After a moment of silence, ISU women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly began fidgeting with his tie and speaking in a shaky voice at media day last Wednesday. Fennelly was talking about his son, Steven.

Steven Fennelly recently left Iowa State for Cal State Fullerton where he was hired as an assistant coach. Iowa State is scheduled to play Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 8 in Ames.

Fennelly said the game against his son’s school was scheduled before Steven was hired at Cal State Fullerton.

“[I’m] not looking forward to it, seriously. I’m very proud of him that he got a job, and he’s working for a great person,” Fennelly said. “I’m sure it’ll be pretty hard for everybody…It’ll be fun to see him. We don’t see him a whole lot any more. I hope we beat him.”

Playing against his son is not the only challenge Iowa State’s schedule holds for Fennelly and his Cyclones this season. Iowa State will face Iowa and six Big 12 teams that made the NCAA tournament last season.

However, Fennelly said the conference might be more “wide open” now that Brittney Griner, four-time All-American and the Big 12’s leading scorer last season, has graduated from Baylor.

Fennelly hopes the conference schedule will be more competitive now that everyone isn’t “playing for second place” behind Baylor.

In the four years that Griner played for Baylor, the Cyclones went 1-6 against the Bears, including a loss in last season’s Big 12 Championship game. The last time Iowa State beat Baylor was in February 2010 during Griner’s freshman season.

“Just knowing that the Big 12 is more wide open gives us probably a little bit more to play for just knowing that the title is up for grabs,” said senior forward Hallie Christofferson. “So anybody can come in on any given night and it can be yours.” 

In order to be more competitive in the Big 12 this season, Fennelly said Iowa State would have to be “more aggressive” on defense, something it has not done much of in past years.

Iowa State finished last season eighth in the Big 12 in blocked shots and ninth in steals. The Cyclones were second in defensive rebounds but graduated their best rebounder in Chelsea Poppens.

Fennelly said a big part of Iowa State’s defense this season would be junior guard Brynn Williamson. Last season, she recorded 42 steals and 25 blocks for Iowa State.

“Having the role as the defensive stopper makes me happy because I know it’s something that my teammates, my coaches, they depend on me to do,” Williamson said. 

“[Fennelly] thinks we’re going to be a more defensive team. It actually relieves a lot of pressure off me, not having to be the only person and having four other girls out there that can guard.”