Cork's Edel Thornton on life in American college basketball

A stress fracture might have interrupted her progress, but Cork basketball standout Edel Thornton has put any thoughts of home to the back of her mind as she compiles an impressive first season in US college ball with the Quinnipiac Bobcats in Connecticut.

Q: Give us a quick sense of how your first season as a freshman is going with Quinniapac?

A: “It has been a mixture between what I expected and some shocks, to be honest. The training sessions are exactly like I thought they would be — intense yet motivating. Being a freshman, you always play with a chip on your shoulder. People from other teams don’t expect much of you, but your teammates expect you to do what they do, which is a good thing. And that is most certainly the case with our team. Everyone is extremely supportive and they encourage with every play; picking me up if I get a turnover and pushing me to take the shot.”