ASU Women s Basketball

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1 ASU Women s Basketball Our Mission- Thaw our Chicken by doing everything we ask the players to do. We want to help each of you get to your very best spot. To create a culture where you flourish because you are confident, focused, and committed to being the consummate teammate. We want you to be aggressive and unafraid to make mistakes. We want to develop not just your physical but your mental and emotional talent. We want to help you enjoy and appreciate each and every day as it comes. We want to build trust through our character, competency, and general concern for your growth and well-being. We want to make you tough and able to handle all the pressures of being a student-athlete and of life. We want you to have such an enjoyable experience that you do not want to leave. We will always ask how can I help?

2 ASU Women's Basketball Quick Facts Location: Tempe, Ariz Founded: 1885 Enrollment: 68,064 Nickname: Sun Devils School Colors: Maroon & Gold National Affiliation: NCAA Division I Conference: Pacific-10 Home Court: Wells Fargo Arena (14,141) President: Dr. Michael Crow Faculty Representative: Prof. Myles Lynk Vice President of University Athletics: Lisa Love Senior Associate AD (SWA): Dawn Rogers Head Coach: Charli Turner Thorne (Stanford 88) Career Record: (16 years) Record at ASU: (13 years) Office Phone: (480) Associate Head Coaches: Meg Sanders (Cal State Fullerton 85) & Joseph Anders (Arkansas-Monticello 80) Asst. Coach: Laura Hughes (Santa Clara 92) Athletic Trainer: Diana Padilla Director of Operations: Christina Wombacher Administrative Assistant: Heidi Spurgeon Academic Coach: Shay Jewett Record: Pac-10 Record (Finish): 15-3 (t-2nd) Postseason Finish: NCAA Elite Eight Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3 Newcomers: 8 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/6 All-Time Record: (33 years) All-Time NCAA Tournament Record: Women's Basketball Media Relations Contact: Steve Rodriguez, Assoc. Dir. of Media Relations Carson Center Room 131 Tempe, AZ Office: (480) Cell: (480) Fax: (480) Press Row: (480) Web Site: CREDITS The Arizona State women s basketball media guide is produced by the ASU Media Relations Office. Editor: Steve Rodriguez, ASU Associate Media Relations Director. Contributors: David Rickey, Nico Coney, Jenna Eckenrode, Taylor Renfro, Katie Ringer, Matt Storey, Scott Taylor, Carmen Vitali, and Lacey Wallace, ASU Media Relations. Cover Design: Liz Sullivan, ASU Athletics and Mike Chavez, Ben Franklin Press. Photography: Jason Wise (Wise Photography), Robert Kline, Roy Dabner, Mark Sutton, Peyton Williams, David Gonzales (gonzalesphoto.com), John Hassett (CT Sports Photo), Rick Scuteri, Scott Troyanos, Matt York, Joseph Anders, Chuck Conley, Sheka Robinson, Carrie Shiverdecker, W. Scott Mitchell, Jim Richardson, Bruce Schwartzman, Will Thorne, Russ Boardman, ASU Media Services, Tim Trumble, ASU News Services, Tempe Convention and Visitors Bureau, NBA Photo, Phoenix Mercury Media Services, New York Liberty Media Services, SPM Sports, Inc., Glen Johnson Photography, Kenneth Wong, Grant Halverson, Shawn Toner, USA Basketball, Benjamin Solomon, Josh D. Weiss, Steve Rodriguez, Tara Polen (SPM Sports). Design & Printing: Ben Franklin Press, Tempe, Ariz. Special Thanks to: Ron Clark, Mike Chavez, Brad Woodward and Jan Tenaglia. 2

3 ASU Women's Basketball PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: #22 Janae Fulcher, #2 Sabrina McKinney, #4 Haley Parsons, #12 Alex Earl, #35 Tenaya Watson, #21 Kayli Murphy, #30 Gabby Fage, #1 Dymond Simon, #13 Danielle Orsillo, #23 Markisha Patterson, #32 Becca Tobin, #25 Kimberly Brandon, #11 Kali Bennett, #3 Joy Burke, #5 Deja Mann THIS IS SUN DEVIL BASKETBALL.1-42 Quick Facts/Table of Contents Schedule...4 Winning Tradition...6 Great Time to be a Sun Devil...8 Arizona State University Sun Devil Success Life in the Valley Gameday at Wells Fargo Arena ASU Facilities Weatherup Center Academics at ASU Sun Devil Graduates Briann January Sun Devil Experience Sports Performance Sports Medicine Devils at Work In the Community Character Education In the Spotlight Making History Under the Stars...37 On the Road Again ASU Women's Basketball in Italy Where Are They Now? Sun Devil Hoops Programs Outlook Outlook Sun Devil Roster SUN DEVIL STAFF Head Coach Charli Turner Thorne Associate Head Coach Meg Sanders Associate Head Coach Joseph Anders Assistant Coach Laura Hughes Support Staff MEET THE SUN DEVILS Gabby Fage Kayli Murphy Danielle Orsillo...70 Dymond Simon...72 Becca Tobin...74 Markisha Patterson...76 Tenaya Watson...77 Kimberly Brandon...78 Alex Earl Kali Bennett Janae Fulcher Haley Parsons Joy Burke Deja Mann Sabrina McKinney...87 Sun Devil Snapshots Sun Devil Families THE UNIVERSITY Arizona State University President Dr. Michael Crow/ABOR Lisa Love/ASU Staff...97 Wells Fargo Arena Rules of the Game ASU Alumni Pac-10 Conference SEASON IN REVIEW Team Accomplishments Season in Photos Results Statistics Game-by-Game Statistics Highs and Lows Pac-10 Standings and Honors HISTORY Sun Devil History Awards & Honors ,000-Point Club Career Records Single-Season Records Single-Game Records Year-by-Year Statistics Year-by-Year Leaders All-Time Letterwinners NCAA Tournament History NCAA Tournament Game-by-Game ASU NCAA Tournament Records NCAA Tournament Teams Pac-10 Tournament Records Among the Elite Series Standings ASU vs. Conferences Series Records Year-by-Year Results MEDIA INFORMATION Covering the Sun Devils Media Outlets Opponents Pac-10 Composite Schedule NCAA Tournament Information Telephone Directory Sun Devil Club media Guide 3

4 Schedule DAY & DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TV time Thurs., Nov. 5 Vanguard (exhibition game) tempe 6 pm MT Sun., Nov. 15* South Dakota State tempe 2 p.m. MT Thurs., Nov. 19 at Yale New Haven, Ct. 7 p.m. ET/5 p.m. MT Sat., Nov. 21 at Xavier Cincinnati, Ohio. 2 p.m. ET/Noon MT Jack in the Box Rainbow Wahine Classic, Honolulu, HI (Nov ) Fri., Nov. 27 at Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii 5 p.m. HST Sat., Nov. 28 vs. East Tennessee State Honolulu, Hawaii 7 p.m. HST ASU Classic, Tempe, Ariz. (Dec. 4-5) Fri., Dec. 4 ASU vs. Idaho St. tempe 6 p.m. MT Pepperdine vs. Utah St. tempe 8:30 p.m. MT Sat., Dec. 5* idaho St. vs. Pepperdine or Utah St. tempe 1 p.m. MT ASU vs. Pepperdine or Utah St. TEMPE 4 p.m. MT Wed., Dec. 9 North Dakota (SKTC Field Trip Day) tempe 11 a.m. MT Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic, Las Vegas, Nev. (Dec ) Sat., Dec. 19 vs. Texas A&M Las Vegas 6:30 p.m. PT Sun., Dec. 20 vs. Baylor Las Vegas 6:30 p.m. PT Mon., Dec. 28 Furman tempe 6:30 p.m. MT Fri., Jan. 1 USc tempe 2 p.m. MT Sun., Jan. 3* UCLA tempe 2 p.m. MT Thurs., Jan. 7 at Washington Seattle, Wash. 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT Sat., Jan. 9 at Washington State Pullman, Wash. 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT Thurs., Jan. 14 Oregon tempe 6:30 p.m. MT Sat., Jan. 16* Oregon State tempe FSN 6:30 p.m. MT Sun., Jan. 24 at Arizona Tucson, Ariz. FSN 4 p.m. MT Thurs., Jan. 28 at Stanford Palo Alto, Calif. 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT Sat., Jan. 30 at California Berkeley, Calif. FSN 2:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. MT Thurs., Feb. 4 Washington tempe 6:30 p.m. MT Sat., Feb. 6* Washington State tempe FSN 1 p.m. MT Thurs., Feb. 11 at Oregon State Corvallis, Ore. 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT Sat., Feb. 13 at Oregon Eugene, Ore. 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT Sat., Feb. 20* Arizona tempe 9 p.m. MT Thurs., Feb. 25 Stanford FSN 7 p.m. MT Sat., Feb. 27* california tempe 3 p.m. MT Thurs., Mar. 4 at UCLA Los Angeles 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT Sat., March 6 at USC Los Angeles 12:30 p.m. PT/1:30 p.m. MT Pac-10 Tournament (Galen Center, Los Angeles, Calif.) Mar. 11 First Round# Los Angeles Mar. 12 Quarterfinals Los Angeles Mar. 13 Semifinals Los Angeles Mar. 14 Championship Game Los Angeles Home games (listed in bold) are played at Wells Fargo Arena. Dates and times are subject to change. # - Top six seeds get a first-round bye. 4

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6 A Winning 6

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8 It s A Great Time success on the court The Sun Devils have won 20 or more games and qualified for the NCAA Tournament each of the last five seasons, including a pair of Elite Eight appearances. WEATHERUP CENTER Last summer the Sun Devils moved into the Weatherup Center, the brand new stateof-the-art training facility for the ASU basketball programs. home court advantage In the last five seasons ASU has won nearly 87 percent of its home games. One of the biggest reasons for this success has been the support of ASU's fans, who have helped the Sun Devils remain at or near the top of the Pac-10 in attendance the last five years. 8

9 community involvement On a regular basis, members of the Arizona State women s basketball team are out and about in the community trying to make a difference. In 2007 the Sun Devils were honored for all the work they do in the community in being named one of seven recipients of the Pat Tillman Community Leadership Award. Excellence in the Classroom Last season, the ASU women s basketball team finished on top of the Pac-10 in academics for the third consecutive year as the Sun Devils had five studentathletes named to the Pac-10 s Women's Basketball All-Academic teams. ASU also led the Pac-10 with two players on the first team seniors Sybil Dosty and Kate Engelbrecht. Danielle Orsillo was named to the second team while Kayli Murphy and Kirsten Thompson earned honorable mention recognition. Dosty was also named the Pac-10 s Scholar Athlete of the Year while Engelbrecht earned second-team academic all-district acknowledgement from ESPN the Magazine. Nearly half (9 of 20) of ASU s Pac-10 All-Academic citations the last three years have been of the first- (6) or second-team (3) variety. SUN DEVILS REPRESENTING (Left) Last April Briann January was selected by the Indiana Fever with the sixth overall pick in the WNBA Draft. As a rookie, January would help lead the Fever to the WNBA Finals. (Above) Last summer Charli Turner Thorne served as head coach of the 2009 USA Women's World University Games Team and guided it to the gold medal. It was Turner Thorne s second gold medal earned with USA Basketball after she served as an assistant on the U21 World Championship Team that won gold at the 2007 FIBA U21 World Championship media Guide 9

10 Arizona State The Arizona State main campus is located on 722 acres in the heart of downtown Tempe and just minutes from the busy nightlife of Mill Avenue. With its shady malls, cool fountains and lush plantings, Arizona State s campus has long been known as an oasis in the desert. Arizona State University is a Doctoral/Research-Extensive I Institution, the highest distinction of the prestigious Carnegie Foundation classification system. 10

11 In the academic year, a record 15,610 students graduated from the university's four campuses, as a record 168 National Merit Scholars matriculated at ASU. A rising star in the field of U.S. business schools, the W. P. Carey School of Business is currently ranked among the Top 25 business schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report. In October 2009, ASU celebrated the grand opening of Barrett, the Honors College, the nation s first comprehensive four-year residential honors college at a public university. The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication s state-of-the-art journalism education complex provides aspiring journalists and communication professionals unparalleled opportunities media Guide 11

12 Arizona State More than 70,000 people filled Sun Devil Stadium when President Barack Obama spoke at Arizona State University s commencement ceremonies last May. The current play-by-play voice for NBC s Sunday Night Football, Al Michaels is one of several prominent alumni to have attended Arizona State. Eddie House (above left) and Dustin Pedroia (above right) are two former Sun Devils who have recently been on World Championship teams while James Harden (right) was the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft 12

13 Sun Devil Eight top-five finishes, including a national championship from the Sun Devil women s golf team, headlined another great season in ASU Athletics. The Arizona State women s golf team captured its seventh NCAA title. The Sun Devils came from 11 strokes back to eventually win by eight strokes. Azahara Munoz, Carlota Ciganda, Jaclyn Sweeney and Jennifer Osborn earned All-America honors. Led by National Player of the Year P Mike Leake, the ASU baseball team finished third at the College World Series. ASU also captured the Pac-10 title for the third consecutive season. With a third-place finish at the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championship, the Sun Devil women s track and field team collected its seventh top-four finish in its last eight NCAA track and field meets. The women also finished fifth in indoors in 2009 while the Sun Devil men placed fifth in indoors and eighth in outdoors. Led by Pac-10 Player of the Year Kaitlin Cochran, the Sun Devil softball team followed up its national championship season in 2008 with its fourth consecutive trip to the Women s College World Series in Jesper Kennegard s All-American performance at the NCAA Championships helped lead the Sun Devil men s golf team to a top-eight national finish. It s the 10th time the Sun Devils have finished in the top 10 under head coach Randy Lein. (Left) In only his third season at ASU, Herb Sendek led the ASU men s basketball team to its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since (Right) Under head coach Charli Turner Thorne, the Sun Devil women s basketball team advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons media Guide 13

14 Life In ASU s own Sun Devil Stadium, located on the banks of Tempe Town Lake, is home to the Insight Bowl and has played host to four national championship games and one Super Bowl. The Sporting News named Phoenix the sixth-best sports city in the United States in Concerts and block parties are just part of the bustling nightlife of Mill Avenue, a restaurant district that is the center of activity in downtown Tempe. 14

15 The Phoenix metropolitan area boasts more than 325 days of sunshine each year with an average temperature of a balmy 85 degrees. With its spectacular desert landscaping and colorful sunsets, the Valley of the Sun is home to 2.3 million people and is the vacation destination for 10 million people annually. The Phoenix sports scene includes the Suns of the NBA, the two-time WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury, the Coyotes of the NHL, the 2008 NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals of the NFL and the 2001 World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks in addition to the hometown Sun Devils. The current home of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the University of Phoenix Stadium had the collective eyes of the world fixed upon it when it hosted Super Bowl XLII on February 3, media Guide 15

16 Gameday at Wells Fargo Arena 16

17 Gameday at Wells Fargo Arena media Guide 17

18 Department of Intercollegiate Athletics The Arizona State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is housed in the Nadine and Ed Carson Student-Athlete Center. The 165,000-square foot facility at ASU is one of the finest student-athlete centers in the country. A Sun Devil student-athlete can accomplish everything he/she needs to do in a given day, from meeting with an academic adviser, to taping and treatment, to getting ready for practice without leaving the building. Nadine & Ed Carson Student-Athlete Center APS Learning Center Nap & Barbara Lawrence Weight & Strength Center 18

19 Lattie & Elva Coor Student-Athlete Study Lounge Weatherup Center Nathan & Betty Norris Quiet Study Training Room Hobbs Family Stadium Club Swim-Ex Tom & Gloria Dutson Theater media Guide 19

20 Weatherup Practice Facility Craig and Connie Weatherup give lead gift for ASU Basketball Practice Facility Craig Weatherup, ASU alumnus and past CEO of Pepsi Cola, and his wife, Connie, gave a lead gift of $5 million to ASU Intercollegiate Athletics to help ASU's basketball programs play on a national stage. The Weatherup Center is a 30,000-square-foot basketball practice facility. With state-of-the-art practice areas, locker rooms, offices and team meeting areas, it is home for the men's and women's basketball teams to practice, train and study. Features of the center include two full-size basketball courts, offices for the coaches, locker rooms and a team video room. "Connie and I are proud to support ASU athletics, and we hope our gift will help contribute to the quality and excellence that is being seen throughout ASU," said Craig Weatherup. "This brand-new facility will not only bring visibility to the basketball programs, but will help shine a bright light on ASU as a major player in college athletics. We hope our gift encourages other individuals to invest in the excellence of ASU Athletics by providing greater resources for our coaches and programs." To further elevate its impressive successes, ASU Athletics has launched the Sun Devil Legacy campaign. Currently, the first phase of the campaign comprises $90 million to build the Weatherup Center and a fieldhouse, and to fund renovations to Joe Selleh Track/Sun Angel Stadium, Packard Stadium and the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. Our vision for Arizona State University is to achieve and sustain a performance level of national championship successes and Rose Bowl victories, Right: The Sun Devil men's and women's basketball teams moved into their new state-of-the-art training facility, the Weatherup Center, last summer. Below Left: ASU men's basketball coach Herb Sendek, Connie and Craig Weatherup and ASU women's basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne at the official groundbreaking for the Weatherup Center on April 29, Below Right: A little more than a year later on May 18, 2009, Connie and Craig Weatherup cut the ribbon at the Weatherup Center's official opening. 20

21 Weatherup Practice Facility Our vision for Arizona State University is to achieve and sustain a performance level of national championship successes and Rose Bowl victories said Lisa Love, vice president of university athletics. In order to reach this vision of greatness, it will take an unprecedented level of commitment from our teams, our supporters and our university to compete on a national stage. Commitment and support for building state-of-the-art practice facilities and improving the legacy of existing Sun Devil venues will provide the foundation for ASU Athletics to compete among the best talent in the nation." media Guide 21

22 Academics at ASU The Office for Student-Athlete Development and APS Learning Center provide services, programming, and guidance to Arizona State s approximately 500 student-athletes that allow them to develop and experience academic success and critical life skills. Culminating in graduation, all support services are student-athlete centered and include orientation programs, academic planning toward graduation, registration, tutoring, study skills, study hall, the use of the ICA computer site and laptop computers, as well as preparation for life beyond college whether it is in their sport or another chosen career path. Shay Jewett, the academic coordinator/coach for women s basketball, works with these young women throughout their college careers. From the time they sign to the day they graduate, Jewett oversees and monitors all academic activities, helping student-athletes identify what they need to be competitive and successful in the classroom, improving study skills and habits, identifying and addressing academic concerns, selecting a major, balancing time demands, making degree progress and utilizing career development opportunities. The Sun Devils have led the Pac-10 in the number of student-athletes named to the Pac-10's All-Academic Team each of the last three years. Last season, the ASU women's basketball team finished on top of the Pac-10 in academics for the third consecutive year as the Sun Devils had five student-athletes named to the Pac-10's Women's Basketball All- Academic teams. Included among ASU's five honorees were two first-team members (seniors Sybil Dosty and Kate Engelbrecht) and one secondteam member (junior Danielle Orsillo). Two other Sun Devils (senior Kirsten Thompson and junior Kayli Murphy) earned honorable-mention honors. In addition Dosty was named the Pac-10's Scholar Athlete of the Year. In 2008 ASU paced the Pac-10 with seven honorees, including two student-athletes named to the first team (Engelbrecht and former Sun Devil Jill Noe) and one named to the second team (former Sun Devil Reagan Pariseau). In 2007 ASU led the conference with a school record eight honorees, including two first-team members (former Sun Devils Aubree Johnson and Emily Westerberg) and one secondteam member (Engelbrecht). Nearly half (9 of 20) of ASU's Pac- 10 All-Academic citations the last three years have been of the first- (6) or second-team (3) variety. Any studentathlete needing additional help in a specific subject may request a tutor. Tutors assist studentathletes on an individual or group basis, as well as provide study cluster groups throughout each In 2009 Kate Engelbrecht (with Associate Head Coach Joseph Anders, Academic Coach Shay Jewett, Assistant Coach Laura Hughes and Associate Head Coach Meg Sanders) was selected by the ASU Kinesiology Department as the recipient of the Rudy L Lavik Memorial Award for the Outstanding Senior in Kinesiology after earning the Outstanding Junior Award in semester. A student-athlete needing additional help with general study skills and habits, organization, and scheduling can request to meet with a mentor in addition to their academic coach. Success in the classroom often starts the summer prior to the studentathletes first full semester on campus. The Summer School Enrichment Program allows student-athletes to attend summer school on scholarship, helping student-athletes move toward the goal of graduation in a shorter period of time. Throughout their academic careers, ASU student-athletes are expected to take responsibility for their education and developing their career goals. This includes realizing that dedication and self-discipline are as important in the classroom and their careers as on the playing field. Maintaining a positive attitude toward academics and the privilege of being an ASU student-athlete is emphasized, as well as developing the desire to succeed semester after semester. ASU recruits student-athletes with academic and athletic goals and the personal discipline to pursue and achieve them in the "student-athlete centered" environment of ASU Athletics. 22

23 Shay Jewett Academic Coach Shay K. Jewett, Office of Student-Athlete Development Associate Director, is in her 11th year as the Academic Coach for the ASU women s basketball team. Working oneon-one with the student-athletes to facilitate academic success, Jewett guides students to further develop study skills and strategies and time management at the Division I level while monitoring academic progress throughout each semester. She works closely with the coaching staff and the academic support staff to enhance the student-athletes educational experience and helps ensure strict adherence to NCAA and Pac-10 rules and regulations as well as ICA policies and procedures. During the previous 10 years, Jewett, who is also the academic coach for the women's track and field team, has seen 37 different members of the women s basketball team recognized as Maroon & Gold Scholars, an honor given yearly for earning a 3.00 semester or cumulative GPA. Thirty of those 39 student-athletes have been honored multiple times. Jewett has also seen 23 women s basketball players named to the Pac-10 Conference All-Academic teams. Eighteen of those players have earned multiple honors. Last season ASU finished on top of the Pac-10 in academics for the third Academics at ASU consecutive season as it had five student-athletes named to the Pac- 10's Women's Basketball All-Academic teams, including two first-team members for the third straight year (Sybil Dosty and Kate Engelbrecht; Dosty was also named the Pac-10's Scholar Athlete of the Year). Prior to working at ASU, Jewett was the Director of Counseling at Colby Community College in Colby, Kan. Jewett, a native of northwest Kansas, earned her Master of Science degree in Student Counseling and Personnel Services from Kansas State University and her Bachelor of Arts in English from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan. Academic Coaching Academic assessment of first-year students Development of Individual Education Plan Choosing a major Course selection and schedule Academic development programs for special learning needs (DRC) Monitor progress towards degree with meeting ASU and NCAA requirements Scholar Baller Program Liaison with on-campus college advisor and faculty ASU's Office of Student-Athlete Development (OSAD) is based on the premise that studentathletes must be challenged to Compete in the classroom and in life, with Passion and Character (CPC), just as they do on the field and in the weight room. To recognize those student-athletes who excel outside of their respective competitive arenas, OSAD introduced the Scholar Baller Program. A Scholar Baller is a student-athlete who succeeds academically and socially, and who accepts the challenge of balancing textbooks with playbooks. Student-athletes at ASU who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher are distinguished with a patch that is placed on their uniform. Academic Coach Shay Jewett with former ASU women's basketball player Jill Noe. Noe earned both her undergraduate and master's degrees at ASU. In 2008 Noe culminated her career by being named to the Pac-10's All-Academic First Team media Guide 23

24 Sun Devil Graduates Kylan Loney, Class of 2004 Reagan Pariseau Class of 2008 Betsy Boardman, Class of 2004 Lauren Lacey, Class of 2009 Kirsten Thompson, Class of 2009 graduates under charli turner thorne Below is a list of players who have graduated during Charli Turner Thorne's 13 seasons as head coach at Arizona State Melody Johnson, Class of 2002 Molly Tuter 97 Marcia Stilson 97 Melissa Boyle 97 LaToya Johnson 97 Charity Amama 97 Julie Gledhill 97 Alyssa Johnson 97 Stephanie Freeman 98 Spring Steed 98 Rechelle Lang 99 Michelle Tom 99 Rachel Holt 00 Kristine Sand 00 Aubrey McFadyen 01 Liz Paulson 01 Kitch Kitchen 01 Natalie Tucker '01 Melody Johnson 02 Amanda Levens 02 Leah Combs 02 Kellie McDanal '02 Cian Carvalho 03 Jen Albert 04 Betsy Boardman 04 Rainy Crisp 04 Rameeka Lowe 04 Alexis Tate '04 Lauren Stagg 05 Kylan Loney 05 Kisha White '05 Carrie Buckner 06 Amy Denson '06 Kristen Kovesdy '06 Jill Noe '06, '08 YoVanna Rosenthal '06 Aubree Johnson '07 Emily Westerberg '07 Sybil Dosty '08 Reagan Pariseau '08 Danielle Orsillo '08 Lauren Lacey '09 Kirsten Thompson '09 Kayli Murphy '09 Dymond Simon '

25 Briann January One of the greatest players ever to put on a Sun Devil uniform, Briann January went higher in the WNBA college draft than any Sun Devil before her when the Indiana Fever made her the sixth overall pick last April. In her first year with Indiana, January was one of the driving forces behind the Fever coming within one game of winning the WNBA title. ASU Career Highlights Ended her stint as a Sun Devil at or near the top of several ASU career statistical categories including assists (first, 538), free throw percentage (first,.830), steals (second, 265), free throws (second, 401), 3-point field goal percentage (fourth,.399), 3-point field goals (fifth, 132) and points (seventh, 1,317). A two-time Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and named first-team All-Pac-10 in 2009, January concluded the regular season second in the nation in 3-point FG pct. (.469) and 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1). Within the Pac-10 January was first in assists (4.7 apg), 3-point field goal percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio, second in steals (2.3 spg) and fourth in free throw percentage (.840) and 3-point field goals per game (2.0). Her 65 3-pointers set a new school single-season record while her 167 assists were fourth on the school's all-time singleseason list. During her four-year career the Sun Devils won 77 percent of their games (104-32), including 82 percent of their Pac-10 games (59-13), and qualified for the NCAA Tournament all four years, including the program s only Elite Eight appearances (2007, '09) media Guide 25

26 Sun Devil Experience Exactly what does it mean to be a Sun Devil? Who better to answer that question than those who have worn the Maroon and Gold. Leah Combs ASU Women's Basketball ( ) There is no question that I was meant to be a part of the Arizona State University Women s Basketball Team and a Sun Devil. I can still remember Charli s first Hi!!! when I answered her initial recruiting phone call. Charli is a coach and leader on the cutting edge of women s collegiate sports. Once you make a commitment to ASU, ASU commits to you. I am thankful I chose to play four years for the Maroon and Gold. I could not have made a better decision. The ASU program thrives on its ability to foster an environment full of positive attitudes, capitalizing on the synergy of intense, aggressive, selfless play. We played in the first outdoor women s basketball game under the stars in what was then Bank One Ballpark, versus Tennessee. We secured a Pac-10 Championship my junior year. The following season we claimed the Inaugural Pac-10 Tournament Championship title over Stanford. Beyond the rings and excitement of winning, it was an unforgettable journey. Charli Turner Thorne (or CTT ) and her amazing staff are genuinely concerned about the well-being and future of their players. They are full of integrity, full of energy and are certainly sharp individuals. I am extremely privileged and blessed to have shared my collegiate experience with wonderful coaches, teammates, university support and faithful Sun Devil fans. Betsy Boardman ASU Women's Basketball ( ) My experience at ASU was a dream come true (minus the two ACL tears). The program was and is history in the making. Academically and athletically ASU was everything I had imagined and more. The professors were extremely supportive and accepting of the time commitment we had to invest in our sport, however they held us accountable, as well as our coaches, for getting the grades to allow us to enjoy our experience to the fullest. A few of my favorite ASU memories... Winning the 2002 Pac-10 Tournament in my home state (Oregon) Playing in the outdoor game against Tennessee in Bank One Ballpark Team activity: When we took Charli to Nordstrom and assisted as personal shoppers Being the recipient of the Golden Heart Achievement Award Scoring over 1,000 pts Jill Noe & I being tour guides for Fox Sport AZ on Mill Avenue Aubree Johnson ASU Women's Basketball ( ) Playing basketball at ASU was an experience of a lifetime. Charli, Meg, Joseph, and Laura not only helped me become a better basketball player, but they also helped me grow and mature as a person and a leader. I was incredibly fortunate to play with my best friends who I had grown up playing basketball with, Emily Westerberg and Reagan Pariseau, and I never could have imagined all the amazing young women I had the pleasure of playing with and forming lasting friendships. Beating Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA tournament after overcoming a large first-half deficit my sophomore year to send us back home to play in the Sweet Sixteen was a game I'll never forget. My senior year we had the best season ever at ASU, which eventually led us to the Elite Eight, and it was everything you imagine when you dream of playing in the NCAA Tournament growing up. I have so many great memories from games and simply spending time with my teammates and coaches, and I realized more and more now that my career is done how blessed I was to be a part of such an amazing program. Most importantly, my senior year was easily the most difficult year of my life, but my ASU family (my coaches, teammates and the rest of the athletic community at ASU) encouraged, supported, and loved me each step of the way. I will truly cherish all the great times I had at ASU, and I look forward to making many more memories with the wonderful people I met and have the privilege of calling my friends. Jill Noe ASU Women's Basketball ( ) For the last 6 years of my life, ASU was my home. The people I met there were not just my coaches and teammates, but rather ended up being my family and best friends! I will forever hold each of them near to my heart and cherish the memories and unforgettable moments we created along the way. My college experience was one of the best times of my life, and I say that honestly, knowing fully well of the obstacles I had to overcome. It was because of these people and the experiences that I had that helped me become who I am today. I am so grateful to be able to call my self a "Sun Devil"!!! 26

27 Sun Devil Experience As they can attest, The Sun Devil Experience creates memories and friendships that last a lifetime. Sybil dosty ASU Women's Basketball ( ) The three years I spent at ASU were filled with a lot of growth, learning experiences and fun. The coaches and the entire staff involved with the women's basketball program exemplify what it means to work hard, get the job done right and treat people well. The coaching staff pushed me every day to not only become the best basketball player I could be, but also to become the best person I could be. Through the many different experiences I was able to take part in at ASU such as traveling out of the country, volunteering in the community, earning my degree and playing with great teammates from different walks of life I left the program a much more intelligent and well-rounded person. I am proud to say that I will forever be a part of the Sun Devil family media Guide 27

28 Sports Performance Under the direction of Sports Performance Associate Head Coach Rich Wenner, the Sun Devil women s basketball program benefits from a year-round program designed to help the players reach their peak physical performance. The Sun Devils have the opportunity to train in one of the finest weight facilities in the country in the Lawrence Strength Center in the Carson Student-Athlete Center. In fact, the 16,000-square-foot facility, which is open to all of Arizona State s student-athletes, was previously featured by Sports Illustrated in an article titled Ultimate Facilities. In addition, there is also a weight room located inside Wells Fargo Arena that ASU s women s basketball players also use throughout the year. The Lawrence Strength Center is equipped with 24 multipurpose units manufactured by Powerlift. Each station features a nine-foot power rack, an adjustable 0-90 degree multi-purpose bench and a 6-by 8-foot platform with a 6-foot extension to support the power rack. Each unit also includes 660 pounds of Olympic standard plates and 440 pounds of Olympic bumper plates, as well as Olympic and Powerlift bars. The stations also come with technique training boxes that can be used for exercise technique development and plyometric exercises. The facility also includes a full line of 35 pieces of hammer strength, 12 resistance machines and 100 pairs of dumbbells ranging from 5 to 125 pounds. The weight room features a nutrition area as well as a testing-only area that can be used to set team and personal records. The facility also has a 40-yard warm-up track which can be used for plyometric training and agility drills. Rich Wenner Associate Head Coach, Sports Performance Rich Wenner, a 1986 ASU alumnus with a bachelor of science in Physical Education, has been a sports performance coach for more than two decades at ASU. After serving as an assistant strength and conditioning coach from , he was the head strength coach (Olympic Sports) from 2000 until 2003 when he took the title of Associate Head Sports Performance Coach in Wenner has received many awards, as he was named Pac-10 Strength Coach of the Year in In 2005, the National Strength and Conditioning Association named Wenner as an Elite Strength and Conditioning Coach through its Coach Practitioner Program, a list of only 32 from across the country and the world. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist through NSCA and also a Certified Sports Performance Coach through USA Weightlifting. Wenner has authored a half dozen strength training articles and was a guest speaker at the 1988 NSCA National Conference. A 13-time national power lifting champion, Wenner was the 1986 junior world power lifting champion and a bronze medalist in the 2004 master s bench press world championship. He has a established 15 national power lifting records and including his 1986 Collegiate National power lifting record which stood for 18 years. During his two-plus decades at ASU, Wenner has worked with four NCAA Championship teams, 13 individual NCAA Champions, 19 Pac-10 team champions, 11 Pac-10 individual champions and All-Pac-10 first team selections and 158 All-Americans. Some of these teams include the 1997 Rose Bowl team, the 1988 and 1998 College Baseball World Series Championship game teams and the NCAA men and women s basketball Sweet Sixteen teams. Wenner has been married to wife Pauley for 17 years. He is currently working on his master s degree in Health and Wellness. 28

29 Sports Medicine Under the direction of Head Athletic Trainer Bill Martin, Arizona State s Sports Medicine Department strives to provide student-athletes with the best medical health care possible throughout their careers. ASU s sports medicine department is dedicated to the care, prevention and rehabilitation of injuries. Located on the lower level of the Carson Student-Athlete Center in a newly renovated, state-of-the-art training room, the sports medicine department is staffed by eight full-time athletic trainers, and 11 graduate assistants. All of ASU s athletic trainers are certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association. In addition to the main athletic training room in the Carson Center, the sports medicine department operates six other training rooms throughout all of ASU s athletic facilities to accommodate its studentathletes schedules and needs. Arizona State employs two full-time and three part-time team physicians who all work closely with Martin and his staff. A newly remodeled physician s office is located across the hall from the training room to provide ASU s student-athletes with the best possible medical care without having to leave the facility or wait for providers. The ASU Sports Medicine Department is also home to an accredited primary care sports medicine fellowship that provides exceptional graduate medical education to team physicians in training. In addition, the sports medicine department relies on a group of 40 doctors on its Sports Medicine Advisory Team. That team features doctors who specialize in areas Amy Jo Overlin Team Physician Dr. Amy Jo Overlin is the team physician for ASU women's basketball. A Waukesha Wisc., native, Overlin came to ASU after she graduated medical school from Indiana University and completed a family medicine residency at Waukesha Family Medicine Center. After residency she spent the next year completing the sports medicine fellowship at Arizona State. Dr. Overlin graduated from Ball State University with a BS in Exercise Science with a pre-med emphasis while being a scholarship athlete for the BSU gymnastics team. such as orthopedics, optometry and internal medicine and act as consultants to the sports medicine department to provide firstclass care in any medical situation studentathletes may encounter. From the time that a student-athlete begins her career at ASU, the sports medicine department is actively involved in ensuring her success on the playing field. That process begins with a thorough physical exam prior to her participation in any activity. The sports medicine staff spends five to six hours on that initial exam in order to be proactive in any health or medical issues student-athletes have when they arrive. A major emphasis of the sports medicine Diana Padilla Athletic Trainer Diana Padilla was named assistant athletic trainer in July 2008 after serving in a similar capacity for three years at Oregon State. Padilla was hired as a full-time assistant athletic trainer at OSU in June of She first joined the OSU athletic training staff in 2003, as a graduate assistant while pursuing her master's degree in exercise and sport science. In between her two stints at OSU, Padilla also served as an assistant athletic trainer at the University of New Mexico where she worked with the women s basketball and football teams. Padilla got her start in athletic training at New Mexico, where she served as a student athletic trainer from Padilla has her bachelor s degree in athletic training from New Mexico and her master s degree in exercise and sports science from Oregon State. Padilla, who is an EMT and Registered Orthopedic Technician, has also worked for the staff which provides medical coverage for ESPN's Winter, Summer and International X games events. department is on the prevention of injuries, such as taping, protective equipment, preventive exercises, flexibility training and other activities that can help keep student-athletes healthy. Preventive measures are constantly being studied by ASU s sports medicine department using a computerized injury reporting system. That system compares Arizona State s injury information with other Pac-10 Conference and NCAA institutions and enables the sports medicine department to share and gather information on injury prevention and care with other departments in order to provide ASU s student-athletes with the best care possible. Karla Wright Nutritionist As a member of the sports medicine staff, Karla Wright provides a nutrition program that supports the goals of the ASU women s basketball team as a whole in addition to tailoring plans suited for individual dietary needs. Players can get assistance by making one-on-one appointments. The diet of an individual student-athlete is analyzed and specific recommendations are made based on each individual s goals. A graduate of Arizona State, Wright is a registered dietitian, is trained in sports nutrition and is certified by NCSA as a certified strength and conditioning specialist media Guide 29

30 Devils at Work 30

31 Devils at Work media Guide 31

32 Women s Basketball in the Community When players step into the women s basketball locker room at ASU, they are immediately met with a list of the program s priorities. At the top of the list are three simple words: Be a giver. From day one, when our kids get to the program, they know they have not only given themselves over to this team to be successful and win championships, says ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne. They know they are giving of themselves to this community. ASU s primary outreach comes in schools and classrooms across the Valley. To help spread positive messages, the team even has Be a Giver developed its own program, called Star POWER, which focuses on pride, self-image and healthy choices. Besides working at the crisis nursery, the diabetes walk or all other sorts of things, we schedule ourselves out, she says. We do it because we feel it is part of our mission. We have an opportunity for people to listen to us, and we should take advantage of that. In 2007 the team was honored for all it has given back to the community when it was named one of seven recipients of the Pat Tillman Community Leadership Award. In September 2007 the Sun Devils were honored for all the work they do in the community in being named one of seven recipients of the Pat Tillman Community Leadership Award. Race for the Cure, speaking to local elementary schools and Pat's Run are among the many community service projects the ASU women's basketball team is involved in throughout the year. 32

33 Women s Basketball in the Community In December 2007 Danielle Orsillo was featured in Sports Illustrated for her outstanding involvement in the community. This past October ASU women's basketball hosted the FITBONES Hot Shot Team Challenge. For the last six years the event has helped raise money for the Arizona Osteoporosis Coalition. In addition to hosting a youth clinic last year, the Sun Devils also volunteered their time at the local Boys and Girls Club. Each of the last three seasons the ASU women's basketball team has hosted "Sparky's Kids to College Field Trip Day" in which it invited more than 5,000 fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade kids from around the Valley to one of its home games. The purpose of the event is to give grade-school kids their first "college experience." This season's "Sparky's Kids to College Field Trip Day" will take place on December 9, 2009 when the Sun Devils host North Dakota media Guide 33

34 Character Education Sun Devils teach students the importance of character The ASU Women s Basketball team is committed to helping students learn how to demonstrate great character in sports and in life. Throughout the year, the Sun Devils visit students, ages 8 to 12, around the Valley and introduce them to a game created by the team s life coach Carlette Patterson. The Character Code game is a role-play game that challenges students to understand what it means to have character, and how character is demonstrated at home, school and with friends. Students who win the game and demonstrate great character, earn tickets to ASU women s basketball games, along with other character prizes. There are 32 character codes. While the ASU Women s Basketball team is committed to practicing all of them, each player has picked one character code and shared what it means to them. Kali Bennett HUMOR The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. Kimberly Brandon RESPONSIBILITY Do what you need to do, so you can do what you want to do. Joy Burke EXCELLENCE Excellence is not an act but a habit. Alex Earl LEADERSHIP Leadership is having the ability to inspire others. Gabby Fage TEAM PLAYER Being a great team player is all about putting your teammate s wants and needs above and beyond your own. Janae Fulcher COMMITMENT When you re committed to something you accept no excuses only results. Deja Mann CONFIDENCE Confidence is knowing that you are well prepared to do what you know you can do. Sabrina McKinney PATIENCE When you have patience, you can accomplish anything. 34

35 Character Education Kayli Murphy GRATITUDE Wake up every morning thankful for a new day, don t take anything for granted. Danielle Orsillo INFLUENCE With great influence comes great responsibility. Haley Parsons DETERMINATION Focus on your goals and do whatever it takes to reach them. Markisha Patterson PERSEVERANCE Finish what you start no matter how hard it gets or how long it takes. Dymond Simon VISION Having a vision is the key to success. Becca Tobin DISCIPLINE Discipline is the bridge between dreams and accomplishments. Tenaya Watson RESPECT Respect commands itself and it can neither be given nor withheld when it is due media Guide 35

36 In the Spotlight As part of one of the nation's elite programs, Sun Devil student-athletes are frequently visited by members of the local and national media, including Fox Sports Net, ESPN and Sports Illustrated. ASU has become a regular visitor on national television. 36

37 Making History Under the Stars On December 18, 2006, Arizona State and Texas Tech squared off in the second ever outdoor women s college basketball game at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix. Billed as the Hoops for Health Classic, the game not only showcased women s basketball at the highest level, it also was used as a vehicle to promote health awareness by giving fans the opportunity to participate in a Health Expo prior to the game. The original Hoops for the Cure Classic game in 2000 was a huge success and fundraiser for Breast Cancer research, treatment and education in our greater Phoenix community, said ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne. This time we wanted to focus on helping families make healthy choices by connecting with local health agencies to create awareness and provide educational information to the community. Danielle Orsillo had a game-high 16 points and the Sun Devils went on to earn a win over the Lady Raiders. (Upper Left) On December 27, 2000, Arizona State and Tennessee played in the first ever outdoor college basketball game (Hoops for the Cure Classic) in which Tennessee prevailed Six years later (right) the Sun Devils returned to Chase Field to take on Texas Tech in the Hoops for Health Classic. The event featured a pre-game health expo in which several agencies from the area came out to educate people about the importance of making healthy choices. ASU would go on to defeat the Lady Raiders ESPN s Dick Vitale was one of 16,782 people in attendance at the history-making game in Amanda Levens led the Sun Devils with 21 points in their near-upset of secondranked Tennessee in (Left) The Phoenix Fire Department was one of several local agencies that came out to participate in the health expo that was held prior to last year's game. (Right) Danielle Orsillo led the Sun Devils with 16 points in helping ASU hold off Texas Tech media Guide 37

38 On The Road Again This season the Sun Devils will travel to Hawaii for the 2009 Rainbow Wahine Classic. Arizona State women s basketball travels from coast to coast during the regular season. From its Pac-10 rivals situated up and down the West Coast, to non-conference opponents in cities as far away as Miami, the Sun Devils have logged thousands of "frequent flier miles" and keep adding to that total every year. ASU has traveled to Australia twice under head coach Charli Turner Thorne, going Down Under in 1999 and again in In 2007 the Sun Devils played four games during a 10-day trip to Italy in which they got to spend quality time in Lake Como, Florence, Pisa, Rimini, Padova, Venice and Verona. In and again in 2006, the Sun Devils left the contiguous United States when they traveled to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam. In 2003, the team went to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island for the 2003 Junkanoo Jam. In 2008 the Sun Devils returned to the The Bahamas for the 2008 Junkanoo Jam. ASU has also played in the San Juan (Puerto Rico) Shootout and the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, during Turner Thorne s tenure at Arizona State. In 2005 and again in 2007 the Sun Devils packed their bags for Cancun, Mexico to compete in the Caribbean Challenge. ASU will once again travel to Hawaii in 2009 where it will face Hawaii and East Tennessee State in the Rainbow Wahine Classic. Past travel destinations for ASU women's basketball have included Cancun, Mexico; the Bahamas; Australia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. ARIZONA Coolidge (Central Arizona College) Flagstaff (Northern Arizona) Phoenix (Grand Canyon University) Tucson (Arizona) CALIFORNIA Berkeley (Cal) Fresno (NCAA Tournament, Fresno State) Fullerton (Cal-State Fullerton) Irvine (UC Irvine) La Mirada (Biola) Long Beach (Long Beach State) Los Angeles (USC, UCLA, Loyola Marymount) Palo Alto (Stanford) Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) Malibu (Pepperdine) Sacramento (UC Davis) San Diego (San Diego State, San Diego) San Jose (Pac-10 Tournament, San Jose State) San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO) Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara) COLORADO Alamosa (Adams State) Boulder (Colorado) Denver (Denver) Durango (Fort Lewis) Fort Collins (Colorado State) Greeley (Northern Colorado) CONNECTICUT Hartford (Connecticut) FLORIDA Miami (Florida International Tourney) GEORGIA Athens (Georgia) Duluth (2009 NCAA First and Second Rounds. GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND Freeport (Junkanoo Jam) HAWAII Honolulu (Wahine Classic) ILLINOIS Chicago (Chicago State, DePaul) DeKalb (Northern Illinois) Edwardsville (Southern Illinois) Normal (Illinois State) INDIANA Bloomington (Indiana) West Lafayette (NCAA Tournament) IOWA Ames (Iowa State) Des Moines (Drake) KANSAS Lawrence (Kansas) LOUISIANA Baton Rouge (WSF Classic) New Orleans (Tulane) Ruston (Louisiana Tech) MARYLAND College Park (2008 NCAA Tournament) MASSACHUSETTS Worcester (Holy Cross) MEXICO Cancun (Caribbean Classic) MICHIGAN Mt. Pleasant (Central Michigan) MONTANA Bozeman (Montana) NEBRASKA Lincoln (Nebraska) Omaha (Nebraska-Omaha) NEVADA Las Vegas (UNLV) NEW JERSEY Jersey City (St. Peters) New Brunswick (Rutgers) Trenton (2009 NCAA Regional) NEW MEXICO Albuquerque (New Mexico) Las Cruces (New Mexico State) NEW YORK Jamaica (Reverend Joseph T. Cahill Invitational) NORTH CAROLINA Chapel Hill (North Carolina) Greensboro (2007 NCAA Regional) Winston-Salem (Wake Forest) OHIO Akron (Akron) Kent (Kent State) OKLAHOMA Norman (University of Oklahoma) Tulsa (Tulsa, Oral Roberts) OREGON Corvallis (Oregon State) Eugene (Oregon) PUERTO RICO San Juan (San Juan Shootout) TENNESSEE Nashville (NCAA Tournament) TEXAS Amarillo (NIT) Austin (Texas) Baylor (WNIT) College Station (Texas A&M) Dallas (SMU) El Paso (UTEP) Lubbock (Texas Tech) San Antonio (UT-San Antonio) UTAH Logan (Utah State) Ogden (Weber State) Provo (BYU) Salt Lake City (Utah) VIRGIN ISLANDS St. Thomas (Paradise Jam) VIRGINIA Richmond (Richmond) WASHINGTON Pullman (Washington State) Seattle (Washington) Spokane (Gonzaga) WYOMING Laramie (Wyoming) 38

39 On The Road Again Exiting team charter in Greensboro, N.C., for the 2007 NCAA Regional, where the Sun Devils would eventually qualify for the Elite Eight. Sun Devils Kirsten Thompson, Kate Engelbrecht and Nia Fanaika walking on the beach in Cancun, Mexico during their freshman season in Dining in Italy. Group photo in The Bahamas. Clockwise: Nia Fanaika, Sybil Dosty and Dymond Simon on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during ASU's trip to College Park, Md., in Team huddle prior to contest in Cancun in media Guide 39

40 ASU Women s Basketball in Italy I thought we got a great opportunity to connect with each other and grow relationships through some of our favorite activities besides basketball. In May 2007, the Arizona State women s basketball team traveled to Italy for a four-game tour around the country. The 10-day trip included stops in Lake Como, Florence, Pisa, Rimini, Padova, Venice and Verona. From a basketball standpoint the trip was an important first step in preparing for the season. Away from the court, the team seized the chance to learn about the culture of another country in addition to taking part in several team-building activities. I thought we got a great opportunity to connect with each other and grow relationships through some of our favorite activities besides basketball, said Charli Turner Thorne. From a basketball standpoint, we came away realizing that talent is never enough. We all need to keep working hard to get better." 40

41 ASU Women s Basketball in Italy media Guide 41

42 Where Are They Now? Former ASU women s basketball players are continuing to make an impact by coaching basketball, playing professionally both overseas and domestically pursuing professional careers and raising families. Here s what some of the former Sun Devils and their coaches are up to: Jennifer (Albert) Morgan 04 Graduated from the University of Oklahoma School of Law and is currently a practicing attorney in Oklahoma City, Okla. Married to Porter Heath Morgan the IV. Monique Ambers 93 Assistant coach for the WNBA s Sacramento Monarchs. Former assistant coach at George Washington University; Played for the WNBA s Phoenix Mercury. Played for Club Appolon MGS in Kalamarias, Greece and PCR Messina in Italy. Ryneldi Becenti 93 Played for the WNBA s Phoenix Mercury in Played for Club Iraklis in Iraklis, Greece in Inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame and the Arizona State Sports Hall of Fame. Melissa Boyle 97 Employed by the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation; she is currently the Recreation Coordinator II supervising after school and summer programs. Carrie Buckner '06 Currently enrolled in the Physician's Assistant Masters Program at the Arizona School of Health Sciences. Michelle Cherry 92 In her second season as head coach of Stony Brook. Former assistant coach for the WNBA s Sacramento Monarchs. Former assistant coach for the ABL s Long Beach Sting Rays and Cal State Northridge. Francine (Ciak) Schmid 90 Human resources coordinator at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Germany. Taught German at Arizona State. Has a daughter, Sarina (4). Crystal (Cobb) Alix 94 Former assistant coach, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College. Leah Combs 02 Played two seasons of professional basketball in Norway and Germany. She graduated from ASU s MBA program in May of She is currently the athletic business manager at Drake University in Iowa. Robin (Connolly) Butler 86 Formerly a physical education teacher in Tucson, Ariz. Has since relocated to Utah. Linda Coats 78 Teacher in the Glendale Elementary School District for over 20 years Teacher of the Year. Selected by the New York Liberty in the first round (fourth overall) of the WNBA Elite Draft in February, 1997, Kym Hampton was a two-time All-American at ASU. Rainy Crisp 03 P.E. and Health teacher and girls basketball coach in Shiprock, N.M. Has a son, Dontrelle Denesto, born on May 19, Carolyn DeHoff 90 Former assistant coach at Weber State. Former assistant coach, University of Wyoming. Current assistant coach at Utah. Amy Denson '06 In her second season playing professional basketball. Currently playing with the Puerto Rico Morozis Montaneras. Jill Eisenhut 80 Director of Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort. Received Manager of the Quarter and Manager of the Year awards. Melanie (Francis) Kirk 94 Teaches sixth grade at Franklin North East Elementary in Mesa, Ariz. Has a daughter, Kiley Jo, and a son, Kaden Michael. Received her master s degree in education leadership from Northern Arizona. Julie Gledhill 98 Customs officer in Canberra, Australia. Was the Sun Devils No. 1 fan during their trip to Sydney, Australia, in May Shannon (Gridley) Veach 92 Full-time mother of four children. Served as assistant coach, Seton Catholic High School (Chandler, Ariz.). Ryneldi Becenti played for the Phoenix Mercury in 1997, the team s inaugural season. Already a member of the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame, she was inducted into the ASU Hall of Fame in Kim Hackbarth 90 Works as an engineer and paramedic for the Mesa Fire Department. Earned her master s degree in Justice Studies. Peggy Hall 84 Director of Pastoral Services at Immanuel Health Systems. Has one daughter, Rachel Wren Hall. Assistant coach at ASU in Kym Hampton 84 Former member of WNBA s New York Liberty. Self-employed and doing free-lance work, plus-size modeling, music and speaking engagements, coaching and mother. A member of the ASU Sports Hall of Fame. Rachel Holt 00 Program director at the Northwest YMCA in Tucson, Ariz. Frozena Jerro 93 Assistant coach at UNLV. Former head coach at Cal State Northridge. Guided the Matadors to their first ever Division I NCAA Tournament appearance in Aubree (Chesnut) Johnson 07 Married over the summer and serving as an assistant coach at Seattle Pacific University. Kathy Johnson 82 Police officer in the City of Phoenix. Melody Johnson 02 Former Athletics Fundraising Specialist for the Varsity Gold in Los Angeles, now works as a high school math teacher in the L.A. area. Stacey Johnson ( ) Formerly on the support staff of the WNBA s Houston Comets. Former assistant coach at the University of Houston. Lisa Jones 91 Community Education Specialist; Captain/paramedic with the City of Phoenix Fire Department. WNBA and Pac-10, Big 12, WAC, MWC, Conf-USA, Big Sky referee. Stephanie King 89 Director of risk analysis for Weidlinger Associates. Has three children. Tiffany Krahenbuhl 95 Recreation specialist for the City of Mesa. Amanda Levens 02 Head coach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Kylan (Loney) Lottich 04 Former head coach at Gallaudet University. Was married in the summer of Rameeka Lowe 04 Earned her master's in education counseling with emphasis in human relations. Working for AP Financial Corporation as a Consultant. She is the head coach of Arizona Desert Lightning youth basketball team. Ramona Lomeli 87 Assistant director of human resources for the Tolleson School District. 42

43 A two-time Academic All-American and Pac-10 All-Academic honoree, Fran Ciak now works in human resources at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Germany. Tamika Matlock 94 Direct care supervisor at the Calumet (Mich.) Juvenile Detention Center. Margaret McKeon (assistant coach ) Head coach at New Jersey Institute of Technology. Former head coach at Boston University. Former assistant coach at George Washington University. Rosiland Moore 90 Self-employed, Moore System Works; also runs a basketball camp at the Valley Christian Center in Phoenix for children in the Matthew Hensen Public Housing Community. Naomi (Neswood) Evanishyn 86 Environmental health specialist in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian community; is also a certified basketball and volleyball official in the state of Arizona. Has two daughters. Jill Noe '06, '08 Currently playing professionally overseas. Karen (O Connor) Self 91 Head coach and teacher, Seton Catholic High School (Chandler, Ariz.). Former athletics director at Seton Catholic. Has a daughter, Rachel and gave birth to triplets in March of 2002 (a boy and two girls). Stephanie (Osburn) Norman 88 Assistant coach, University of Louisville. Former assistant coach, Vanderbilt, Oregon and Oregon State. Former teacher and assistant athletics director at Marist High School in Eugene, Ore. Kim Papscun 90 Regional director, Apartment Life Developers. Former coach at Fort Lewis College. Taught for two years in Budapest, Hungary. Reagan Pariseau '08 Living in Scottsdale, Ariz., and working as an Associate Territory Manager for Nautilus, Inc. Jeanne (Pence) Osborn 70 Retired in June 1999 after spending 29 years as a physical education teacher at Maryvale High School in Phoenix. Patty (Peppler) Kimball 87 Full-time mother of two, Kyle and Kelly, in Oshkosh, Wis. Serves as a volunteer coach at her high school. Where Are They Now? The first two-time first-team Academic All-Pac-10 selection in school history, Leah Combs is currently the athletic business manager at Drake University in Iowa. Sherry (Poole) Watts 87 Selfemployed marketing consultant in San Diego, Calif. Libby (Ripp) Forte 87 Activities director for Family Sports Center Western Reserve in Phoenix. Lisa (Salsman) Zachary 93 Fulltime mother of three. Shannon Slayton 96 Business developer at ACSUP, Inc. in Virginia. Barbara Smith 85 Century 21 realtor in Gilbert, Ariz. Shawn (Smith) Clemens 82 Fulltime mother of two in Rochester Hills, Mich. Spring (Steed) Spaid 98 Chemical and project support buyer for Aerojet Strategic Propulsion in Rancho Cordova, Calif. Recently had a baby. Molly Tuter 97 Former head coach at UC Irvine after serving as an assistant for 4 years. Earned her master s degree and served as an assistant coach at UCLA. Played for the WNBA s Phoenix Mercury. Played for Club Amicale Steinsel in Luxembourg in Anna (Van) Battle 85 Principal at Desert Vista High School. In her last semester of ASU's Delta Doctoral program. She has four sons with her husband Greg, a former ASU football player. Kisha (White) Spellman 99 Owns and operates a charter school (K-8). Jessica Wiley 84 Vice president of human resources at Bank of America in Irving, Texas. Emma Witkowski 96 Played professionally in Denmark. Rhonda (Woolery) Roberton 88 Director at Shamrock Foods. Has two children. Joana Ziuraitis 96 Program fitness coordinator at ASU s Student Recreation Center. Former graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at ASU. Earned her master s degree in exercise science and her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, exercise and wellness (both at ASU). Cathy (Pontius) Wiggins 79 Teacher and volleyball coach at Coronado High School in Scottsdale. Several former Sun Devils come out for ASU's alumni weekend. A member of three NCAA Tournament teams at ASU, former Sun Devil Jill Noe is now playing professionally overseas media Guide 43

44 Sun Devil Hoops Programs/2010 NCAAs Charli Turner Thorne Summer Camps Summer vacation means the ultimate in basketball fun for hundreds of Arizona school children. Young basketball enthusiasts can now spend their summer learning from Sun Devil basketball coaches and players. For these kids, there is no better way to enjoy their vacation than to shoot some hoops on the Arizona State campus. The Charli Turner Thorne Girls Basketball Camps specialize in instruction for all levels of basketball players and are conducted by the ASU head coach and her assistants. This year s instruction will offer an elite camp, a day camp and a team camp. Elite Camp is geared towards developing advanced skills specific to each player s position. It will provide players with solid skills that will help them become the best that they can be. Team Camp will offer the opportunity to work on team chemistry and individual skills in game situations. Teams will play three games per day, have one to two clinics per day, participate in situation games and have various competitions throughout the week. Day Camp is geared toward young and enthusiastic players who are interested in instruction in basketball fundamentals and in improving already developed skills. The goal of these camps is to make every participant a better basketball player through instruction in fundamentals and participation in contests and games. The Arizona State staff wants to provide a chance for participants to have fun and allow campers to enjoy a memorable week at camp. Players will receive the best basketball instruction from qualified coaches, covering individual skills, team drills, offensive and defensive skills, fundamentals and techniques. The camps will include offensive and defensive drills, and one-on-one and threeon-three contests. Rebounding, screening, ballhandling, passing, individual defense and free throw shooting will all be covered thoroughly during the week. For more information on 2010 camp dates, call (480) Charli s Angels is a donor group formed to create greater awareness of ASU Women s Basketball, one of the premier women s basketball programs in the country. Specifically, we must increase our fan and donor base to position ourselves to achieve an NCAA Championship! As a member of Charli s Angels you will have the opportunity to attend several receptions held exclusively for Charli s Angels members. Additionally, you will automatically become a member of the Sun Devil Club. Charli s Angels Your support of ASU Women s Basketball through Charli s Angels will ultimately give us the winning edge to be the best Women s Basketball program in the country. To join Charli s Angels, a membership form is available online at and can be sent to the ASU Women's Basketball, Attn: Charli's Angels, P.O. Box , Tempe, AZ For questions, please call Christina Wombacher in the ASU Women s Basketball Office at The Road to the 2010 Women's Final Four Begins in Tempe March 20 and 22, 2010! First and second rounds: Tickets are $35 each for adults and $20 each for juniors (ages 18 and younger) and ASU students and are for one session Saturday and one session Monday, a total of three games. For information on ordering tickets, contact 480/