Senior Tiffani Listenbee has what it takes to make all the right moves on the basketball court this season. As a co-captain of the women's varsity basketball team, Listenbee, a 6-foot-1-inch forward, has already shown impressive leadership skills in helping the Deacons off to a 4-1 start. As of the Dec. 2 victory over High Point, Listenbee led the team in rebounding and was in the top three for blocks and steals.

As one of only two seniors on the team, Listenbee knows she has a big role to fill. "My role on the team this year is to be more of a leader and take on more responsibilities on the court than in the past few years," Listenbee said. She has been one of the most consistent players for the Deacons in the past few seasons and has played in every single game of her college career. "In the past, Tiffani has always led by example," junior forward Heather Miller said. "However, since being elected co-captain this season, she has done a great job of leading vocally as well."

After facing a slow season last year and a final ACC ranking of seventh, the women's team is looking for a lot of action from Listenbee down in the low-post position. Listenbee posted her second career double-double in an exhibition game against the Stockholm Human Rights women's team, and since then has continued to keep improving her game. In the women's season home opener against Marshall, Listenbee scored six points and had a career-best five steals.

Their Dec. 1 victory against Appalachian State gave Listenbee plenty of reasons for celebration. Listenbee turned 21 on the same day that she led the Deacons past Appalachian State with a game-high eight rebounds. She also scored eight points and tallied one block and two steals. "(Tiffani's) athleticism and aggressiveness helps her to be an excellent rebounder, as well as one of the best defenders on the team," senior co-captain Johanna Bjorklund said. "She uses her quickness in the post really well and that makes it difficult to guard her. She always seems to find a way to get to the basket."

Listenbee is excited for the upcoming season and her chance to be a part of a very successful basketball team. The win over High Point on Dec. 2 by 50 points was the largest margin of victory for the Deacons since the 1990-1991 season. Listenbee scored five points and had one steal and one block. "This season I am looking forward to numerous things, first is just playing with a great group of girls," Listenbee said. "I feel our team chemistry is strong from the upperclassmen to the lowerclassmen."

Tiffani Listenbee has not only garnered the fear of her opponents, but has also gained the utmost respect from her teammates.

After having started consistently for the team for the past two years, her experience has begun to show in her strong game performances, and her enthusiasm has been contagious for the rest of her teammates.

"Tiffani is a great leader for our team both on and off the court," junior forward Eafton Hill said. "Her positive attitude and intense work ethic continuously rubs off onto the rest of the team. Tiffani comes in day in and day out and gives 100 percent no matter what, and that is what makes it so much fun to play with her."

Bjorklund is looking forward to leading the team as co-captain with Listenbee this year. "There are not enough words to describe what an incredible person Tiffani is," Bjorklund said.

"She is one of the hardest workers I know, and that has made her the great player she is today. How she leads the team proves that she really wants us to succeed this year and also that she cares about everyone on the team as a person and not just as a player."

Off the court, Listenbee can be found keeping the team laughing with her various impressions and jokes. "She is one of the funniest people I know, and she always has us laughing," Bjorklund said.

Bjorklund added that Listenbee's leadership abilities and dedication to team cohesiveness have helped several of the Deacons, and made them stronger as a unit. She has helped Bjorklund, in particular.

"Being from another culture, Tiffani has really helped me a adapt to the U.S.," Bjorklund said. "She explains things that are different as well as teaching me to speak and understand English better. She is truly one of the best people I know in this world."

"I like to look at last season as a learning experience, something for us to build on and make this season better," Listenbee said.

"I'm just excited for the season to finally be here and get going."

Listenbee and the rest of the Deacons will play host to Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on tonight at Reynolds Gymnasium.