QUICK FACTS/TEAM INFO SHEET

Transcription

1 IN THIS SECTION Quick Facts Schedule Roster TV/Radio Chart Season Preview 42...Support Staff

2 QUICK FACTS/TEAM INFO SHEET PREVIEW COACHES THE HUSKIES REVIEW RECORDS HONORS HISTORY ALL-TIME RESULTS UCONN QUICK FACTS Location:...Storrs, Conn. Founded: Enrollment:...28,677 Colors:...National Flag Blue (Navy) & White Nickname:...Huskies Conference:...BIG EAST President:...Michael J. Hogan Director of Athletics:...Jeffrey A. Hathaway SWA:...Pat Babcock Home Courts (capacity):...gampel Pavilion (10,167)...XL Center (16,294) WOMEN S BASKETBALL STAFF Head Coach:...Geno Auriemma... (West Chester 81) Overall Record: (.843) 23 yrs. School Record: (.843) 23 yrs. Associate Head Coach:...Chris Dailey...(Rutgers 82) Assistant Coaches:...Jamelle Elliott (Connecticut 96)...Shea Ralph (Connecticut 01) WBB Office Phone:...(860) WBB Office Fax:... (860) SEASON IN REVIEW Overall Record: Home: 16-0; Away: 10-1; Neutral: 10-1 BIG EAST Record (finish): (1st) Final Ranking:...No. 3 (ESPN Coaches Poll)...No. 1 (Associated Press) HISTORY All-time record: (.725/34 yrs.) Gampel Pavilion record: (.933) XL Center record: (.888) All-time BIG EAST record: (.798/26 yrs.) BIG EAST Regular Season Titles:...16 (1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008) BIG EAST Tournament record: (.815/26 yrs.) BIG EAST Tournament Titles:...14 (1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008) NCAA Tournament appearances:...20 NCAA Tournament record: (.813) National Titles:...5 (1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004) ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS Asst. Dir./WBB Contact:...Randy Press Cell:...(860) randy.press@uconn.edu Phone:...(860) Fax:...(860) Gampel Press Row Phone:...(860) XL Center Press Row Phone:...TBA Internet Address:...UConnHuskies.com Husky Hotline:...(860) PRESEASON INFO SHEET Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 10/4 Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1 Newcomers: 4 STARTERS RETURNING (4) PLAYER POS. CL./ELG STATS Tina Charles C Jr./Jr ppg, 9.2 rpg,.604 fg%, 68 blocks Kalana Greene G Sr./Jr. 8.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg,.569 fg% Renee Montgomery G Sr./Sr ppg, 3.9 apg, pt%, 72 steals Maya Moore F So./So ppg,.543 fg%, pt %, 63 steals OTHER LETTERWINNERS RETURNING (6) PLAYER POS. CL./ELG STATS Lorin Dixon G So.So. 2.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 26 assists, 15 steals Jacquie Fernandes G Jr./Jr. 0.7 ppg, 0.7 rpg,..333 fg%.500 ft% Meghan Gardler F Jr./Jr. 2.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg,.347 fg%,.656 ft% Cassie Kerns C/F Sr./Sr. 0.9 ppg, 0.5 rpg,.421 fg%,.750 ft% Kaili McLaren F Jr./Jr. 4.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg,.554 fg%,.725 ft%, 22 blocks Tahirah Williams G Sr./Sr. 1.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg,.485 fg%,.739 ft% NEWCOMERS (4) PLAYER POS. YR. HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL) Heather Buck C/F Fr. Stonington, Conn. (Stonington) Caroline Doty G Fr. Doylestown, Pa. (Germantown Academy) Tiffany Hayes G Fr. Lakeland, Fla. (Winter Haven, Fla.) Jessica McCormack* C So. Auckland, New Zealand (Univ. Of Washington) * - will sit out season after transferring from the University of Washington TEAM NOTES The Huskies enter having won either the BIG EAST Regular Season or Tournament titles in each of the last 15 seasons. Connecticut returns four starters and 10 letterwinners from last season s squad which posted a 15-1 record in the BIG EAST and captured both the league s regular season and tournament titles before advancing to the ninth NCAA Final Four in the program s history. Junior center Tina Charles enters the season just four points shy of becoming the 31st player in UConn history to crack the 1,000-point barrier. Sophomore Maya Moore returns after posting a BIG EAST and Connecticut freshman record 678 points - which was just 16 points shy of tying Kara Wolters ( ) UConn single-season record total of 694. UConn has posted at least 25 wins in each of the last 15 seasons and at least 30 wins in 13 of the last 15 seasons. Since , the first season the program captured the national championship, UConn boasts an overall mark of (.919) by far the best winning percentage in Division I women s basketball over the last 14 seasons. The Huskies return a pair of reigning WBCA/State Farm All-America Team members in Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery - marking the first season that UConn has boasted two returning All-Americans in a season since 2001 (Svetlana Abrosimova & Shea Ralph). Former UConn All-America and 2000 NCAA National Championship team member Shea Ralph returns to the program in her first season as an assistant coach. This marks the first season the Huskies have had a change on the coaching staff since [ 36 ] UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT WOMEN S BASKETBALL This is UConn... Women were first admitted to the college in 1891.

3 SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT SITE TV TIME NOVEMBER Thurs. 6 STONEHILL COLLEGE (EX.) Storrs, Conn. (Gampel Pavilion) 7:30 p.m. Wed. 12 TEAM SRP (EX.) Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) 7:00 p.m. Sun. 16 GEORGIA TECH Storrs, Conn. (Gampel Pavilion) 2:00 p.m. Thurs. 20 SAN DIEGO STATE Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) 7:00 p.m. Sat. 22 RHODE ISLAND Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) 1:00 p.m. Tues. 25 at BYU Provo, Utah (Smith Fieldhouse) 9:00 p.m. Sun. 30 OKLAHOMA Storrs, Conn. (Gampel Pavilion) ESPN 8:15 p.m. DECEMBER Wed. 3 HOLY CROSS Storrs, Conn. (Gampel Pavilion) 7:30 p.m. Sun. 14 vs. Penn State (Maggie Dixon Classic) New York, N.Y. (Madison Square Garden) ESPNU/CPTV 2:30 p.m. Thurs. 18 vs. Washington (Caribbean Classic) Cancun, Mexico TBA Fri. 19 vs. No. Colorado (Caribbean Classic) Cancun, Mexico TBA Sun. 21 vs. Florida State (Caribbean Classic) Cancun, Mexico TBA Sun. 28 at South Carolina Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Center) 3:00 p.m. Wed. 31 HARTFORD Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) 12:00 p.m. JANUARY Sat. 3 LSU Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) CBS 12:00 p.m. Tues. 6 at USF* Tampa, Fla. (Sun Dome) 7:00 p.m. Sat. 10 at West Virginia* Morgantown, W. Va. (WVU Coliseum) TBA Tues. 13 DEPAUL* Storrs, Conn. (Gampel Pavilion) 7:30 p.m. Sat. 17 SYRACUSE* Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) 2:00 p.m. Mon. 19 at North Carolina Chapel Hill, N.C. (Smith Center) ESPN2 7:00 p.m. Sat. 24 at Cincinnati* Cincinnati, Ohio (Fifth-Third Arena) 7:00 p.m. Mon. 26 LOUISVILLE* Storrs, Conn. (Gampel Pavilion) ESPN2 7:30 p.m. Sat. 31 at Georgetown* Washington, D.C. (McDonough Arena) 3:00 p.m. FEBRUARY Tues. 3 RUTGERS* Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) CBSCS 8:00 p.m. Sat. 7 at Marquette* Milwaukee, Wis. (Al McGuire Center) 8:00 p.m. Wed. 11 at St. John s* Jamaica, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena) TBA Sun. 15 PITTSBURGH* Storrs, Conn. (Gampel Pavilion) ESPN2 3:30 p.m. Wed. 18 at Providence* Providence, R.I. (Alumni Hall) 7:00 p.m. Sun. 22 NOTRE DAME* Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) ESPNU 2:00 p.m. Tues. 24 VILLANOVA* Storrs, Conn. (Gampel Pavilion) 7:30 p.m. Sat. 28 SETON HALL* Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) 7:30 p.m. MARCH Mon. 2 at Rutgers* Piscataway, N.J. (Rutgers Athletic Center) ESPN2 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Tues BIG EAST Tournament Hartford, Conn. (XL Center) UCONN ALL-TIME RESULTS HISTORY HONORS RECORDS REVIEW THE HUSKIES COACHES PREVIEW ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS * - BIG EAST Conference game (Ex.) - Exhibition game This is UConn... The first bookstore on campus was opened in BIG EAST TITLES [ 37 ]

4 ROSTER PREVIEW COACHES THE HUSKIES REVIEW RECORDS HONORS HISTORY ALL-TIME RESULTS UCONN CONNECTICUT Women s Basketball Roster No. Name Pos Cl./Elg. Hgt. Hometown (High School) 2 Tahirah Williams G Sr./Sr. 6-0 Montclair, N.J. (Immaculate Heart Academy) 3 Tiffany Hayes G Fr./Fr Lakeland, Fla. (Winter Haven) 4 Caroline Doty G Fr./Fr Doylestown, Pa. (Germantown Academy) 12 Jessica McCormack C So./So. 6-5 Auckland, New Zealand (Univ. of Washington) 13 Jacquie Fernandes G Jr./Jr. 5-9 Pawcatuck, Conn. (Stonington) 20 Renee Montgomery G Sr./Sr. 5-7 St. Albans, W. Va. (South Charleston) 21 Heather Buck C/F Fr./Fr. 6-3 Stonington, Conn. (Stonington) 22 Meghan Gardler F Jr./Jr. 6-0 Springfield, Pa. (Cardinal O Hara) 23 Maya Moore F So./So. 6-0 Lawrenceville, Ga. (Collins Hill) 30 Lorin Dixon G So./So. 5-4 Springfield Gardens, N.Y. (Christ the King) 31 Tina Charles C Jr./Jr. 6-4 Jamaica, N.Y. (Christ the King) 32 Kalana Greene G Sr./Jr Saint Stephen, S.C. (Timberland) 41 Kaili McLaren F Jr./Jr. 6-2 Washington D.C. (Our Lady of Good Counsel) 51 Cassie Kerns C/F Sr./Sr. 6-3 Valparaiso, Ind. (Valparaiso) Head Coach:...Geno Auriemma (24th season, West Chester 81) Associate Head Coach:...Chris Dailey (24th season, Rutgers 82) Assistant Coaches:...Jamelle Elliott (12th season, Connecticut 96)...Shea Ralph (1st season, Connecticut 01) Director of Basketball Operations:...Jack Eisenmann (8th season, Saint Mary s University 77) BY ELIGIBILITY SENIORS (4) Greene, Kerns, Montgomery, Williams JUNIORS (4) Charles, Fernandes, Gardler, McLaren SOPHOMORES (3) Dixon, McCormack, Moore FRESHMEN (3) Buck, Doty, Hayes ALPHABETICAL Name No. Heather Buck...21 Tina Charles...31 Lorin Dixon...30 Caroline Doty...5 Jacquie Fernandes...13 Meghan Gardler...22 Kalana Greene...32 Tiffany Hayes...3 Cassie Kerns...51 Jessica McCormack...12 Kaili McLaren...41 Renee Montgomery...20 Maya Moore...23 Tahirah Williams...2 BY POSITION Guard (7) Dixon, Doty, Fernandes, Greene, Hayes, Montgomery, Williams Forward (4) Gardler, Kerns, McLaren, Moore Center (3) Buck, Charles, McCormack PRO-nun-see-a-shuns GENO AURIEMMA ORE-ee-emm-AH KALANA GREENE KA-lay-NA TAHIRAH WILLIAMS TA-hear-AH KAILI McCLAREN Kie-LEE JACQUIE FERNANDES Fur-NAN-DEEZ [ 38 ] UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT WOMEN S BASKETBALL This is UConn... The University of Connecticut school colors are National Flag Blue & White.

5 TV/RADIO CHART #2 TAHIRAH WILLIAMS Sr. 6-0 G Montclair, N.J. #20 RENEE MONTGOMERY Sr. 5-7 G St. Albans, W. Va. #31 TINA CHARLES Jr. 6-4 C Jamaica, N.Y. CHRIS DAILEY Associate Head Coach 24th season #3 TIFFANY HAYES Fr G Lakeland, Fla. #21 HEATHER BUCK Fr. 6-3 C/F Stonington, Conn. #32 KALANA GREENE Jr G Saint Stephen, S.C. JAMELLE ELLIOTT Assistant Coach 12th season #5 CAROLINE DOTY Fr G Doylestown, Pa. #22 MEGHAN GARDLER Jr. 6-0 G Springfield, Pa. #41 KAILI MCLAREN Jr. 6-2 F Washington, D.C. #12 JESSICA McCORMACK So. 6-5 C Auckland, New Zealand #23 MAYA MOORE So. 6-1 F Lawrenceville, Ga. #51 CASSIE KERNS Sr. 6-3 C/F Valparaiso, Ind. SHEA RALPH Assistant Coach 1st season #13 JACQUIE FERNANDES Jr. 5-9 G Pawcatuck, Conn. #30 LORIN DIXON So. 5-4 G Springfield Gardens, N.Y. GENO AURIEMMA Head Coach 24th season JACK EISENMANN Dir. Basketball Ops. 8th season UCONN ALL-TIME RESULTS HISTORY HONORS RECORDS REVIEW THE HUSKIES COACHES PREVIEW This is UConn... Benjamin Franklin Koons was named the first president of the college in BIG EAST TITLES [ 39 ]

6 SEASON PREVIEW PREVIEW COACHES THE HUSKIES REVIEW RECORDS HONORS HISTORY ALL-TIME RESULTS UCONN UNFINISHED BUSINESS HUSKIES LOOKING TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN The Huskies enter the season poised to make a return trip to the NCAA Final Four, as they return four starters and 10 letterwinners from last year s squad, which made the program s ninth overall appearance in the sport s marquee event. In addition to that experience, Connecticut also will feature an infusion of talent from one of the nation s top recruiting classes. The Huskies three incoming players are expected to contribute immediately to a solid core of returning players that should make them one of the favorites to claim the national title right out of the gates. Leading the way for the Huskies are a trio of All- America candidates and the anchors at their respective positions. Back for her fourth consecutive season as a starter in the Huskies backcourt is Renee Montgomery. Fresh off her first All-America honors as a junior, Montgomery opens the season for the Huskies having started each of the last 99 games. A point guard for the majority of her career, Montgomery showed off her diversity a year ago as she flourished when shifted to the off-guard spot following season-ending injuries to Kalana Greene and Mel Thomas. Heading up the Huskies on the wing is sophomore standout Maya Moore, who became the first freshman (male or female) in to be recognized as the BIG EAST Player of the Year following a historic rookie campaign that saw her shatter the Connecticut and BIG EAST Conference freshman scoring records with a total of 678 points. Moore established herself as one of the nation s most dynamic players and is certainly one of the leading candidates heading into the season for National Player of the Year honors. Moore led the Huskies by scoring double-figure points in each of the team s first 31 games to begin her collegiate career (a program record) and her scoring prowess should continue to cause problems for opposing defenses this season. Moore also showed a knack for playing on the inside and she could be utilized in the paint more during her sophomore season to maximize her ability to cause matchup problems for opposing defenders. Pacing the Huskies in the post is junior Tina Charles, who already has staked her claim as one of the top shot blockers in Connecticut history. [ 40 ] UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT WOMEN S BASKETBALL This is UConn... The Husky Dog is named after Connecticut s Revolutionary War-era governer, Jonathan Trumbull.

7 SEASON PREVIEW Charles, who enters the season just four points shy of becoming the 31st player in UConn annals to eclipse the 1,000-point milestone, will looked to be a force for the Huskies on the boards and continue her high-percentage offensive production. Charles ability to stay out of foul trouble while continuing to be a disruption on the defensive end for the opposition will go a long way in determining Connecticut s overall success this season. Providing help to Charles in the post this season will be junior Kaili McLaren, senior Cassie Kerns and freshman Heather Buck. McLaren will battle for a consistent spot in the starting lineup after opening in each of the Huskies final 11 games last season - including the entire postseason. McLaren possesses a solid outside touch that could prove to be an increased source of offense. Buck and Kerns will be looked to provide depth at both the center and power forward spots. Sophomore Lorin Dixon enters as the primary backup to four-year starter Montgomery. Dixon put together a solid rookie campaign that saw her enjoy a 10-game spurt as the starter at the point following Montgomery s shift to shooting guard. Junior Kalana Greene returns to the fold following an ACL injury eight games into the season. Expected to be fully cleared prior to the start of the season, Greene provides the Huskies with a guard/wing that is possibly the team s best threat off the dribble. In addition, Greene has proven to be one of the nation s best rebounding guards - as she averaged 7.5 boards per game in her last full season. Another player who is expected to continue her development as a top option off the bench is junior forward Meghan Gardler. Gardler made her mark as a sophomore by providing the Huskies with a nice rebounding and defensive option off the bench. As her shot continues to improve, she could prove to be another factor for opposing defenses to have to consider. Also providing depth in the backcourt will be senior Tahirah Williams, junior Jacquie Fernandes and freshmen Caroline Doty and Tiffany Hayes - each of which brings a diversified game on both ends of the floor and should have ample opportunities to earn key minutes. UCONN ALL-TIME RESULTS HISTORY HONORS RECORDS REVIEW THE HUSKIES COACHES PREVIEW This is UConn... Since Jonathan II, all UConn mascots have been purely white huskies. 30 BIG EAST TITLES [ 41 ]

8 WOMEN S BASKETBALL SUPPORT STAFF PREVIEW COACHES THE HUSKIES REVIEW RECORDS HONORS HISTORY ALL-TIME RESULTS UCONN BRUCE COHEN CPIA Director The University of Connecticut is committed to each of its basketball players, and all of its student-athletes, as a total person. Participation in athletics is important, but it represents only one aspect of a basketball player's college experience. At the University of Connecticut, academic achievement is the primary concern. Impressively, the UConn student-athlete retention rate has been 99.0 percent. The University's commitment to the student-athlete is a dual one. Participation on the basketball court is not viewed as an obstacle to the attainment of one's educational goals, rather it is seen as a complementary activity. Each supports the other. Athletic excellence is stressed, but academic achievement is never compromised - indeed, it is given the utmost priority. The University realizes that basketball players and all student-athletes, due to their academic involvement, are required to commit a large percentage of their personal time to University sponsored athletic activities. SARAH DARRAS Program Aide AMANDA HUGHES Program Aide For this reason, the University recognizes the need for a support program for its intercollegiate athletes. The Counseling Program for Intercollegiate Athletes (CPIA) constantly assists all student-athletes in achieving their academic goals. The CPIA staff serves as a liaison to the academic faculty, the Division of Athletics, and the student-athlete. In serving as a liaison between the UConn student-athletes and University faculty and staff, the CPIA counselors also provide assistance in securing appropriate support services available with the University. These include orientation for student-athletes, supervised study halls, individual tutors and tutorial centers (an English/Writing Center, Math Center and Reading Center) and learning skills seminars. The writing lab and computers are networked to a national database which allow all student-athletes to do research at their actual computer stations. A counselor is assigned to work with each intercollegiate team and working directly with the UConn women's basketball program as a Faculty Advisor within CPIA is Bruce Cohen, Director of the Counseling Program for Intercollegiate Athletes. Cohen monitors all aspects of each UConn basketball player's academic life, including class schedule, arranging for tutors and progress toward a degree. The study lab used by the UConn women's basketball team is located adjacent to the Alumni Court in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. PEGGY MYERS Program Aide ROSEMARY RAGLE WBB Athletic Trainer The Department of Sports Medicine in the University of Connecticut Division of Athletics works as an integrated multidisciplinary team whose purpose is to provide the optimal, safe environment for the basketball student-athletes to train and participate in their sport. The staff takes great pride in the individual attention paid to each student-athlete. They are devoted to preventing injury, rapidly diagnosing and treating injury, and maximizing athletic performance. The disciplines of athletic training, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, orthopaedic sports medicine, optometry, nutrition, exercise physiology, and psychology work in concert to provide comprehensive care for the basketball student-athlete. The team is spearheaded by Rosemary Ragle, MS, ATC, the women s basketball Athletic Trainer and Assistant Athletic Trainer. Ragle, who has worked with the women s basketball program since the season, earned her Masters of Science from LSU in EVAN FEINGLASS Facilities/Operations BILL SEHL Gampel Pavilion Engineer Physician coverage is led by Jeffrey Anderson, M.D., the Director of Sports Medicine and Team Physician Thomas Trojian, M.D.. The Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Specialists for the team include Dr. Michael Joyce of the Orthopedic Sports Specialists in Galastonbury, Dr. Barry Messinger of Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Surgery and Dr. Robert Arciero and Dr. Augustus Mazzocca of the University of Connecticut Health Center Department of Orthopaedics in Farmington. The Department of Sports Medicine works intimately with the Departments of Kinesiology and Nutritional Sciences on the University of Connecticut campus. This affords the student-athletes with the input of several nationally recognized exercise scientists. This cooperation also keeps the sports medicine staff at the cutting edge of developments in the fields of human performance and sports nutrition. Members of the sports medicine staff are actively engaged in research that directly benefits the care of the basketball student-athletes. The UConn Basketball Sports Medicine team is housed in state-of-the-art facilities in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, which were completed in October of The Department of Sports Medicine at the University of Connecticut plays a critical role in assuring that all UConn studentathletes have 24-hour access to the finest medical support and quality health care possible. Through patient care and ongoing research and education, the department continues to provide Husky teams a competitive edge from the medical perspective. KEITH ANDERSON Assistant Director of Video Services MELISSA WIELANDT Ticket Manager DR. TROJIAN Team Doctor MATT GADE Team Manager AMANDA KIMBALL Strength Coach [ 42 ] UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT WOMEN S BASKETBALL This is UConn... Four-year degrees were first made available in 1914.