| | Associated Press
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- With four returning starters from a team
that finished in a two-way tie for second place in the Pacific-10
Conference last season, Stanford was given the nod by both the
coaches and media members as the favorite to unseat two-time
defending champion Oregon in women's basketball this season.
|  | | Tara VanDerveer's Stanford team is picked to unseat Oregon atop the Pacific-10. |
Stanford received nine of 10 first-place votes from the coaches,
with Oregon getting the other vote. In the media poll, the Cardinal
received 16 of 19 possible first-place votes. Oregon, tabbed to
finish second in both polls, received the other three votes.
Southern California was picked to finish third and Arizona fourth in both polls.
In the coaches poll, Arizona State was picked for fifth, followed
by a sixth-place tie between UCLA and Washington, Oregon State for
eighth, California for ninth and Washington State for 10th.
In the media poll, UCLA was tabbed for fifth, followed by
Arizona State, Washington, California, Oregon State and Washington
State.
"I don't like to make predictions, but I like coaching our
team," said Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer during the Pac-10 Media
Day held at the San Jose Arena on Thursday. "Talk to me in March.
We don't focus on it and we don't think about it."
Among those returning for VanDerveer, who is three victories shy of
500 for her career, are last season's Pac-10 Freshman of the Year
Jamie Carey, and honorable mention All-Pac-10 selections Carolyn
Moos and Lauren St. Clair.
"I see great things for this team," said Carey. "It's a
matter of putting things together."
Oregon has three returning starters among 10 letter winners
under coach Jodi Runge, but Shaquala Williams, the Pac-10 Player of the Year last season, will miss the 2000-01 season due to a torn ACL
suffered during a pickup game during the offseason.
"I'm used to playing basketball five and six hours a day, so
it's been hard finding something else to do with my time," said
Williams. "The rehab is boring, but I can't slack off."
Runge said her team will still have a chance to compete for a
third consecutive title.
"We're going to miss her confidence and leadership, but we have a lot of experience back and that should be a big factor in helping us through that," she said.
It was also announced that Oregon will be the host for the first Pac-10
women's postseason tournament scheduled for March of 2002.
"It's an honor to host the inaugural tournament," said Runge.
"It should be a great environment."
While Southern California has just two returning starters, it
also recruited five high school All-Americans, giving the Trojans
some high hopes.
"This is a good team with a chance to do some great things,"
said USC coach Chris Gobrecht.
Arizona, which set or tied 23 school records last season,
including most victories (25), has two returning starters back.
"We lost some good players no doubt, so being picked fourth is
realistic," said coach Joan Bonvicini. "We've always done better
than what the pollsters say, and I like that kind of pressure."
The conference sent six teams to postseason tournaments, four
(Oregon, Stanford, Arizona, UCLA) to the NCAAs, and two (USC and
Arizona State) to the WNIT.
"This conference makes you better," said Oregon State coach
Judy Spoelstra. "It can go in any direction. Every game will be a
hot game this year."
Arizona State will play the first outdoor NCAA basketball game
this year at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix on Dec. 27. The game will
benefit Breast Cancer Awareness and feature six-time national
champion Tennessee.
"We needed something unique," said Arizona State coach Charli
Turner Thorne. "The No. 1 purpose was to promote our program, but
it's taken on a lot more. We're playing at a baseball park under
the stars."
Said Arizona State junior forward Lisa Combs: "It's an amazing
opportunity to play that game. It's an honor."
Caren Horstmeyer is the only coach in her first year with a Pac-10 program, coming to
California from nearby Santa Clara, where she led the Broncos to 10
consecutive winning seasons.
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