Texas A&M senior guard Sydney Carter from Big 12 Basketball Media Day

October 22, 2011 -- 9:40 a.m.

KANSAS CITY, MO -- Sydney Carter is a senior guard for the Texas A&M Aggies. She helped the Aggies win the NCAA Championship last season which earned the Aggies a visit to the White House. Carter would love to finish her college career with a return trip to D.C. Earlier this week, the 2011 Big 12 Women's Basketball Media Day took place in Kansas City; and, Carter spoke with The Houston Roundball Review and shared her thoughts about being a champion; the upcoming 2011-2012 season; her friendship w/ former teammate Sydney Colson; as well as her plans after college.

HRR: What's it like being a national champion?
Sydney: It's like non other I can say. It's kind of the same feeling you have every other day you wake up; but, you just have the title that you're a national champion. I don't think it will really hit home until I wake up everyday with the ring on my finger. But, I'm just living my everyday life. It's nothing different than the day I actually won and I can actually say I'm a national champion.

HRR: What did you this summer to improve your game?
Sydney: I worked on my ball handling skills; so, that I can make sure that he (head coach Gary Blair) still has confidence in me playing the point guard position when he needs me. I worked on my shot to make sure that it's consistent and that I can be a bigger threat than I was last year at the two (shooting) guard.

HRR: What was it like going to the White House?
Sydney: It was very interesting. I had never been to D.C.; so, it was my first time getting to see everything and getting to see all the monuments and the tributes and everything like that. It was just nice to actually tour the White House and actually get to meet the President. It was a once in a lifetime experience; and, hopefully, we can do it again.

HRR: Will this team be different than last year's team; and, if so, how?
Sydney: Definitely. Because we don't have Danielle Adams who was such a big presence for us; and, we're going to miss Sydney's (Colson) leadership. It's definitely going to be a different team because we have different leaders on this team this year; and, not everyone is going to lead the same way Sydney did last year. I'm just hoping that I can pick up the slack; and, make sure that I can do as much as I can as a leader, verbally, and by example to make sure that we can get as far as we can.

HRR: Tell me about the freshman. How have they done so far?
Sydney: They're making their freshman mistakes which is normal; but, they're also doing some good things that we're going to need them to do at game time. They're catching a long as quick as they can trying to make sure that they can find they're spot on the team and play within themselves.

HRR: Has your time at A&M seem to have flown by?
Sydney: It definitely has. It seems like just yesterday I was stepping in as a freshman; and, now I'm a senior. I'm a leader. I'm playing my last season in the Big 12; and, I'm finishing my career at A&M. It's gone by a little too fast for me; but, I'm going to make sure I make the most out of this year.

HRR: Tell me about Sydney Colson.
Sydney: Gosh. What do you want to know?
HRR: Will you miss her this year?
Sydney: I'm definitely going to miss her this year: on the court and off the court. We had that connection on the court. We even had moments in the game where we would just look at each other and laugh just because we know how goofy each other is.
I'm going to miss her off the court because she's the only one that's goofy with me. Now, everybody just looks at me crazy when I do something funny. I miss her already.

HRR: Do you have plans, dreams or aspirations to play pro ball?
Sydney: I haven't decided, yet. I'm kind of going back and forth on what I want to do. I feel like I'll base it off of how the season goes; and, how well I'll play this year. And, if I have a future in basketball, then, I definitely am going to take that option. But, if not, then I'll have to get ready for the real world.

HRR: One last thing, what do you expect from the team this year?
Sydney: I just expect us to kind of mesh together. I'm not sure when we'll actually do that; but, I just hope we play as a unit. I think we just need our group of leaders to really step us this year and make sure that the team is playing as one. We really need to have that balance this year and not just have a focal point on just one person or two people on this team. I think we really need balance.