Virginia Heads Up Against St. Joseph's

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Nov. 19, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Cavaliers begin the 1999-2000 season today when they host St. Joseph’s. It is also the first game of the season for the Hawks.

The last time Cavaliers began a new season at home was on Nov. 16, 1997 when they defeated William & Mary 71-57. In its 26-year history, Virginia is 14-0 in home openers and are 10-2 when they open the season on the road.

These two teams have met three previous times with St. Joseph’s holding a 2-1 edge in the series. The Hawks are 0-1 vs. the Cavaliers in University Hall, but 1-1 overall in the building. The only time the Hawks visited University Hall was for the 1992 Coca Cola Classic and the Cavaliers defeated SJU 64-53 on Dec. 5, 1992 to win the title. SJU defeated San Franciso 80-66 in the semifinals of the tournament to advance to the title game.

The last time these two teams met was on Dec. 30, 1993 in the championship game of the St. Joseph’s Hawk Classic in Philadelphia and SJU came out on top with a 71-56 win.

The first game in the series dates back to the 1977-78 season when the Hawks defeated the Cavaliers 91-59 in Philadelphia.

All Games From Hawaii on Radio

WINA AM 1070 will broadcast all three of Virginia’s games in the Rainbow Wahine Classic on Nov. 26-28. Virginia faces Grambling in the first round (4:10 p.m ET) and either Texas or Long Beach State in the second round (2:00 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. ET). The third game could be against the remaining participants: Portland, Washington, Virginia Commonwealth or Hawaii with the time to be announced after the second game. This is Virginia’s third trip to the Wahine Classic Tournament. (Game times listed above are Eastern time which is five hours ahead of Hawaiian time).

In the Polls

While neither team is ranked going into today’s game, both teams did receive votes in the latest AP poll. Virginia garnered 29 votes in the most recent AP poll while St. Joseph’s received 25 votes. Virginia did grabbed the last spot, number 25, in the USA Today preseason poll of Nov. 8.

The Cavaliers have been ranked every week in either the AP or USA Today poll since Jan. 8, 1984. The Cavaliers have been ranked a total of 280 consecutive weeks in at least one of the polls. Virginia holds the longest active streak of any ACC team in the AP poll?182 weeks. The current streak in the AP poll started on Nov. 20, 1989. The Cavaliers have appeared in every USA Today poll for a total of 260 consecutive weeks.

Change in ODU game time

Please note that the game time for the Dec. 10 game at Old Dominion is 7:35 p.m. This is a change from the time listed in the media guide. The game will be played in Norfolk at the Old Dominion Fieldhouse.

Ryan Holds Advantage vs. Current ACC Coaches

Debbie Ryan holds a 138-71 record against the current coaches in the ACC and holds a winning record versus every coach in the conference.

Ryan vs.
Jim Davis, Clemson 19-11
Gail Goestenkors, Duke 9-6
Sue Semrau, Florida St. 4-0
Agnus Berenato, Georgia Tech 23-3
Chris Weller, Maryland 31-20
Sylvia Hatchell, North Carolina 22-9
Kay Yow, N.C. State 25-22
Charlene Curtis, Wake Forest 5-0
Debbie Ryan 138-71

Stovall Returns as Team’s Top Scoring Threat

Junior Erin Stovall is Virginia’s top returning scorer. The 5-9 guard is a leading candidate for All-ACC Honors and could be considered for Player of the Year honors. She is the team’s top returning perimeter shooter but, with her quickness, can also drive past an opponent. Many of her points last year came on fast break opportunities.

She averaged 14.5 points per game and ranked second on the team and ninth in the ACC in scoring. Stovall had Virginia’s top four scoring games and averaged 15.8 points per game vs. ranked opponents.

Hosac Leads Post Players

Senior Lisa Hosac (6.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg) returns for her senior season at forward. The 6-2 forward has played in the shadow of All-ACC performer DeMya Walker the last three years and with Walker gone, Hosac could have a banner year. She is the team’s second-highest returning scorer behind Stovall and the team’s top returning rebounder. Hosac has the best fundamentals on the team and has the potential to put alot of points on the board as evidenced by her 29-point performance in the 1998 NCAA Tournament. She was the best free-throw shooter on the team last season, shooting over 84 percent from the line.

Robinson and Quarles to Battle For Starting Role

At point guard, senior Renee Robinson returns for her final season and will battle sophomore Telisha Quarles for the starting spot. Robinson (3.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.0 apg) has limited shooting range and only averaged 2.8 field goal attempts per game last season, but her decision-making and the ability to stay out of foul trouble was greatly improved by the end of last season. She should be able to get help at point guard from Quarles (2.2 ppg, 1.4 apg, 9.7 mpg) who logged alot of minutes and showed flashes of brilliance, but also made freshman mistakes. Quarles can shoot the three and is not afraid to put one up. She hit a three-pointer on her first ever field goal attempt last season and she continued to have impressive minutes. She is a fluid player with good ballhandling and shooting skills. After a year of experience, Quarles should be a major contributor this season.

Cavaliers Spilt Exhibition Games

Virginia won one and lost one of two exhibition games in the preseason. The Cavaliers lost to the USA National Team 44-96 on Nov. 12 and then defeated the Vologda Russia team 100-54 on Nov. 16.

USA Game: Lisa Leslie had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Dawn Staley made her return University Hall as the U.S. women’s national team bolted to an early lead and beat up on Virginia 96-44 Friday night.

Natalie Williams added 13 points, Katie Smith 12, Yolanda Griffith 11 and Ruthie Bolton Holifield 10 for Team USA. Staley, a two-time Naismith Award-winner at Virginia in the early 1990s, added five points and nine assists in 22 minutes. The all-star team, barnstorming the country playing top college programs in a tune-up for the 2000 Olympics, led 50-21 at halftime and dominated every facet of the game. It outshot Virginia 56.7 percent to 30.6 percent, got 41 rebounds to the Cavaliers’ 24 and forced 26 turnovers while committing just 14.

Renee Robinson, playing in Staley’s point guard spot for the Cavaliers, led Virginia with 11 points and three assists, but also committed seven turnovers.

Elena Kravchenko added 10 points for the Cavaliers.

Vologda Game: Five Cavaliers scored in double figures, led by Erin Stovall’s 21 points, as Virginia defeated Vologda Russia 100-54 tonight in University Hall. Telisha Quarles added 16 points on a perfect night from the field (6-6) and Lisa Hosac contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds in the effort. Renee Robinson connected for 14 points and Dean’na Mitchelson added 12 points.

The Cavaliers ran off 10 straight points mid-way through the first half and cruised on to a 61-28 half-time lead. Virginia shot 65 percent from the field in the first stanza while holding Vologda to 27 percent. For the game, Virginia shot 56 percent from the field (39-69) while Vologda managed only 27 percent (17-63).

Marina Kress led Vologda with 14 points.

Tracy to Join Team After Soccer Season

The Cavaliers will have help at point guard from Katie Tracy. The 5-5 junior is a solid ball handler and the best-conditioned athlete on the team, but not as quick as Robinson and Quarles. Tracy (1.9 ppg, 8.9 mpg) is a starting midfielder for the nationally ranked women’s soccer team, and will join the team in December after soccer season is complete. To Tracy’s credit, she usually has the playbook memorized by the second day of practice with the team and has performed well under pressure for the Cavaliers.

Tracy dressed but did not play in the two exhibition games. The UVa women’s soccer team hosts Hartford on Nov. 20 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Volnaya to Sit Out Season Opener

Junior forward Svetlana Volnaya will sit out the season opener against St. Jospeh’s as part of a three-game suspension for violating team rules. She did not play in the two exhibition games, but should be allowed to play in the Grambling game on Nov. 26 in the Wahine Classic in Honolulu. Last year, Volnaya contributed 6.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg.

Cavs Look For Rebounding Help

With the departure of three of the top four rebounders from last season (DeMya Walker, Monick Foote and Lesley Brown) rebounding will be a question mark for the Cavaliers this season. The team’s top returning rebounder is Lisa Hosac (4.4 rpg). No other returning player on the roster averaged more than 3.4 rebounds per game. Chalois Lias (1.6 rpg) could help the Cavaliers out on the boards with her bounding athleticism and Schuye LaRue could muscle her way to clear the boards. The league’s tallest player, Elena Kravchenko (1.6 rpg) , should help-out as well.

LaRue Heads Freshman Class

Six foot-three forward Schuye LaRue (pronounced Sky) headlines the freshman class. LaRue, from Archbishop Carroll HS in Washington, D.C., is 18th-ranked senior in the country in the Blue Star Report. She averaged 22 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocks and five assists as a senior.

Fellow freshman Marcie Dickson, a 6-1 forward from Columbia HS in Maplewood, N.J. is ranked 74th in the same report. She averaged 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in her senior year.

Rounding out the freshman class is 6-2 Anna Crosswhite from Castlecrag, Australia.

Lias Looking For Regular Role

Looking to have a break-out year is junior Chalois Lias (2.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg). The 6-1 forward showed great improvement in all facets of her game in the latter half of the season. As one of the most athletic players on the roster, her leaping ability could help the Cavaliers on the boards. Last season, she averaged only 1.6 rpg in 8.0 minutes per game, but should see an increase in playing time this season.

Mooney Will Not Return

Fifth-year guard Kate Mooney will not play for the Virginia women’s basketball team this season in order to devote her time to her final year in the School of Architecture. Mooney, who redshirted last season, made the decision, along with Head Coach Debbie Ryan, to bypass her final season of eligibility in order to complete the routinely demanding schedule of classes and studios in the School of Architecture.

Mooney had her best season in 1997-98 when she averaged 6.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while starting 28 of 29 games. The six-footer played in 80 games during her three-year career and averaged 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. She shot 32.2 percent from three-point range for her career and holds the Virginia record for the most three-point field goals made in a game (seven) along with Monick Foote and Mimi McKinney.

Caldwell Joins Coaching Staff

Nikki Caldwell, a stand-out guard who played for the University of Tennessee from 1990-94, joined the Virginia coaching staff in June. She replaced Jenny Kuziemski who accepted a position with the women’s basketball program at N.C. State.

Caldwell served as Graduate Assistant for Administration for the Lady Vols program last season. She was a member of the Tennessee NCAA Championship team that defeated Virginia in 1991. Caldwell holds the Tennessee season record for three-point field goals made (51), most career three-point field goal attempts (367) and ranks second in career three-point field goals made (128). As a freshman, she was named to the All-SEC Rookie team and during her career, she was a two-time recipient of the Gloria Ray Leadership Award.

The Oak Ridge, Tenn. native graduated from Tennessee in 1994 with a degree in Public Relations and worked as a color analyst for the Southeastern Conference Game of the Week for Fox Sports South from 1995-97. Last year, she hosted the sports segment for the Shop At Home cable network.

Cavs Add In-state Rival Old Dominion to Schedule

The University of Virginia women’s basketball team will play in-state rivals Old Dominion on the road and Virginia Tech at home and compete in the 21st Annual Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii this season. The Cavaliers will play an exhibition game on Nov. 12 vs. the U.S. National Team and on Nov. 16 vs. the Russian National Team. Virginia opens the 1999-2000 regular season at home vs. 1999 Atlantic 10 tournament champions St. Joseph’s on Nov. 21.

The Old Dominion rivalry returns to the schedule after a one-year absence. The two teams met at the Richmond Coliseum on Jan. 27, 1998 for the first regular season game since the 1991 season. Virginia Head Coach Debbie Ryan and Old Dominion Head Coach Wendy Larry agreed to renew the series, this time, playing the games on the home courts. The Monarchs will visit Charlottesville during the 2000-2001 season.

Virginia will travel to Honolulu, Hawaii on Nov. 26-28 to participate in the 21st Annual Rainbow Wahine Classic at the University of Hawaii. Other teams in the eight-team tournament are: Texas, Long Beach State, Virginia Commonwealth, Grambling, Portland, Washington and host Hawaii. The Cavaliers face four opponents who were ranked in the Top 15 in the final USA Today poll last season: Duke ( ranked 2nd), Old Dominion (10th), Clemson (13th), Virginia Tech (14th), and North Carolina (15th).

The U.S. National Team will be the first competition for the Cavaliers in its exhibition season. Virginia will face the Olympic squad made up of a nucleus of five players who will make up the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team. The five players are former Virginia point guard Dawn Staley (Charlotte Sting), Ruthie Bolton-Holifield (Sacramento Monarchs), Lisa Leslie (L.A. Sparks), Nikki McCray (Washington Mystics) and Katie Smith (Minnesota Lynx).

University Quick Facts

Location Charlottesville, VA 22903

Founded: 1819

Enrollment: 18,463

Nickname Cavaliers

School colors: Blue and Orange

Arena University Hall

Capacity 8,457

Affiliation NCAA, Division I

Conference Atlantic Coast

President John T. Casteen III

Athletics Director Terry Holland

Senior Woman Administrator Jane Miller

Athletic Dept. Phone (804) 982-5100

Ticket Office Phone (804) 924-UVA1

Team History

First yr. of basketball 1973-74

All-time record 548-206 (.727)

No. yrs. in NCAA Tourn. last 16 /1999

No. yrs. in NIT/last 1/1980

Last post-season opponent Penn State

Results Lost, 69-82 in 1st round of West Regional

1998-99 Honors

DeMya Walker

• Top 10 Naismith Award Candidate
• Women’s Basketball Journal Defensive All-America Second Team
• ACC All-Conference First Team
• ACC All-Tournament Second Team
• VaSID All-State First Team
• Nationwide Cavalier Classic All-Tournament Team
• ACC Player of the Week (Dec. 14)
• ACC Player of the Week (Feb. 1)
• ACC Preseason Player of the Year
• ACC Preseason All-Conference First Team
• Preseason All-America
• Street & Smith’s (first team)
• Preview Sports (first team)
• Athlon (third team)
• Lindy’s (third team)
• Women’s Basketball Journal (third team)

Erin Stovall

• ACC All-Conference Third Team
• Richmond Times-Dispatch All-State Team
• VaSID All-State Second Team
• ACC Player of the Week (Jan. 4)
• Nationwide Cavalier Classic All-Tournament Team

Monick Foote

• ACC All-Conference Third Team
• Nationwide Cavalier Classic All-Tournament Team
• ACC Preseason All-Conference Second Team
• Preseason All-America
• Street & Smith’s (HM)

Team Information

Starters Returning (2)

Starters Lost (3)

Other Key Returnees

Other Key Losses

Key Newcomers

All-America Candidates

Erin Stovall

Cavaliers By Class (eligibility)

Seniors

Lisa Hosac, Rene Robinson, Lauren Swierczek

Juniors

Sveltlana Volnaya, Chalois Lias, Elena Kravchenko, Dean’na Mitchelson, Erin Stovall, Katie Tracy

Sophomore

Telisha Quarles

Freshmen

Anna Crosswhite, Marcie Dickson, Schyue LaRue

Cavaliers By Height

1998-99 Highlights

• For the 15th time in the last 16 years, Head Coach Debbie Ryan guided the Cavaliers to a 20-win season. In her 22 years as a head coach, Ryan has recorded 21 straight winning seasons. After narrowly missing the 20-win plateau in 1998 with a 19-10 record, Virginia lived up to the preseason expectations in 1999 and finished second in the ACC regular season and gained the number two seed in the conference tournament.
• One win in particular was a milestone for Ryan. On Feb. 21, the Cavaliers defeated Florida State 73-55 to award Ryan with her 500th career victory. She became only the sixth coach in NCAA history to record 500 wins at one school. For her career, Ryan averages 22.7 wins per season and holds a career winning percentage of 74.2 percent (501-174).
• The Cavaliers made their 16th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament but lost in the first round to 18th-ranked Penn State 82-69 in Ruston, La. Virginia ended the year ranked 20th in both the AP and USA Today polls.
• Senior DeMya Walker, already the school record holder for blocked shots in a season and career, became the ACC’s all-time blocked shot leader with her only block of the night in the last collegiate game of her career. She ended her four-year run with 330 career blocks to take the conference lead by one block. That total ranks 10th in NCAA history.
• Walker also finished her career as Virginia’s all-time leader in field goal percentage (.557).
• The Cavaliers established themselves as one of the ACC’s top defensive teams last season. Virginia ranked second in field goal percentage defense (.382) and third in the ACC in scoring defense (64.4). The Cavaliers led the conference in blocked shots (5.9), ranked third in steals (10.3) and third in turnover margin (3.3).
• Virginia ranked second in the ACC in free throw shooting team (70.8 percent) and it was the first time since the 1988-89 season that the Cavaliers shot over 70 percent from the foul line as a team. Six UVa players shot above 70 percent from the line this season: Katie Tracy (91.2, 11-12), Lisa Hosac (84.5, 49-58), Erin Stovall (75.7, 81-107), Lesley Brown (75.0, 48-64), Monick Foote (72.3, 60-83) and Svetlana Volnaya (70.0, 35-50).
• Hosac put together a string of 30 straight free throws this season which broke the 18-year old school record of 26 consecutive free throws.
• Erin Stovall broke the record for three-point field goals made by a sophomore. Stovall connected on 46 for the season to break the mark set by Tora Suber (43) in 1995.
• The starting centers of the ACC, which included All-Americans Summer Erb and Michelle VanGorp, averaged only 7.6 points and 4.4 rebounds vs. the Cavaliers during the regular season.
• Erin Stovall had the four highest scoring games on the Virginia squad during the 1999 season. In addition to the 27 points at Georgia Tech on Feb. 18, Stovall scored 26 vs. Clemson (Jan. 2), 25 vs. Duke (Jan. 4) and 24 vs. North Carolina (Jan. 18).
• In the national stats, Virginia ranked 26th in field goal percentage defense (37.2), 26th in scoring offense (75.9) and 26th in scoring margin (11.6). DeMya Walker ranked fifth in blocked shots (2.9).