Bower Leaves Women's Basketball Team

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November 24, 1998

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Fifth-year guard Tiffany Bower (Richmond, Va./ Monacan) has left the University of Virginia women’s basketball team for personal reasons. Bower graduated last May with a degree in Psychology and was competing this season as a graduate student. She missed two seasons and a part of one season due to injuries.

Bower had her best season in 1996-97 when she averaged 7.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game before suffering an achilles tendon injury in her right ankle on the eve of the NCAA Tournament.

Bower played in the Cavaliers’ first game of the season at West Virginia and scored six points, grabbed one rebound and recorded five assists. She did not start the game, but played the point guard position behind junior Renee Robinson. Bower took a leave of absence from the team last week and did not travel with the team to Arkansas State.

“This is a big loss”, said Head Coach Debbie Ryan. “We will really miss Tiffany and I hope she will be happy in whatever she chooses to do. Katie Tracy and Telisha Quarles will have to step up so we can have Monick play at her more natural position on the wing.”

Tracy returned to the team on Monday, Nov. 21 after competing for the UVa women’s soccer team. Quarles is a first-year guard and played three minutes in the Cavaliers loss at Arkansas State on Sunday. Both will be a back-up to Robinson.

The Cavaliers host Virginia Commonwealth tonight in University Hall with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m.