With four new faces, the women’s basketball team now includes seven underclassmen. Photo by Jada Gangazha.
DAVID JACOBS | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | drjacobs@butler.edu
“Welcome to the Team” is a Q&A series where the Collegian sits down with student-athletes who are entering their first season at Butler University. These articles will address why they chose Butler, what they hope to get out of their first season and some personal tidbits that you won’t find anywhere else.
This week, assistant sports editor David Jacobs sat down with the four first-years who are playing for the Butler women’s basketball team: Lily Carmody, Lily Zeinstra, Mckenzie Swanson and Jocelyn Land.
Lily Carmody is a 5’11” guard from Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Jada Gangazha.
THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN: Being from Australia and having played in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), how did you end up at a small Indiana school?
LILY CARMODY: I started out in the WNBL as a development player when I was 16. [It was] a really fun experience against a lot of older girls. I got realized late in the [recruiting cycle] when I was in year 12, so one of my friends put my name out and Coach [Austin Parkinson] found me, and I had a bunch of schools offer when I went on visits. When I came here, it was a family environment. The coaching staff made [me] feel welcome and I really liked the smaller school vibe.
TBC: What has been the biggest adjustment moving from Australia?
LC: Not having [my] family right here — even though I was always decently independent — I always had those people to rely on. With time zones, it’s really hard to call them, especially during the day. [So], it’s either early mornings or nights.
TBC: What has been your favorite basketball memory to date?
LC: Probably getting the call that I made a WNBL [development player] spot when I was 16, or when I won MVP in our nationals game.
TBC: How would you describe your skillset to someone who has never seen you play?
LC: I’m very defensive-focused, I look to the basket a lot, I drive and I like to shoot the three as well.
TBC: If you could have one superpower what would it be?
LC: I’m going to say flying. I feel like flying would be really cool, just being able to see the world and also travel.
TBC: When was the first moment you realized you loved basketball?
LC: Probably when I was around five or six years old. I was playing around with my dad in the backyard and a bunch of friends and I really just found that love for the sport.
Lily Zeinstra is a 5’11” guard from Byron Center, MI. Photo by Jada Gangazha.
TBC: Throughout the recruiting process, what made you choose Butler?
Lily Zeinstra: I really liked the coaching staff. I feel like they recruited me really well, and they wanted me to come here. I really like the family feel around Butler, and just everyone supports [us] so much.
TBC: What has been the hardest part of adjusting to college both athletically and academically?
LZ: Athletically I have just never played this detailed [style] of basketball before. There’s so many different reads and cuts. I’m definitely [getting] used to it the more I’ve been here. Academically, I went to a pretty hard high school so I’m not really struggling academically.
TBC: What has been your favorite basketball memory to date?
LZ: My junior year [of high school] we won districts and I had like 39 points. It was against East Kentwood and they’re a really scrappy team, and we always play them for the district championship. I fell, rolled my ankle, bruised my eye and we still ended up with a win.
TBC: If you could go back in time to when you first picked up a basketball, what would you tell yourself?
LZ: It’s going to be a long haul and it’s going to be a lot of work, but just have fun with it and enjoy [it] while you can.
TBC: How would you describe your skillset to someone who has never seen you play?
LZ: I’m very knowledgeable about the game. I’m always looking to get my teammates open. I just want to make everyone else better while I’m out there.
TBC: When was the first moment you realized you loved basketball?
LZ: Probably in fourth grade. I played with my older sister — so [playing] two years up — and I hit my first three in the corner, and I was on top of the world.
Mckenzie Swanson is a 6’3” forward from Rochester, MI. Photo by Jada Gangazha.
TBC: Being a 4-star recruit and an All-American nominee, what made you commit to Butler?
Mckenzie Swanson: It was really the coaches. Just my first time talking to them, meeting all of them. It really felt like a family environment. I miss my family so much, but with all of [the coaches] around me — with their kids — it really brings me back home.
TBC: What are your personal goals and expectations for this season?
MS: My personal goals are to get better as a single player, but also as a teammate — to push my teammates and practice every single day.
TBC: How would you describe your skillset to someone who has never seen you play?
MS: I really like back-to-the-basket post-work. I think that’s my bread and butter. I’m a really good defensive player and I love getting rebounds.
TBC: What has been your favorite basketball memory from your career?
MS: Playing with my dad in the driveway. My dad and I would beat [his friends] every time we played, it was a blast.
TBC: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
MS: I have ankle braces, so I really want to lace them up and I’ll make sure to get a snack before and just lock in.
TBC: If you could have one superpower what would it be?
MS: Teleportation so I could go anywhere.
TBC: When was the first moment you realized you loved basketball?
MS: We have this league called i9 in Michigan. It was when you’re in second grade. I would get the rebounds and [continue to] throw it off the backboard [and] just keep getting my rebound. That’s when I knew that I loved it.
Jocelyn Land is a 6’0” forward from Chanhassen, Minn. Photo by Jada Gangazha.
TBC: How did you land at Butler when you were going through the recruiting process?
Jocelyn Land: I really liked the coaching staff and the team when I met them on my visit. I wanted to come to a place that felt like home because I’m from Minnesota. It’s far away, and I wanted to feel at home here.
TBC: What have been the hardest adjustments for you since being on campus both athletically and academically?
JL: In high school, I would just stand [in place] when I didn’t have the ball, and it was kind of like I could do whatever I wanted. Here, I’m always moving and running fast [which has] been an adjustment. Coach [Parkinson’s] definitely been on me about always running fast and playing hard defense. Off the court, just learning how to be on my own and without my family — which has been hard.
TBC: How would you describe your playstyle to someone who has never seen you play?
JL: Versatile. I can post up, shoot and drive. It’s really hard for defenders to pick what they want to do because if you can guard my shot, I’ll drive or if you guard my drive, I’ll shoot.
TBC: What are you most looking forward to this season?
JL: Just hanging out with the team, game days and just running like college basketball.
TBC: If you could go back in time to when you first picked up a basketball, what would you tell yourself?
JL: Just have fun. [Do] not lose the joy in the process, because it’s hard but it’s a sport so it’s supposed to be fun. Just work hard every time you pick up the basketball.
TBC: When was the first moment you realized you loved basketball?
JL: During COVID when I had nothing else to do, that’s when I started [to] shoot by myself and shoot on my own. I realized I actually liked the sport, and it was fun to just play and get better.
