Two sports, one Becca, no problem

My daughter Jasmine, now a sophomore at Tufts University, doesn't play college sports. Vicki's kids, Harry (high school) and Ben (middle school) haven't made it to college yet. Diana Taurasi is out of eligibility.

So Richmond's Becca Wann is my favorite college athlete.

I'll confess, part of it is because of the name. Becca Wann. It's up there with Destiny Spence in my personal pantheon of super-cool athlete names. But the main reason I'm bullish on Becca is because she continues to do something I wasn't sure anyone would have much luck trying to do - play soccer and basketball at the Division I level. The NCAA claims it doesn't compile lists of two-sport athletes, but I'm not sure Becca isn't the only D-I doing this particular double. And doing it well, too - Wann was recently named the Atlantic 10's women's soccer Offensive Player of the Year.

So fascinated am I by this pursuit that I spent the fall faithfully following Spiders women's soccer - and I don't even like soccer (sorry, Becca). Unfortunately, that's over now as on Monday, Richmond got screwed (my word, not Becca's) out of an NCAA Tournament bid. But while it's the 2011 sports climax for her soccer teammates, it's essentially the halftime break in Becca's athletic year. And when the Spiders tip off at Navy in Friday's women's basketball season opener, Becca's two-sport beat starts up all over again.

Did you watch the women's soccer selection show?

Actually, I was at basketball practice.

Figures. But how could you concentrate on basketball at a time like that?

Honestly, when I started I was doing drills and I had asked my soccer coach to run in the door if we were still playing. But as the practice went on, I just started focusing on basketball and I really didn't think about (the soccer) too much.

So, are you ready for hoops?

Well, this year was kind of different because I was definitely more focused on soccer. I hadn't picked up a basketball in like three months before (Monday). So it was like a whole new world for me. But Coach (Michael Shafer) understood. I just concentrated on doing the little things I know I can do, and already being in shape obviously helps.... It's a tough transition, but it's definitely one I can make.

Speaking of Coach Shafer, what's the main difference between the basketball coach and his soccer counterpart, Peter Albright?

The respect level is the same for both of them, but personality-wise, Coach Albright is more like a big teddy bear, and coach Shafer is more business-like, more like a typical head coach. With Coach Albright, just the way the team is run, it's more buddy-buddy.

If you could bring one of your soccer teammates onto the basketball team with you, which one would it be?

That's funny, because I actually coached my soccer team in (intramural) basketball, and they're all terrible.... Hmmm... I'd probably have to say Mooks (Melissa Alvarez Freeman). I think she played basketball in high schools. Yeah, I'd take Mooks.

How about a basketball player for your soccer team?

Rachael or Sam (the Bilney twins), definitely. Apparently they were pretty good in soccer in high school, and I've kicked the ball around with them here. Rachael can juggle better than I can.

The first person you called upon learning you were A-10 Offensive Player of the Year was -

My parents (Eric and Debbie). I called them as soon as I got in my room. My mom might have cried a little.

Anyone call you Rebecca?

No one, except my mom sometimes when I'm in trouble.

On those rare occasions when you're not involved with soccer, basketball or schoolwork, what are you doing?

Napping, or just hanging out with my teammates. I also do a lot of stuff with my church (Christian Life Worship Center). That's one of the main reasons I came to Richmond, to stay connected to my church.

You chose Richmond because of the church?

Well, there were three things I was looking for in a college, and I wasn't going to settle for anything less - I wanted to play soccer and basketball, Division I, and I wanted to keep going to my church.

Must be a pretty special place.

My family was there the first Sunday it started, eight or nine years ago, and we've watched it grow from about 30 people to 100. I just wouldn't be the person I am without that church and the people there that support me.

You're the star of the soccer team; you come off the bench in basketball. Is that tough on the ego?

It is a little difficult, especially this year. But I'm a firm believer that every role on the team is important, and I'm hoping to build on mine as the season progresses.

I understand you like the TV show "Glee."

I like the songs in Glee.

Wait a minute. How do find time to watch TV?

DVR is a wonderful thing.

So do you sing along with the Glee people?

I sing in my car. Before I came to college, I used to sing in the church. Now I just sing in the car.

What kind of music are you into?

Country. Like Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum...and somebody you probably have heard of, Francesca Battastelli, I really like her. Oh, and Justin Bieber.

Really? I thought all his fans were about 12 years old.

No! He's awesome. I love the movie, love his songs...they're on my gameday playlist.

Guess you can find Beliebers everywhere. Finally, I know you've only been on the team for about 15 minutes, but what's your outlook on Spiders women's hoops this season?

Well, we're really young, but that's almost a blessing in disguise because we're all kind of learning together, growing together. We're definitely going to be good in the future. And under the leadership of Abby and Sam and Rachael, I think we'll be good this year, too.

All the way from NYC to GMU: Reana Mohamed

One of New York's finest talks about signing with George Mason.

Congrats to Mary Louis Academy shooting guard Reana Mohamed.

Randomness with George Mason's Amber Easter

What is RANDOMNESS? Just what it sounds like. A series of questions and answers in no particular order for no particular reason.

We like to have fun at LadySwish and we like to get inside the heads of the players who make up this sport. Our new feature "Randomness" is one way we'll be doing that this season.

We start "Randomness" with George Mason's Amber Easter.

Is Easter your favorite holiday?
No, it's not. That would have to be Thanksgiving. I spend it with my family; we all eat and then go to sleep.

Hampton native that you are, what's your favorite spot in your hometown?
Peninsula Town Center. I love to shop.

Specifically?
Forever 21.

On your Christmas list....
One of those tablets from Verizon.

Movie you can't get enough of?
"Shark Tale"

You collect....?
All hotel keys. I have one from Florida with SpongeBob and Patrick on it (her fave).

Kobe or Lebron?
Lebron

Maya or Candace?
Seimone Augustus.

Spot you love on the Mason campus?
Jackson Center

What others probably don't know...
In high school I was a band geek. I played all the percussion instruments -- xylophone, bells, marimba.

Anything else?
I was a cheerleader and danced. I loved cheerleading.

Who's a better player. You or your mom (Mom Betty Fulgham played at Virginia Union).
Me. We play all the time and she's a bully.

Her best shot?
A right hand hook shot.

Yours?
One-dribble pull-up.

Christine

Funnest teammate
Christine Weithman. We have sunglasses parties every night.

Road trip you're looking most forward to?
Norfolk State (Jan. 2). It's near home plus my mom works there. (She's an accountant.)

Dream dinner guests?
Chris Brown and Michael Jordan.

And you'd eat?
Chinese.

Best part of being a psychology major?
Using what I learn in class on my teammates. Once they figure it out, they get really mad at me and tell me I shouldn't be doing it.

Push shuffle on your Ipod and what could come up?
"Racks" by Young Chris

In 10 years you hope to be.....
Coaching or playing basketball

Dream day (other than the Patriots walloping an opponent):
A spa day. The works. All expenses paid, mud bath, facial, etc.

Dribbles and bits with Old Dominion coach Karen Barefoot

ODU Coach Karen Barefoot (left) and the Lady Monarchs are ready to roll. 

Old Dominion fans relish memories, and the last official game Karen Barefoot was a part of as a Lady Monarch was March 25, 2008. ODU vs. Virginia, second round NCAA Tournament and yep, that was the one where Jazzmin Walters added to the LM annals by draining a 3 to send ODU to the Sweet 16.

Barefoot was an assistant coach on that team and after a successful three-year stint as head coach at Elon, she returns to ODU as the head coach. Opening night for the Barefoot era is 7 pm Friday at the Constant Center against state foe Virginia Tech.

Barefoot's feelings stepping out onto that floor again?

"For me, I can't get caught up in it. It's going to be all business. We're going to give the best we can and be competitive. We have unbelievable fan support on our side, and hopefully that's going to give us an energy boost."

What's up with Tia Lewis? We hear she's out of the boot.

"She's had a couple of great workouts and I expect it to be 100 percent by (Monday)."

Sophomore point guard Michelle Brandao did not play in ODU's exhibition game last week. As with many foreign athletes, Brandao has to be cleared, as according to ODU,  "Her amateurism status has to be approved."

"She came in late and she is not cleared. It's typical with a lot of European kids. We've gotten all the paperwork in.""

As far as a timetable:

"I really don't know when. We're hoping to get an answer soon."

So if Brandao doesn't play, that leaves point guard in the hands of?

"Ashley (Betz-White) is doing an unbelievable job right now. They really are two different point guards, and that's fun. Michelle has a lot of experience and Ashley is a ball of energy -- so coachable. Michelle is really versatile and can play the two."

As the days wind down on preseason, who has made the biggest impression on you?

"Everybody has improved a ton. Jackie (Cook) played really well in our closed scrimmage against Norfolk State. Tiffany Minor played unbelievable in our exhibition game. ... Nothing rattles her. She handles pressure extremely well. She's just so smooth."

Virginia Tech also begins a new era with coach Dennis Wolff. What stands out about the Hokies?

"They have a lot of size. Another thing is they have experience -- something we don't have. The key for us is tempo. We want to control it."

You experimented with the 10-second rule during preseason. Your thoughts?
"We did pretty good with that. I definitely am for it because of the pressure. It's fun because it brings more emotions in the game. I really think the fans would enjoy it."

The Daily Press talks women's basketball

No one can accuse the Newport News Daily Press of not being on the ball when it comes to women's hoops. Award-winning columnist David Teel leads off the paper's season preview coverage with a look at the major transition facing area programs Old Dominion, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Division III national third-place finisher Christopher Newport:

The Captains, Lady Monarchs, Cavaliers and Hokies have new coaches. Two have never coached a women's game. The other two replaced icons who had been on the job for a combined 58 years. Suffice to say, Jon Waters, Karen Barefoot, Joanne Boyle and Dennis Wolff don't lack for challenges. 

Breakdowns of  the paper's coverage-area programs follow:

Virginia

What is the team's greatest strength? All four of the team's top scorers from last season — senior guard Ariana Moorer, sophomore guard Ataira Franklin, senior forward Chelsea Shine and junior guard China Crosby — are back this season. U.Va. was good at getting to the free-throw line (led ACC with 826 attempts last season) and making them (70 percent; third in ACC).

Virginia Tech

What is the best-case scenario? Tech doesn't have any returning scorers that averaged double figures last season, but Fenyn (9.4 ppg) showed promise. If Evans and Montgomery can grow into full-time starting roles, and expanded minutes, they could develop into offensive threats in the low post. Getting easier looks at the basket could help Tech stay competitive in the ACC.

Old Dominion

What's the best-case scenario? Lewis (12.1 ppg. 7.8 rpg) and Buchan anchor the middle, junior JoNiquia Guilford (4.7 ppg) and redshirt soph Becca Allison (2.5 ppg) improve, and the newcomers contribute at both ends of the floor. The most impressive recruit thus far has been 5-8 Michelle Brandao from Portugal, who has international experience, sees the floor and knows how to play. Scrappy freshman point guard Ashley Betz-White complements Brandao, and 5-11 freshman Tiffany Minor has all-court ability. Defensive hustle and energy compensate for offensive shortcomings, and ODU finishes top-four.

Hampton

How far will the Lady Pirates go this year? As far as Jericka Jenkins takes them. Jenkins, HU's dynamo 5-foot-4 point guard, led Hampton with 13.4 points per game and ranked second in the nation with 7.2 assists per game. Jenkins is durable and determined but undersized against almost every opponent, and her pell-mell style of play leads to a lot of breath-holding for HU fans.

William and Mary

What's the conference outlook? Surprisingly positive. Though W&M was picked to finish ninth, an upper-half finish is possible. Though Delaware and Elena Delle Donne are favored, the conference appears to be more balanced and competitive, 1-thru-12. The Tribe has more pieces and versatility than Taylor has ever had, with the capability to play big, small and all phases in between.

Christopher Newport

Who's the next Chelsie Schweers? In short, no one. Schweers, who averaged 25.6 points per game, rewrote the CNU record books, graduating as both the school's all-time leading scorer and the second-leading scorer in Division III history. Two other seniors are also gone, leaving a cast — led by Kimmy Hopkins (6.4 ppg) and Lauren Gural (6.1 ppg) — who is optimistic about what they can do together.

Apprentice School

THE BUZZ: An extremely balanced Lady Builders squad will take the floor after losing one of its top five scorers from a team that had seven players average from seven to almost 11 points per game last year.  Sophomore Courtney Collins is the leading scorer from last year as she earned USCAA Honorable Mention All-American honors averaging 10.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. 

Another day, another Virginia Tech verbal

More good recruiting news for Virginia Tech - The All Star Girls Report says that Alex Kiss-Rusk, a 6-4 center from Canada with significant international playing experience, has become the third player to verballycommit to the Hokies.

Kiss-Rusk, who currently attends academically prestigious Phillips Academy in Massachusetts, represented Canada at the 2010 U17 World Championships and last month had a stint with Team Canada at the Pan American Games in Mexico.

A couple more details:

  - Up until a couple of years ago, Kiss-Rusk's main sport was ice hockey.

  - She's probably still only the second-best basketball player in the family. Her mother, Annette Kiss, was such good she might have made Canada's Olympic team had that nation not boycotted the 1980 Games.

These stories - here, here and here - will help you get to know Kiss-Rusk a little better.

Earlier this week, Alexis Lloyd of Whitney Young High in Chicago announced plans to sign with Tech. And a couple of weeks ago, Arizona guard Lauren Evans became the first to pledge allegiance to the Hokies for the class of 2012. Players can ink binding letters-of-intent when the early signing period begins Wednesday and continues through Nov. 16.

Click here to see the verbal commitment of all the state's Division I schools.

Hampton secures another verbal commitment

Big talent, small package.

That's the scouting report on Sade King, the pocket-sized point guard from Mount Vernon High in New York who recently declared her intent to sign with Hampton.

How pocket-sized? Depends on your source. This roster from the recent Metro Classic lists King at a charitable 5-4. Sade's mother, Tonya Wheeler, says her daughter insists she's 5-2.

"Yeah, in heels," King's high school Patrice Wallace-Moore said with a laugh.

Another story has King at an even 5-0, and we get the sense that's probably dead-on. But so what? No one's asking her to jump center. Hampton's obviously focused on what she can do with the ball in her hands. And in this area, King apparently has few peers in the Big Apple.

"She's going to keep the excitement going at Hampton," Wallace-Moore said. "They're going to get someone that absolutely loves the game. A quiet assassin. And when she's done, her name will be in the annals of Hampton history."

Wallace-Moore moved King onto her varsity team as a seventh-grader, made her a starter as a freshman and has watched her develop a clutch gene to go with her physical gifts.

"She handles pressure better than most, and that's probably because she's been under pressure since the seventh grade," Wallace-Moore said of King, who averaged about 10 points and 6 assists for a loaded Mount Vernon squad last season.

Sounds good. But what kind of young woman is Hampton getting? King's mother filled us in on the following:

Nickname: "Sha-deezy," among others.

Favorite team: Miami Heat (Really, Sade? Really?)

Fashion sense: High. "She definitely likes to dress in the most stylish things," Wheeler said.

Wheeler also described her daughter as quiet and laid back. Wallace-Moore concurred, although she said she will ask King to be more of a vocal leader this season.

"She likes to lead by example, so becoming more verbal is definitely a growth area for her," the coach said. "But she's a smart player, and I know this is something she can handle."

Oh, and one more thing: Sade King was indeed named after the original "Smooth Operator," Grammy Award-winning vocalist Sade.

King has a sister named Mariah, so that must mean....

"No, she's not named after "that" Mariah," Wheeler said. "Her dad picked that name."

King boosts Hampton's verbal commitment total to three, along with guard Blake Jenkines of Tennessee and guard/forward Ryan Jordan of Stonewall Jackson High. Recruits can sign binding letters-of-intent next week during the early signing period which runs from Nov. 9-16.

Click here to see the verbal commitments from all of the state's Division I teams.

Virginia Tech, Virginia score big in recruiting wars

There hasn't been a lot of noise coming out of Blacksburg, but that doesn't mean Virginia Tech's coaching staff hasn't been getting busy on the recruiting front. Those efforts appear to be paying off - Brett McCormick of the All-Star Girls Report tweeted that Alexis Lloyd, a 5-8 guard out of Chicago and the No. 58 recruit in the country according to ASGR, has verbally committed to the Hokies. Lloyd will join Arizona guard Lauren Evans, another nice get according to the services, in what the All-Star report is now touting as the nation's No. 35 recruiting class.

Meanwhile, Virginia now has the No. 37 recruiting class in ASGR's rankings after securing a verbal from Jaryn Garner, a 5-8 guard - or 5-7, depending on your source - from Germantown Academy (Pa.). In true 2011 style, Garner revealed her choice via this picture on Twitter.

Click here to view the verbal commitments of all the state's Division I schools.

CNU unranked in preseason Division III poll

Not a lot of love for Christopher Newport University, which advanced to the Final Four last winter for the first time in program history. The Captains, picked to finish third in the USA South Conference behind Greensboro College and Ferrum, are not ranked in the preseason ESPN Division III Coaches Poll.

CNU, however, is the first team in the receiving votes cateory with 22. Randolph Macon is lone other Virginia team receivingn votes in the poll with 7.

We can't blame the coaches for overlooking the Captains, as coach Carolyn Hunter abruptly resigned over the summer and Chelsie Schweers, the most decorated player in school history, has graduated.

Silent majority rankings - preseason edition

We're at it again.

For the second straight year we proudly unveil these Silent Majority rankings, a list that tries to bring order to all the quality non-BCS hoops in the Division I world.

This isn't intended as a knock on or competition for the collegeinsider.com's mid-major poll, which is done by coaches. We like that poll. What we don't like is the fact that leagues like the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West don't participate. They clearly don't like being classified as "mid-majors," and we don't blame them. We too hate that term.

The problem is we're not sure a lot of folks see much difference between the Atlantic 10 and the Atlantic Sun. Take a look at the just-released Associated Press Top 25 rankings, which feature all teams from BCS conferences. Is it possible that there are no Top 25 teams outside of the Power-6 conferences? We highly doubt it. It's more likely that a lot of the information about the quality non-BCS programs just isn't making it onto the national scene.

So quibble with who's in and who's out of these rankings if you wish. In fact, please do; we love the feedback. But most of all, consider this our earnest effort to shine some light on some of the "other teams" that can really play this game, too.

1. Delaware (Last year: 20-14, WNIT first round)
The loaded Blue Hens return star Elena Delle Donne and eight of their top nine scorers from last season. They also add transfer guards from Florida and West Virginia and welcome back 2009-10 starting point guard Kayla Miller, who missed all of last season after back surgery. Now they've got to make all these pieces fit so we won't be surprised if they're not the best non-BCS team when the season begins. But we love this group's upside. If Delle Donne can stay healthy for an entire season - which based on her history is pretty big if - she's the kind of once-in-a-generation talent capable of elevating her team a la Jimmer Fredette with last year's Brigham Young men - or Jackie Stiles with Southwest Missouri State's women in 2001.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. Rhode Island

2. Gonzaga (31-5, NCAA Elite Eight)
Point guards like Courtney Vandersloot don't come around that often. Still, the Zags won 24 games and played in the NCAA Tournament the year before Vandersloot arrived in Spokane so Kelly Graves and his staff clearly already knew the championship drill. Gonzaga caught a huge (and surprising) break when Kansas State transfer Taelor Karr, who started 29 games for the Wildcats last season and averaged 10.3 ppg, was declared eligible immediately. She'll join All-West Coast Conference performers Katelan Redmon (16.8 ppg) and Kayla Standish (17.1) and a supporting cast Graves said might be the deepest and most talented he's ever had.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. Hofstra

3. Florida Gulf Coast (28-4, WNIT second round)
The nation's best 3-point shooting team (10.9 made treys per game last season) returns four starters including preseason All-Atlantic Sun picks Courtney Chihil and Sarah Hansen. In addition, Oregon State transfer Brittany Kennedy will be eligible in late December. The Eagles will also welcome freshman Whitney Knight, the program's first-ever ESPN Hoopgurlz Top 100 recruit (No. 71).
Season opener: Nov. 11 at Seton Hall

4. Dayton (21-12, NCAA first round)
The quintessential women's basketball team, these Flyers are:
   - Smart - A 100 percent graduation rate;
   - Compassionate - They lead all Dayton athletic teams in community service and won the Atlantic 10 award for sportsmanship;
   - Talented - Seven seniors are back including Preseason Wooden Award watch list performer Justine Raterman, and the incoming freshman class includes McDonald's All-American Ally Malott;
    - Tough: Raterman scored 19 points in the Atlantic 10 tournament final a day after tearing her ACL, had surgery a few weeks later and was cleared for full workouts by the first day of practice in October.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. Bowling Green

5. Green Bay (34-2, NCAA Sweet 16)
When people say they prefer women's basketball because it's a purer, more selfless game, this is the type of outfit (20 assists per game last season) they have in mind. The Phoenix won't exactly pick up where they left off, as Kayla Tetschlag and Celeste Hoewisch weren't just the two best players on the team but the two best in the entire Horizon League. But the Phoenix still have Julie Wojta (13.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg), Adrian Ritchie (9.4 ppg) and a host of complimentary pieces that seem capable of keeping Green Bay chugging along near peak efficiency under the tutelage of coach Matt Bollant, whose teams have gone 117-17 in his four seasons.
Season opener: Nov. 11 at North Dakota State

6. Temple (24-9, NCAA second round)
The Owls' toughness and tenacity is embodied by senior guard Shey Peddy, a three-time All-Defensive Team performer from rugged Roxbury, Mass - same hometown as head coach Tonya Cardoza - who averaged 14.1 points but would rather shut you down than light you up. Fellow senior guard Kristen McCarthy (13.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) is primed for a big final season as well. Don't be surprised if Temple has a few stumbles early; their typically rugged non-league conference (Ohio State, Texas A&M, Rutgers and Duke, among others) pretty much guarantees it. But this is part of what makes them so tough in A-10 play and beyond - the Owls have been to the NCAA Tournament eight straight years, including all three under Cardoza.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. Miami (Ohio)

7. Marist (31-3, NCAA second round)
The MAAC juggernaut loses three starters from the 2010-11 team that scared mighty Duke in the NCAA second round, including conference player of the year Erica Allensbach and 6-4 Kate Oliver, whose desire to play against BCS-sized post players led her to transfer to USC. On the plus side, UMass transfer Kristina Danella has the potential to essentially replace what the Red Foxes lost in Oliver. They also still have Corielle Yarde, who used the NCAA Tournament spotlight to drop 25 points and snag 12 rebounds against Duke. And they still have coach Brian Giorgis, whose system continues to produce quality teams from talented but often under-the-radar parts.
Season opener: Nov. 16 vs. Villanova

8. Toledo (29-8, WNIT champions)
We fell in love with this team - and its star, Naama Shamir (15.1 ppg, 5.3 apg) - during its electrifying six-game run to the WNIT title. So did the Rockets fans, as a MAC-record 7,301 of 'em turned out to see Shamir drop 40 points on USC in the title game. The Blades must replace two-time All-MAC performer Melissa Goodhall and 3-point specialist Melissa Williams. But Akron transfer center Kyle Baumgartner and Illinois transfer forward Brianna Jones will bring much-needed size, and Spain import Inma Zanoguera should make an immediate impact. In other words, the Rockets should be a tough out again, particularly at their Savage Arena, where they won all six of their WNIT games and have gone 43-4 under coach Tricia Cullop.
Season opener: Nov. 13 vs. Dayton

9. Duquesne (24-9, WNIT third round)
Four talented and versatile starters, including preseason All-Atlantic 10 picks Vanessa Abel and Alex Gensler and 2010-11 conference rookie of the year Wumi Agunbiade, return from a group that set a school record for victories and reached the third round of the WNIT. Program has improved steadily under fifth-year coach Suzie McConnell-Serio, and if they can clean up the occasional rash of turnovers, no one should be surprised if these Dukes are the last team standing at the A-10 tournament.
Season opener: Nov. 11 at St. Francis (Pa.)

10. Memphis (21-13, WNIT first round)
All signs point to a breakthrough season for the Tigers, the preseason Conference USA favorites who are bidding for their first league title since 1998. Leading the way will be preseason all-league player of the year Brittany Carter, who averaged a team-high 13.4 ppg despite playing half the season with stress fracture in her foot, and fellow all-conference pick Jasmine Lee (12.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg).
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. Saint Louis

11. Middle Tennessee State (23-8, NCAA first round)

Most teams suffer when forced to play a lot of freshmen and sophomores; the Blue Raiders still made it to the NCAA Tournament. They'll miss four-year starter/leader Anne Marie Lanning and the late Tina Stewart, who was stabbed to death in her apartment last March. But Ebony Rowe (17.1 ppg, 10.1 rpg) is coming off a sensational freshman year, and while the Blue Raiders are still a young team, they'll no doubt remain a very good one.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. UNC Wilmington at Penn State's Lady Lion Classic

12. Louisiana Tech (24-8, NCAA first round)
Not sure how the Lady Techsters can replace WAC Player of the Year Adrienne Johnson, who finished up as the fifth-leading scorer in one of the sport's most storied programs. Consider this pick a show of faith in the abilities of coach Teresa Weatherspoon, who has done a bang-up job of reviving LaTech women's hoops.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. Missouri State


13.Princeton (24-5, NCAA first round)
The two-time defending Ivy League champion Tigers will miss unanimous conference Player of the Year Addie Micir. But they will welcome back first-team All-Ivy performers Devona Allgood and Lauren Edwards, defensive player of the year Lauren Polansky and probably the league's best player in Niveen Rasheed, who was averaging 16.2 points and 7.3 rebounds before tearing her ACL in late December. All this talent will again be blended expertly by one of the nation's best young coaches in Courtney Banghart.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. St. Joseph's


14. VCU (19-12, WNIT first round)
Four senior starters will try to go out in style, including Division I rebounding leader Courtney Hurt (who also averaged 23.4 ppg) and elite scoring guard Andrea Barbour. Should be hot on Delaware's heels in the race for the Colonial Athletic Association title.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. High Point

15. St. Joseph's (20-12, WNIT second round)

The tenaciously defending Hawks return all five starters from a year ago, most notably clutch senior guard Michelle Baker. That they're picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic 10 says a lot about the perceived strength of that league.
Season opener: Nov. 11 at Princeton


On the verge


Hofstra, Cal Poly, Charlotte, Hampton, St. Bonaventure, Missouri State, Central Arkansas, Rice, Liberty, San Diego State, James Madison, Drexel, Denver, Bowling Green, Portland State, Central Michigan, UC Santa Barbara, UMBC, Navy


Whatever happened to....
(Traditional powers now in re-group mode)


Xavier - Huge graduation losses (Amber Harris, Ta'Shia Phillips), a key transfer to Maryland (Katie Rutan) and the move by former coach Kevin McGuff to Washington. The Musketeers were picked to finish seventh in the Atlantic 10. 


Old Dominion - All but one starter is gone, and long-time coach Wendy Larry has stepped down, although the future does look promising under new coach Karen Barefoot.


Northern Iowa - Fortunes were compromised when reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Jacqui Kalin was lost for the season with a knee injury. Will still be good; we're just no longer sure how good.


Houston - Returns just one starter and five letterwinners from last season's NCAA Tournament qualifier.


TCU - Graduated its top two performers in Emily Carter and Helena Sverrisdottir, then recently lost its top returner Starr Crawford (12.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg) for the season to a concussion.