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Show DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE 8 Tuesday, April 15, 2014 PLOUFFE Continued from page 6 with something pretty special, and I think she's gonna be a great pro. Her game just translates to that level really well." Beyond being excited simply because Plouffe was drafted and will be closer to home, Levrets is particularly thrilled that his former player will be going to a Seattle organization that he is quite familiar with and calls one of the best in all of women's sports. With the Storm being the only professional basketball team in town, it has a great deal of fan support. "They're loved in that community" he said. "They don't have an NBA franchise, and the WNBA franchise is loved in that city. She's gonna go to a place where wornen's basketball means a ton, and I couldn't be happier for her." While Plouffe was called upon to play inside a great deal during her time with the Utes and developed a solid post game because of it, Levrets feels her role will be different in the WNBA. As a great FIGHT SONG Continued from page 6 CHRIS AYERS/The Daily Utah Chronicle Hailee Hansen competes on the uneven bars during a meet against Georgia. GYMNASTICS Continued from page 6 nastics World gym in Woods Cross, it was a rather different story. The walk-on co-captain was the top dog at her home gym, being the only one to reach Level to in many years. When she committed to Utah, it was one of the biggest signings in her gym's history. Despite the different paths each has taken, both Hansen and Lofgren were Red Rocks in a sense long before they signed a Letter of Intent. "I think the fans love to have one of their own out there," Marsden said. "I think these girls, because they [grew] up in this area, have kind of the heart and soul of being a Ute." The 2014 campaign has been a special one for Hansen, Lofgren and the other Red Rocks. This year's team was the first to win a Pac-12 Championship, and the locals have been instrumental in the accomplishments of this year's team. "I think it matters to all the girls, but especially to [Hansen and Lofgren], it matters to leave a legacy," Marsden said. "They've watched so many gymnasts before them do that and I think it's really important to them." Once strangers, both Hansen and Lofgren feel as if spending time with their team is the thing they will miss most come season's end. "I have 12 best friends, so it'll be hard not to work out with them every day," Lofgren said. "And, of course, the coaches." Hansen echoed her fellow senior's sentiments. "Honestly, what I'm going to miss most is being with this group of girls and coaches every day," Hansen said. "They've become my closest friends. Megan's become like a second mom to me, so I absolutely love her, I love all of them. It'll be hard not to see them every day." g.adams@chronicle.utah.edu should be in our song." While many Ute athletes are strongly opposed to "Utah Man" being altered, a good number of their coaches feel differently. Citing the notion that society as a whole has become more inclusive of women since the song was written in 1904, these team leaders feel the U should follow suit. "I became a Ute in 1980, so I've been bleeding red and loving everything about the Utes for all those years. But at the same time, I do think that, knowing our fight song and knowing all the lyrics, I do think there are some terms that are a little bit sexist, and I don't think it'd be all bad to get a little up-to-date," said Red Rocks co-head coach Megan Marsden. "In saying that, I hope they don't totally revamp because I'm a traditionalist, and it would be hard to hear the melody change. But if they can ... make some adjustments that would make it a little more politically correct for ... women, I think that would be a good idea." As an effective publicizer of women's gymnastics, Marsden's husband Greg, her cohead coach, feels the decision of whether or not to change the song should come down to what will allow the U to be best thought of by those outside of the community. "I have the same feelings about Utes as our name and the shooter for someone her size, Levrets thinks the 6'4" inches Plouffe will be more of a stretch power forward who can be effective in the pick-and-roll than one who wins battles in the paint. Even more than what she will bring offensively, Levrets said Plouffe's willingness to play defense will also pay great dividends for her on the next level. In addition to being a great scorer and rebounder, she also finished her Ute career second on the all-time list in blocks. "Defensively, most importantly, she's willing to defend," he said. "That's the first part, and getting kids to want to guard is a hard deal. She wants to, and she has the ability to do it, so that's what makes her such a great player. Not a good player because she's just a good offensive player. She's a great player because she plays both ends of the floor." Plouffe will be thrown into the professional fire quickly, as the Storm opens its season May II against the Los Angeles Sparks. r.mcdonald@chronicle.utah.edu drum and feather as our emblem as I do about 'Utah Man' as our song," he said. "I don't have real strong feelings one way or the other, but personally, I'm not someone who dwells in the past too much either personally or professionally. I think it's about who we are now and who we want to be and how we want to be perceived moving forward." One coach who feels differently than the Marsdens is the football team's head man, Kyle Whittingham, whose squad sings `Utah Man' in the locker room after every game. "I love the 'Utah Man' song," he said. "I hope it doesn't change. I don't know what it would be. 'I am a Utah person'? I don't know what the issue is, but there has got to be better ways to spend your time than worrying about the fight song. I think it is good as is, and I hope it stays." Whether the song gets officially changed or not, Barrett said she doesn't think it will alter the words her team sings after meets. "I don't know if our team would actually sing it any differently," she said. "It's mainly the student-athletes that do sing the fight song and know all the words to the fight song. I'm sure a lot of the student body knows the main chorus of it, but for the most part, it's the student-athletes that are singing it, and I don't really see us singing it differently if they change the fight song because it has such a long tradition." r.mcdonald@chronicle.utah.edu Contact a.drysdale@chronicle.utah.edu for information about being a news writer for The Daily Utah Chronicle. 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