them all at once.
But she's also a realist, especially when it came to her first head coaching job.
NO QUICK FIX
In 2007, Washington headed east from South Bend, Ind., to State College to take over a Penn State women's basketball program shrouded in controversy following the resignation of Rene Portland, who was accused of discriminating against homosexual players. Washington wanted to win right away, but she knew the program needed a few years of reconstruction before it could be a legitimate Big Ten contender.
Each year, the Lady Lions improved under Washington, continually creeping up the Big Ten standings.
With the No. 23 Lady Lions at 21-6 and second in the Big Ten with a 10-3 conference record, Washington, in her fourth year as coach, finally has that contender.
"I had a plan. I'm greedy, so I probably think we're a little behind," Washington said in a sit-down interview with The Patriot-News. "But in reality, we're right where we need to be and have a chance to make some noise."
Despite losing Tyra Grant, a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a second-round draft pick in the 2010 WNBA draft, the Lady Lions are having their best season in nearly a decade. The Lady Lions eclipsed the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
Last season, the Lady Lions had only two players average more than nine points per game; this year, six Lady Lions are averaging at least nine.
"I think last year, the scoring wasn't really as spread out as it is this year," said junior guard Zhaque Gray, who is averaging 9.9 points. "We have so many weapons this year. If you shut down the guards, the posts are going to go off; if you shut down the post game the guards are going to go off."
One of those guards with that type of potential to break open a game is Maggie Lucas, a freshman from Philadelphia. A sharpshooter from 3-point range, Lucas leads the team with an average of 16.7 points.
What's more impressive than leading the team in scoring as a freshman is that Lucas is doing it without a single start. However, only Alex Bentley has more field-goal attempts and plays more minutes than Lucas.
Still, Washington has no plans of changing the lineup. She sees no point in messing with a rotation that has served the Lady Lions well all season.
"It's always good to look down the bench and see someone who can make a difference," Washington said. "When you look down the bench, you see 20 points.
"I look at it as we have six starters."
GROWING AS A TEAM
Lucas is one of eight freshmen or sophomores on the team, making the Lady Lions one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten. Julia Trogele, who was initially recruited by Portland, is the lone senior on the team.
Against Indiana on Sunday, the Lady Lions were close to falling victim to the Hoosiers in what Washington called a "trap game." After an emotional loss to Michigan State a few days earlier in a battle for Big Ten supremacy, the Lady Lions had a tough time getting up for the bottom-feeding Hoosiers.
But in true senior fashion, Trogele was there to lift the team to victory. Trailing by 12 points with just over eight minutes left, the team looked to Trogele to come up with the big plays at crucial times down the stretch, and she delivered each time with a steal, basket or assist.
"In high school, you can pretty much take over a game by yourself ... but when you get to college, it's about leaning on your teammates," Lucas said.
That's just one of the many lessons this young team has learned over the last two seasons, many of which have come the hard way.
The Lady Lions were in a similar position last year when they broke into the rankings at No. 23 in late January. Penn State responded to that ranking by losing 10 of its final 12 games. The last loss bounced the club from the first round of the WNIT, putting a stamp on a disappointing final month of the season.
After watching those late-season struggles, Washington wasn't going to allow it to happen again. She definitely wasn't going to end up like the Lady Lions' intrastate rival to the west: Pittsburgh.
Last season, Pitt was forced to watch four other teams play NCAA Tournament games on its own floor. A site for first- and second-round games, Pitt ended up being nothing more than a gracious host.
With the Bryce Jordan Center hosting first- and second-round games this year, Washington doesn't intend to play the same role as Pitt did. And those heart-breaking experiences last year will only ensure that doesn't happen, Washington said.
"You have to crawl before you walk. You have to walk before you run," she said.
"You have to take it step by step.
"We have our feet under us, but we're not satisfied."
Out comes that greedy side again.