Oct. 25, 2005
Philadelphia, Pa.--George Mason University's women's basketball team was picked to finish seventh in the newly expanded 12-team Colonial Athletic Association's Preseason Poll as announced by the league office at CAA Basketball Media Day Wednesday morning at the Wachovia Center. The voting was done by members of the media, sports information directors and league head coaches prior to Wednesday's event.
The Patriots return two starters and five letterwinners from the 2004-05 squad, which includes senior guard Jen Daniels (Brigantine, N.J.) who averaged a team-best 10.9 points per game last season. Forward Tracy Ann Holness (Brooklyn, N.Y.) returns for her junior year after playing in all 28 games and starting 11 contests last season and averaged a team fourth-best 7.3 points per game. In addition, sophomore forward Moni Akintunde (Laurel, Md.) grabbed a team second-best 5.3 rebounds during the 2004-05 campaign and closed out the season third among teammates with an average of 8.0 points per game. The Patriots closed out last season with an overall record of 12-18 and a 8-10 mark in league play to finish the year sixth in the conference.
Old Dominion, which has captured the past 14 Colonial Athletic Association women's basketball titles, was an overwhelming favorite to repeat as conference champion in 2005-06. The Lady Monarchs, who posted their 14th consecutive 20-win season last year, were followed in the voting by James Madison, Drexel, Delaware and Hofstra. Picked sixth was Towson, followed by George Mason, CAA newcomers Georgia State and Northeastern, VCU, UNC Wilmington and William & Mary.
Drexel's Catherine Scanlon was chosen as the CAA Pre-Season Player of the Year for 2005-06. She was joined on the pre-season All-CAA first team by ODU's Lawona Davis, JMU's Lesley Dickinson and Meredith Alexis, and Hofstra junior guard Cigi McCollin, who scored 16.2 points per game and nailed a league-high 76 three-pointers.
Voted to the pre-season second team were ODU's Tiffany Green, Hofstra junior forward Lizanne Murphy, a third-team All-CAA pick who averaged 11.8 points and a league-high 10.4 rebounds per game, Towson senior forward Tierra Jackson, a third-team All-CAA selection who contributed 13.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, Hofstra junior center Vanessa Gidden, who made the All-CAA third team after tallying 14.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg and a league-best 62 blocked shots, and Northeastern senior guard Maralene Zwarich, who earned first team All-America East honors after ranking second in the league in scoring (17.4 ppg), eighth in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and first in steals (2.0 spg).
The Patriots open up their regular season on Nov. 19 against Mount St. Mary's (3 p.m.) at the Patriot Center. Mason also has a home exhibition game scheduled for Nov. 13 versus M.I. Express at 3 p.m.
2005-06 CAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Old Dominion
2. James Madison
3. Drexel
4. Delaware
5. Hofstra
6. Towson
7. George Mason
8. Georgia State
9. Northeastern
10. VCU
11. UNC Wilmington
12. William & Mary
2005-06 CAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRE-SEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
First Team Cl. Pos. Ht. Hometown/High School
Meredith Alexis, James Madison# Jr. F/C 6-3 Hanover Township, Pa./Bishop Hoban
Lawona Davis, Old Dominion# Sr. G 5-11 Port St. Lucie, Fla./Centennial
Lesley Dickinson, James Madison Jr. G 5-10 Queens Village, N.Y./Christ the King
Cigi McCollin, Hofstra* Jr. G 5-7 Long Island City, N.Y./Christ the King
Catherine Scanlon, Drexel* Sr. G/F 5-11 Drexel Hill, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara
Second Team Cl. Pos. Ht. Hometown/High School
Vanessa Gidden, Hofstra^ Jr. C 6-3 Stamford, Conn./Stamford
Tiffany Green, Old Dominion So. C/F 6-2 Chesapeake, Va./Indian River
Tierra Jackson, Towson^ Sr. F 6-1 Upper Marlboro, Md./Frederick Douglas
Lizanne Murphy, Hofstra^ Jr. F 6-1 Beaconfield, Quebec/Dawson
Maralene Zwarich, Northeastern$ Sr. G 6-0 Merriam, Kan./Shawnee Mission North
* - All-CAA 1st team in 2004-05
$ - All-America East 1st team in 2004-05
# - All-CAA 2nd team in 2004-05
^ - All-CAA 3rd team in 2004-05
CAA Pre-Season Player of the Year: Catherine Scanlon, Drexel
