Nov. 20, 2000

Aimee Cochran is Samford's career leader in 9 of 13 categories. Her style of play and work ethic have epitomized Samford women's basketball over the past three seasons. She has been named to the All-Trans America Athletic Conference second team two-consecutive years and was named to the All-Newcomer team as a freshman. She has started 81 of the 82 games that Samford has played since the program began in the 1997.

It is that one game that Cochran and Samford fans wish she had not missed. Cochran tore her ACL in the opening moments of Samford's 1st round TAAC tournament game against Troy State on March 9, a game the Bulldogs won easily 89-55. The next night Samford played Campbell in the semi-final, and was the first game Cochran had missed in her collegiate career. "I wanted to be out there," said Cochran. "It was a shock when it happened against Troy State but by the time of the Campbell game the shock had worn off. It was hard to watch because Campbell is such a big rival and that left a bad taste in my mouth, but I had faith that everything was going to be alright." Everything would be alright, but not on that night as Samford got off to a slow start and lost to Campbell 78-69. The Camels would go on to win the TAAC crown and Samford would have to wait one more year.

This off season Cochran and three of her teammates, Virginia Tucker, Kelli Moore and Deon Cooper spent hours in the training room and the weight room recovering from ACL injuries. "We have come so far since our freshman year. We felt if we worked hard this summer we could get back and make a run in the tournament, " said Cochran. "We (the eight seniors) have a lot pride in starting this program and we all want our final year to be the best."

Now beginning her senior season, expectations are higher than ever for the Samford women's basketball team. The Bulldogs were picked third in the preseason TAAC poll but ever since day one there has been a poster in the locker room that reads TAAC Champions 2000-2001. "That puts some extra pressure on us. We have walked past that poster for three years but now is the time. We have improved every year and the eight seniors are almost a family. I think that the other players see that and want to keep this team close," said Cochran.

This Bulldog team may have eight seniors but it will be without three key players from last year's record-setting team. First team All-TAAC Jodi Morris and second team All-TAAC Clarissa Tomlinson are gone. Cochran is the only returning player to average in double-figures last season and is the player that other teams are going to focus on. "It is different, I think its going to take a little time to build the chemistry between the players on the court, but once we do I think we are going to be really tough to beat," said Cochran. " My role as a captain is to be the coach on the floor, but it is not by myself. Each senior has a role, each player on the team has a role and if someone isn't filling their role then we are going to struggle. I think, as a team, we have stepped up. In the past we have had a couple of scorers, but this year it is hard to tell because everybody has worked really hard over the summer and has come ready to play."

The question all summer long has been if Aimee would be ready to play. "That is something I prayed about all summer, I didn't want to come back scared. Rehab really gets you ready. It is harder than playing. The first couple times down the court you are timid but now it is time to play. My goal is to lead the team as its point guard and to do my job."