Nov. 10, 2004
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
BIG TEN OPENS 23RD SEASON OF CONFERENCE PLAY
This year marks the 23rd season of Big Ten Women's Basketball. Women's athletics were officially incorporated into the Big Ten in 1981-82, with basketball beginning in 1982-83. Since its official inception, Big Ten Women's Basketball has become one of the elite conferences in the nation. Last season, the Big Ten produced its fourth Final Four representative (Minnesota) in six years and captured 11 wins in the 2004 NCAA Championship, marking the League's all-time best win total in the Tournament.
A BRIEF LOOK AT WHO RETURNS
Six League teams return four or more starters, while nine schools welcome back at least three. Of the League's 55 starters from last year, 39 (71 percent) return for the 2004-05 campaign. In addition 83 letterwinners return as well. The following is a closer look at the breakdown of each Conference school:
Team ... Starters ... Letterwinners
Illinois ... 4 ... 9
Indiana ... 5 ... 12
Iowa ... 3 ... 7
Michigan ... 2 ... 3
Michigan State ... 5 ... 8
Minnesota ... 3 ... 8
Northwestern ... 5 ... 7
Ohio State ... 4 ... 9
Penn State ... 3 ... 7
Purdue ... 1 ... 7
Wisconsin ... 4 ... 6
Total ... 39 ... 83
A CLOSER LOOK AT WHO RETURNS...
The Big Ten welcomes back nine members of the 2003-04 All-Big Ten team, including First Team selections Tanisha Wright of Penn State, who is the Conference's two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and Minnesota's Janel McCarville. Returning from the Second Team are Ohio State's Caity Matter, Indiana's Jenny DeMuth and Michigan State's Lindsay Bowen. Third Team honorees from a year ago include Illinois' Angelina Williams, Iowa's Jamie Cavey, Michigan State's Liz Shimek and Jess Strom of Penn State.
Also returning to the Big Ten this season are seven Honorable Mention selections and Katie Gearlds of Purdue and Ohio State's Jessica Davenport, who split Conference Freshman of the Year honors last season by the coaches and media, respectively.
Here is a brief look at some of the League's top returnees:
Tanisha Wright, SR, PSU, G
1st-Coaches, 1st-Media
2003-04 Statistics: 14.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.7 spg
Last season, Wright became the only player in Conference history to capture two Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors, as she successfully repeated as the League honoree. The 5-11 senior guard averaged 14.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game last year and was tabbed honorable mention All-America by the Associated Press for the second straight year.
Janel McCarville, SR, MINN, C
1st-Coaches, 2nd-Media
2003-04 Statistics: 16.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.9 spg
McCarville played a major role in the Golden Gophers' first ever trip to the Final Four last season. The 6-2 senior forward averaged 16.1 points and 10.8 rebounds last year and earned several postseason awards including a spot on the All-Final Four Team. Heading into her final season at Minnesota, McCarville boasts career marks of 1,323 points and 879 rebounds, which puts her in position to become just the fourth player in school history to hit the 1,000 plateau in both categories.
Caity Matter, SR, OSU, G
2nd-Coaches, 2nd-Media
2003-04 Statistics: 14.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.2 spg
Matter was the Buckeyes' leading scorer in 2003-04 with 14.8 points per game. Matter broke the single-game Ohio State record when she sank eight three-pointers vs. IUPUI and eclipsed the 1,000-point mark last year as well. The senior guard's 73 treys last season were the most ever by an Ohio State junior. Matter also averaged 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game and shot a team-best from the free-throw line with a .772 (71-of-92) stroke.
Jenny DeMuth, SR, IND, G/F
3rd-Coaches, 2nd-Media
2003-04 Statistics: 18.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.5 spg
DeMuth will miss the entire 2004-05 season due to a torn ACL in her left knee. She ranked fifth in the Big Ten with 18.3 points per game and fifth in the Conference with 7.7 rebounds per game. She was the only Big Ten player to rank in the top five in the Conference in both categories. In addition, she ranked fifth in the Big Ten in steals with 2.5 per game. DeMuth's 18.3 points per game average stands as the fifth-highest per-game average in Indiana history and the highest average for a Hoosier since 1988.
Jess Strom, SR, PSU, G
3rd-Coaches, 3rd-Media
2003-04 Statistics: 10.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 5.4 apg, 2.9 spg
Strom ranked second in assists and steals in the Big Ten last year. She ranks fifth all-time in the League with 641 assists and is within striking distance of the top career mark (892). Strom, who was also named to the 2004 Big Ten All-Tournament Team, was named Third Team All-Big Ten (media) and Honorable Mention (coaches) her sophomore year and was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention pick her freshman season.
Jessica Davenport, SO, OSU, C
Freshman of the Year-Media
2003-04 Statistics: 12.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.6 spg
Davenport set the Ohio State record for blocks in a season with 80 rejections and was the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder with 12.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. The Buckeye sophomore was also the Big Ten's best shooter with a .625 (150-of-240) average from the field during her freshman season.
Katie Gearlds, SO, PUR, G
Freshman of the Year-Coaches
2003-04 Statistics: 10.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.2 spg
Gearlds helped the Boilermakers off the bench last season with 10.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The 6-1 guard returns as the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, as selected by the Conference coaches. She was the third Purdue player to receive the honor and the first since 1994.
PENN STATE FOCUSED ON THIRD STRAIGHT LEAGUE TITLE
Penn State will vie for its third-straight Big Ten regular season title this season and its sixth overall since joining the Conference in 1992-93. This season's team returns seven players from last year's squad that went 28-6 (15-1, Big Ten) and advanced to the East Regional Final before falling to eventual NCAA champion UConn. Leading the way for the Lady Lions will be 2003-04 All-Big Ten guards Jess Strom and Tanisha Wright. Strom ranked second in the Conference in both assists (5.41 apg) and steals (2.88 spg) last year, while Wright was an Honorable Mention AP All-American and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season.
BOILERMAKERS LOOKING FOR THREE-PEAT AS WELL
Penn State will not be the only team looking for a three-peat in 2004-05. The Purdue Boilermakers have captured the Big Ten Tournament Championship the past two seasons and will look for their second three-peat, March 3-7, at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Purdue won three consecutive Conference tournaments from 1998-2000.
WELCOMING A WILDCAT
A new era for the Northwestern women's basketball program began April 13, 2004, as Beth Combs was hired as the fifth mentor in the school's history. Combs, who comes to Evanston after a three-year stint at Colgate, is no stranger to Big Ten basketball as she played at Illinois before graduating in 1992.
In just her third year at Colgate, Combs led the Raiders to their first Patriot League championship and their first NCAA Tournament berth. Colgate finished 21-10, which included 10 wins in the Patriot League. For the second time in three years, Combs was named the conference's Coach of the Year. She concluded her Colgate career with a 44-45 overall record.
The Raiders, which fell 77-54 to national finalist Tennessee in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, led all women's basketball programs in last year's NCAA field with a 100 percent graduation rate.
Prior to Colgate, Combs was an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois from 1996-98, after serving as a graduate assistant in Charleston from 1995-96.
CONFERENCE COACHING LANDSCAPE FRESHENS UP
The 2004-05 season marks the silver anniversary for Rene Portland as head coach at Penn State, while Illinois' Theresa Grentz enters her 10th season with the Illini. The landscape of League mentors has taken on a fairly fresh look in the past couple of years, however, as nine of the 11 Conference coaches have spent six years or less at their respective schools. Five coaches have spent less than three years on their respective Big Ten campuses.
YEARS FOR COACHES ON CONFERENCE CAMPUSES
25 Rene Portland, PSU
10 Theresa Grentz, ILL
6 Kristy Curry, PUR
5 Kathi Bennett, IND
5 Lisa Bluder, IOWA
5 Joanne P. McCallie, MSU
3 Pam Borton, MINN
3 Jim Foster, OSU
2 Cheryl Burnett, MICH
2 Lisa Stone, WIS
1 Beth Combs, NU
STARTING THE SEASON OFF RIGHT
Ohio State will be one of 16 teams to open their season in the 2004 Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament. The Buckeyes will face in-state foe Bowling Green in round one on November 12 in Columbus, Ohio. The tournament, which consists of four rounds and will last through November 21, will host three teams from last season's Top 25 and nine 2004 postseason participants, including Ohio State, Duke, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Arizona. Games will be played at campus sites and will be determined after each round.
LIONS TO "TIP-OFF" AGAINST TEXAS IN STATE FARM CLASSIC
Penn State will open the 2004-05 season in style as the Lady Lions were one of four teams to be selected for the prestigious State Farm Women's Tip-Off Classic, slated for Saturday, November 14, in Austin, Texas. The Lady Lions will meet Texas at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2, while LSU and Baylor will square off in the other contest in the 12th annual Classic.
In 2003, the Lady Lions hosted then-No. 2 Texas during the regular season and defeated the Longhorns, 79-59. Penn State finished its season ranked fifth nationally with a 28-6 record, after earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
GOPHERS TRAVEL TO WBCA CLASSIC IN SEATTLE TO OPEN SEASON
After a 25-9 season and its first Final Four appearance in school history, Minnesota opens its 2004-05 campaign this weekend at the WBCA Classic in Seattle, Wash. The Golden Gophers take to the court at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 14, against UNLV - a team that has received votes in both preseason polls. Minnesota will then face Washington on Monday, November 15, at 7 p.m.
TWO BIG TEN STUDENT-ATHLETES NAMED TO "WADE WATCH"
Minnesota's Janel McCarville and Penn State's Tanisha Wright were named by a national awards committee consisting of leading basketball coaches, journalists, and basketball administrators August 18, as preseason candidates for the 2005 State Farm Wade Trophy. The list is comprised of 31 student-athletes who are members of an NCAA Division I institution and are selected based on the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.
The Big Ten has had two State Farm Wade Trophy Award winners, most recently in 1999 when Purdue's Stephanie White-McCarty received the honor. Minnesota's Carol Ann Shudlick was the State Farm Wade Trophy winner in 1994.
The 2005 State Farm Wade Trophy winner will be announced during the WBCA National Convention held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 2-5, 2005.
BIG TEN TRIO NAMED NAISMITH TROPHY PRESEASON CANDIDATES
A trio of Big Ten women's basketball players have been selected among the top 50 collegiate standouts as preseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy presented by Cingular Wireless, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Tuesday, November 9. Minnesota's Janel McCarville, Penn State's Tanisha Wright and Purdue's Katie Gearlds were named to the watch list for what is considered the most prestigious national award presented annually to the men's and women's players of the year.
The Top 50 list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The board based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season.
In January, the Board of Selectors will narrow its preseason list to the Top 30 players in the nation. Those players, and others who distinguish themselves throughout the season, will be eligible for the final ballot in March.
THREE LEAGUE STANDOUTS NAMED TO WOODEN WATCH LIST
Three Big Ten student-athletes have been selected among the top 30 women's basketball players to the Wooden Award Preseason All-America Team selected by the John R. Wooden Award National Advisory Board. Minnesota's Janel McCarville, Penn State's Tanisha Wright and Purdue's Katie Gearlds were named to the second annual Preseason Team on August 13.
Each of the three League schools on this year's team had a representative on last year's preseason squad as well. Minnesota's Lindsay Whalen, Penn State's Kelly Mazzante and Tanisha Wright, and Purdue's Shereka Wright were all 2003-04 Wooden Preseason All-Americans. Mazzante and Shereka Wright were selected to the inaugural five-player All-America team at the conclusion of last season.
In mid-January, the Wooden Award Committee will release the Midseason Top 20 List, followed in March by the official voting ballot, consisting of the top 10-15 players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The 2005 Award ceremony, which will include the presentation of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award, the Wooden Award All-American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, will be held at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on April 9, 2005 and will be broadcast live on CBS.
ESPN.COM RANKS TWO BIG TEN STARS AMONG FIVE "FRESH FACES"
Ohio State's Caity Matter and Penn State's Tanisha Wright are two of five student-athletes who have been selected by espn.com as "Fresh Faces" to watch for in 2004-05.
Several standout players, including Minnesota's Lindsay Whalen, Penn State's Kelly Mazzante and Purdue's Shereka Wright, held the spotlight last season, but have since graduated. A new search of talented stars was conducted by espn.com and Matter and Wright were tabbed by ESPN's Nancy Lieberman and Mechelle Voepel as "fresh faces whose spotlights are about to get bigger." Matter was the Buckeyes' leading scorer in 2003-04 with 14.8 points per game, while Wright averaged 14.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game last year and was tabbed honorable mention All-America by the Associated Press for the second straight year.Here are what the experts had to say on the two Big Ten standouts:
Caity Matter, Ohio State, 5-9, senior
"One of the Big Ten's top shooters should get more recognition this year with the Buckeyes contending for the league title." -- Mechelle Voepel
Tanisha Wright, Penn State, 5-11, senior
"The only player in Big Ten history to twice win league defensive player of the year honors can also score without hesitation. She's always been a slasher; last season she really improved her outside shot." -- Nancy Lieberman
"Very versatile, strong player and solid defender who becomes the centerpiece for her team now that Kelly Mazzante is gone." -- Mechelle Voepel
BIG TEN CONTINUES TO BOAST FAN-TASTIC FIGURES
The Big Ten will look to continue its dominance in national attendance this season, as last year's total of 778,125 was a Conference record and ranked second nationally (Big 12). Over the 2003-04 season, an average of 5,085 fans -- also a Conference record -- attended Big Ten games. The Big Ten has led the nation in attendance seven of the last 12 years.
MCCARVILLE LIKELY TO MISS TWO WEEKS WITH BROKEN HAND
Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year and national player of the year candidate Janel McCarville will have to wait at least two more weeks before starting her All-America campaign. The Gophers' senior center and returning WBCA Kodak All-American broke the third metacarpal bone of her left hand in practice on October 28 and was scheduled to miss four weeks of action. McCarville averaged 16.1 points and 10.8 rebounds a year ago in helping Minnesota to its first Final Four appearance.
SECOND ACL INJURY TO KEEP IOWA'S RICHARDS SIDELINED
Iowa's Lindsay Richards underwent successful surgery July 7 to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee after sustaining the injury during a summer practice in early-June. The junior point guard will likely be sidelined for two to three months and is expected to rejoin the Hawkeyes in January.
This is the second time in as many years she has undergone surgery to repair a damaged ACL in her right knee. Richards' first ACL injury came in a home game against Denver on December 12, 2002. An Academic All-Big Ten selection last year, Richards ranked fifth on the team in scoring (5.4 ppg) and free throw percentage (39-51, .765), second in assists (85) and fourth in steals (27) last season.
INDIANA'S DEMUTH OUT FOR SEASON WITH ACL INJURY
Indiana forward Jenny DeMuth will miss the 2004-05 season due to a torn ACL in her left knee. DeMuth, the Big Ten's and Indiana's top returning scorer (18.3 ppg) and rebounder (7.7 rpg), injured her knee just five minutes into the Hoosiers' first official practice at Midnight Madness on October 16.
DeMuth, who was selected to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team, was a Second Team All-Big Ten honoree selection by the media and Third Team All-Big Ten selection by the Conference coaches. She was the highest-scoring non-senior in the Big Ten last season and was the only conference player to rank in the top five in the Big Ten in both scoring and rebounding. She ranked fifth in each category with 18.3 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game, respectively. DeMuth finished the season with 532 points, a mark that ranks fifth in school history.
HOOSIERS' GATHING RECEIVES SIXTH YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY
Despite losing Jenny DeMuth, Indiana's top returning scorer and rebounder, the Hoosiers will have the services of sixth-year senior Jamie Gathing this season. After sitting out the 2000-01 and 2003-04 seasons due to medical redshirts, Gathing received her sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA office and will play a lead role for the Hoosiers during the 2004-05 campaign. Gathing averaged 7.7 ppg in Indiana's final three games during her junior year.
Gathing was also a member of this past summer's Big Ten Foreign Tour. The Hoosier senior averaged 5.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg during the four-game Tour and helped lead the squad to an undefeated record.
A FINAL FOUR IN DECEMBER?
Coming off its first Final Four appearance in school history, Minnesota makes its 2004-05 television debut when the Gophers host another 2004 Final Four squad, LSU, on Tuesday, December 14. National player of the year candidates Janel McCarville of Minnesota and LSU's Seimone Augustus will battle head-to-head when the two teams meet on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET.
PURDUE TO BATTLE DUKE IN A "BLOCKBUSTER"
As a part of a doubleheader with the Purdue men's team battling Evansville, the lady Boilermakers will face Duke in the Boilermaker BlockBuster at Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday, December 18. The game will be at 4:30 p.m. and is a rematch of the 1999 NCAA title game.
Duke head coach Gail Goestenkors, who is a former Purdue assistant, will have to have her Blue Devils ready as Purdue is 27-8 all-time in Indianapolis and has won its last seven straight in Conseco.
BADGERS TO HOST CONFERENCE CHAMPS ON CBS
The Wisconsin Badgers will also gain national exposure this season, as on Saturday, January 8, CBS will be in Madison to televise the noon EST tip-off featuring UW and Penn State. Last year in Madison, Wisconsin nearly upset the then-No. 9 Lady Lions, but fell in the final seconds of the game, 60-59.
BOILERS AND BUCKS TO BATTLE IN BIG TEN/BIG EAST CHALLENGE
The second annual Big Ten/Big East Challenge will be played on Saturday, January 16 on ESPN2 and will feature Conference teams Purdue and Ohio State.
Purdue, the defending Big Ten Tournament Champion, plays at Notre Dame at 5 p.m. ET in a rematch of last year's Challenge contest, which the Boilermakers won at home, 76-63. The two programs are no strangers to each other, as both teams battled in the 2001 NCAA Championship Final, which Notre Dame won 68-66. Since that matchup, Purdue has won the last four games. Preceding the Purdue vs. Notre Dame contest, Ohio State hosts Rutgers at 3 p.m. ET. In last year's inaugural Challenge, Rutgers upended the Buckeyes, 56-53, in Piscataway, N.J.
INDIANAPOLIS NAMED HOST FOR 2006 BIG TEN TOURNEY
The Big Ten Conference has named the city of Indianapolis as host of the 2006 Conference Women's Basketball Tournament. The 2006 event, which will be held March 2-6, will be the 12th postseason Tournament in League history and the 11th to be played in Indianapolis.
The inaugural Big Ten Tournament was played in the RCA Dome in 1995 and remained at that location until 1999. The Tournament moved to Conseco Fieldhouse in 2000 and then left Indianapolis for a one-year stint in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 2001. The Conference Tournament returned to Indianapolis and Conseco Fieldhouse in 2002 and will remain at that venue through 2006.
In the past decade of Big Ten Tournament play, the Conference has welcomed more than 283,000 fans, including over 256,000 spectators to the Indianapolis area. Last year's Tournament broke both single-session and total attendance records with 9,417 and 37,365 fans, respectively.
POINTS COME IN PAIRS
Before Indiana's Jenny DeMuth suffered a season-ending injury in mid-October, she and teammate Cyndi Valentin made up the League's top returning scoring tandem. Illinois' Angelina Williams and Tiffanie Guthrie now hold the title as the highest-scoring returning duo in the Big Ten.
Big Ten's Highest-Scoring Duos
1. Jenny DeMuth/Cyndi Valentin (Indiana) 33.8
2. Angelina Williams/Tiffanie Guthrie (Illinois) 29.8
3. Caity Matter/Jessica Davenport (Ohio State) 27.4
4. Tanisha Wright/Jess Strom (Penn State) 25.3
5. Lindsay Bowen/Liz Shimek (Michigan State) 23.9
MAY I CHECK YOUR ID PLEASE?
Michigan will undoubtedly be one of the youngest teams in the nation this season, sporting a 10-person roster that includes eight freshman and sophomores, no juniors and two seniors. The Wolverines welcome seven freshmen to the fold in 2004-05 after losing standout seniors Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Gandy to graduation. Highlighting the seven incoming freshmen are Missouri Miss Basketball Katie Dierdorf (6-0, F), Michigan Miss Basketball Krista Clement (5-9, G), AAU All-American Becky Flippin (5-6, G), Jessica Starling (6-0, G) and Ta'Shia Walker (6-0, F).
Michigan's two seniors, Tabitha Pool and BreAnne McPhilamy, will carry a heavy load this season for second-year head coach Cheryl Burnett. Pool was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection last season after averaging 13.3 points and 7.8 rebounds last year, while McPhilamy will be called upon to provide interior defense and rebounding after playing just 6.0 minutes per game a year ago.
BIG TEN UNDEFEATED 4-0 ON FOREIGN TOUR THIS SUMMER
This past summer, a Big Ten squad made up of 12 players from all 11 League schools traveled and competed in Australia on the 2004 Big Ten Women's Basketball Foreign Tour.
For the second straight year, the Big Ten Foreign Tour team went undefeated, compiling a 4-0 mark against teams from down under. The Big Ten opened with a 65-43 victory over Parramatta ABA, followed by an 84-51 win over NSW Waraths. History was made in the third game of the Tour as the Conference defeated Logan Thunder 114-57 -- The win marked the largest point total (114) and the second largest margin of victory (57) in the 12-year history of the Tour. The previous bests (113, 90) were set during the 1995 Tour in Japan when the All-Stars defeated the Yokosuka Lady Hawks, 113-23.
The Big Ten team, led by Indiana head coach Kathi Bennett and her staff, concluded the Tour with a 75-64 win over the Southern District Spartans.
Michigan State junior Lindsay Bowen finished the Tour with a team-high scoring average of 16.5 points per game and recorded two straight 20-plus scoring games, including a Tour high 22 points against the Waraths. Ohio State's Jessica Davenport averaged 15.0 ppg over the four- game circuit, including two 16-point contests. Both Davenport and Bowen scored in double figures in each of the four Tour games. Purdue's Sharika Webb led the squad in assists (4.5 apg) in each of the four Tour games.
The Big Ten Foreign Tour squad has gone 46-18 since the inception of the Tour in 1992. The summer trip has been held annually except for 2003.
