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Nov. 24, 2000
Virginia enters today’s game at Loyola with a 2-2 overall record after finishing fourth in the Preseason WNIT. The Cavaliers are currently ranked No. 16 in the Associated Press poll and No. 15 in the USA Today/ESPN poll. Virginia opened the season with two home victories over Mount St. Mary’s (100-61) and George Washington (72-66), but lost in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT to No. 8 Louisiana Tech (72-59) at West Lafayette, Indiana. The Cavaliers lost in double overtime to Texas (56-55) in the consolation game. Loyola enters the game with a 1-1 overall record. The Greyhounds defeated Akron (60-46) in their season opener on Nov. 19, but lost to Maryland (65-50) on Nov. 21. Today’s game marks the third meeting between the two teams and Virginia leads the series, 2-0.
No. 16 Virginia (2-2, 0-0 ACC)vs.Loyola (1-1, 0-0 MAAC)
Nov. 25, 2000
2:00 p.m.
Emil G. Reitz Arena
Baltimore, MD
SCOUTING LOYOLA
The Greyhounds enter the matchup against Virginia with a 1-1 record after splitting their two home games. Loyola opened the season with a 60-46 win over Akron on Nov. 19. Three players scored in double figures for Loyola in the victory. The Greyhounds lost to Maryland, 65-50, on Nov. 21. Two players are currently averaging double figures in scoring led by Erica Rath’s 15.0 points per game. The senior forward led Loyola with 18 points against Akron. Shontrese Smith averaged 13.0 points in the first two games. The sophomore guard led the Greyhounds with 16 points against Maryland. Sophomore center Katie Netherton leads Loyola in rebounding with an average of 6.0. Cindy Anderson is in her second full season as head coach at Loyola. She led the Greyhounds to 21 victories in 1998-99 after taking over as head coach midway through the season. A year ago, Anderson led Loyola to a 12-17 record.
CAVALIERS vs. GREYHOUNDS
Virginia and Loyola have played two games and the Cavaliers have a 2-0 advantage in the series. The teams played a year ago and Virginia defeated Loyola, 77-63, in Charlottesville, Va. on December 7, 1999.
LAST MEETING
Lisa Hosac scored 22 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead Virginia to a 77-63 win over Loyola on December 7, 1999 in Charlottesville, the Cavaliers first home game since Nov. 21. The Cavaliers started the game on a 12-3 run, but turnovers by Virginia allowed Loyola back into the game and the two teams were tied at 16-16 at the 10:41 mark. Svetlana Volnaya hit a three-point shot with 7:03 left to begin Virginia’s 15-6 run to close out the half at 40-28.
The Cavaliers built up their largest lead of the night at 56-39 on a Telisha Quarles lay-up at the 12:13 mark of the second half, but Loyola again capitalized on Virginia turnovers to get within nine points with 5:02 left in the game. Hosac hit a lay-up and Volnaya made two free throws with 3:18 left to build Virginia’s lead back to a comfortable 13 points and the Cavaliers coasted to the win.
The Cavaliers shot 49.2 percent from the field (29-59) and Loyola connected on 44.0 percent (22-50). Both teams had 31 rebounds. Erica Rath and Desiree Peterkin each had 14 points for Loyola. Rath led the Greyhounds with eight rebounds. Quarles scored 13 points while Marcie Dickson added 10 points for the Cavaliers.
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HEAD COACH DEBBIE RYAN
Head Coach Debbie Ryan is currently in her 24th season at the helm of the Virginia program, and has an overall record of 528-185. During her illustrious career, she has averaged 22.8 wins per season. Ryan has recorded 20 or more wins in a season 18 times and 30 or more twice.
Last year, she won ACC Coach of the Year honors for the seventh time and was also named the IKON/WBCA District III Coach of the Year for guiding the Cavaliers to a 25-9 record and a first place finish in the ACC regular season. Ryan has led Virginia to 17 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and directed the Cavaliers to three straight Final Four appearances (1990, 1991, 1992). She has led Virginia to 12 appearances in the NCAA Sweet 16, including 11 straight years (1987-97), three ACC tournament titles, and 11 ACC regular-season crowns.
PRESEASON WNIT
The Cavaliers finished fourth in the 16-team single-elimination Preseason National Invitation Tournament after defeating Mount St. Mary’s (100-61) and George Washington (72-66) in the first two rounds, but losing in the semifinals to No. 8 Louisiana Tech (72-59). Virginia lost in double overtime to Texas (56-55) in the consolation game. Seven 2000 NCAA Tournament participants, and three teams that played in the 2000 Postseason WNIT, were featured in the Preseason WNIT. Three of the four teams that advanced to the final four of the WNIT were ranked and two were in the Top 10. Louisiana Tech defeated No. 4 Purdue (68-63) to win the tournament. The Preseason WNIT marked the earliest start in school history for the Virginia women’s program and the Cavaliers first appearance ever in the tournament.
QUARLES NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Telisha Quarles was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week on November 20 after averaging 16.7 points in the Cavaliers first three preseason WNIT games. The junior guard also recorded 11 assists and seven steals. Quarles shot 38 percent from the field, connecting on 17-of-45 attempts, and 37 percent from behind the arc, hitting 10-of-17 attempts. She led Virginia in the 72-66 win over George Washington with 17 points and five assists.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Schuye LaRue was named to the Preseason WNIT All-Tournament Team after averaging 12.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in Virginia’s four games. The sophomore forward registered two double-doubles during the tournament and recorded six blocks, seven assists, and 12 steals. In the 56-55 double overtime loss to Texas, she finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds, five steals, two blocks, and two assists in 40 minutes. Her basket with three seconds remaining tied the score at 44-44 and sent the game into the first overtime. LaRue led the Cavaliers against Louisiana Tech with 16 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and three assists.
BLOCK PARTY
Virginia registered a season-high eight blocked shots in the loss to Texas on Nov. 20 and are currently averaging 6.0 per game. Seniors Elena Kravchenko and Chalois Lias each recorded three blocks and sophomore Schuye LaRue added two against the Longhorns. The Cavaliers’ frontcourt had seven blocked shots in the win over George Washington on Nov. 12, led by Lias’ three. Virginia recorded six blocked shots in the win over Mount St. Mary’s on Nov. 10.
IRON WOMAN
Senior captain Katie Tracy joined the women’s basketball team in West Lafayette, Indiana, less than 24 hours after finishing her collegiate career with the Virginia women’s soccer team. The starting midfielder for the Cavaliers’ soccer team was in Chapel Hill, N.C. on November 18 playing the University of North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament prior to traveling to Indiana for the Preseason WNIT. Virginia’s soccer team lost to North Carolina, 2-1, in an evening game, and Tracy was on an airplane the next morning. She joined the basketball team on November 19, arriving at 12:15 p.m. and played 16 minutes against Louisiana Tech in a game that started at 2:00 p.m. Tracy registered two points, two rebounds, and one assist, and had not practiced one minute with the women’s basketball team prior to the game.
SPARK OFF THE BENCH
Chalois Lias has provided a spark off the bench for the Cavaliers this season, and is currently averaging 11.7 points and 28.7 minutes. The senior forward is currently second on the team in rebounding (8.3) and is leading the team with seven blocked shots. Lias came off the bench against George Washington on Nov. 12 to register Virginia’s first double-double of the season, scoring 11 points and pulling down 14 rebounds.
VIRGINIA DROPS TO NO. 16
Virginia dropped to No. 16 in the Associated Press poll and No. 15 in the USA Today/ESPN poll on November 20 after losing two games in the Preseason WNIT. The Cavaliers were ranked No. 15 in both the Preseason Associated Press poll and USA Today/ESPN polls.
VIRGINIA IN THE POLLS
Virginia finished the 1999-2000 season ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press poll and No. 14 in the USA Today/ESPN poll. The Cavaliers were ranked for nine weeks a year ago, despite breaking their streak in the Top 25 that had started in 1984. Virginia had been ranked a total of 281 consecutive weeks in either the AP or USA Today poll, before falling out of the Top 25 a year ago. The streak started on January 8, 1984 and the Cavaliers had been ranked 15 consecutive seasons before dropping out of the Top 25 in November 1999. Virginia returned to the polls on January 24, 2000. The Cavaliers were ranked number one in the Associated Press poll for a total of 24 weeks in 1991 and 1992.
RECORD AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
Virginia is 0-1 against ranked opponents this season after losing to No. 8 Louisiana Tech (72-59) in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT on November 19 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Virginia has three teams ranked in this week’s Top 25 on its schedule this season, including two contests against No. 3 Duke and No. 22 N.C. State.
BALANCED SCORING
Four players are currently averaging double figures in scoring for Virginia, led by junior guard Telisha Quarles 14.5 points per game. The Virginia frontcourt has three players averaging double figures in scoring. Schuye LaRue is second on the team in scoring with an average of 12.5 points per game, followed by Svetlana Volnaya (12.0), and Chalois Lias (11.7). Three different players have led the team in scoring in four games this season.
HOT SHOTS
Virginia showcased a number of offensive weapons against Mount St. Mary’s with five players, including four starters, scoring in double figures. The three starters in the frontcourt combined for 44 of the Cavaliers’ 100 points. Volnaya led the Cavaliers with 20 points, Schuye LaRue netted 14 points, and Dean’na Mitchelson added 10 points. Quarles pumped in 19 points and Lias came off the bench to register 10. The Virginia bench accounted for 31 points. Four players scored in double figures for Virginia in the win over George Washington. The starters accounted for 48 of the Cavaliers’ 72 points, but the reserves added 24.
COLD SHOOTING
Virginia entered the consolation game against Texas on November 20 averaging 77.0 points per game, but were held to only 55 points in a game that included two overtime periods. Both teams hit a cold streak in their offensive production. The Cavaliers connected on only 29 percent (20-67) from the field, and the Longhorns shot only 25 percent (17-68). Texas shot only 17.2 percent in the first half of the game, connecting on five-of-29 attempts.
CENTURY MARK
Virginia opened the 2000-01 season with a powerful offensive performance, scoring 100 points in the victory over Mount St. Mary’s on November 10. The last time that the Cavaliers had reached the 100-point plateau was on November 26, 1999, when Virginia defeated Grambling, 100-79.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Cavaliers have a record of 312-56 (.848) in games played at University Hall, including a 2-0 mark this season. A year ago, Virginia registered a 16-1 record at home and averaged 3,004 fans per game. During the 1990’s, the women’s basketball team posted a record of 137-15 in University Hall.
TEAM CAPTAINS
Seniors Dean’na Mitchelson, Svetlana Volnaya, and Katie Tracy will serve as team captains for the 2000-01 season. Mitchelson averaged 3.2 points and 3.3 rebounds a year ago, and matched or recorded career-highs in every stat category. Volnaya scored 20 or more points in seven games last season and earned Kodak Honorable Mention All-America honors. Tracy, who also plays on the UVa women’s soccer team, averaged 1.3 points and 8.7 minutes in 31 games last season.
YOUNG BACKCOURT
The graduation of All-ACC Second Team selection Renee Robinson left a void at point guard for Virginia. Junior Telisha Quarles has started the first four games at point guard, but should eventually move to her regular shooting guard position. Two freshmen, Anna Prillaman and Chelsea Whitaker, played point guard for Virginia against Athletes in Action on November 1. Prillaman started the game at point guard and finished with five points, three rebounds, and one steal in 22 minutes of play. She has moved to shooting guard and has started in the backcourt with Quarles in the four regular season games. Whitaker played 26 minutes in the exhibition win over Athletes in Action and led the team with five assists. The freshman point guard’s status was questionable after she had surgery for compartmental syndrome in both legs on October 12. The recovery period was expected to be five weeks, but she was in the lineup on November 1. Whitaker started at point guard in the exhibition game against Uralmash on November 7, and played 19 minutes with four assists, three rebounds and one point. She has only averaged 5.0 minutes in two regular season games. Freshman Safiya Grant played 20 minutes in the game against Uralmash and finished with eight points, three rebounds, and one assist. Prior to Whitaker’s surgery, Grant was going to be red-shirted and did not see any action in the first exhibition game. Grant has played in all four regular season games and is averaging 3.0 points and 9.0 minutes. The last freshman to start at point guard for Virginia was Tora Suber in 1994 and she won ACC Rookie of the Year honors.
BOMBS AWAY
Virginia shot 50 percent from three-point range in the exhibition win over Athletes in Action, connecting on 10-of-20 attempts. The Cavaliers shot 64.3 percent in the second half with nine three-pointers. Svetlana Volnaya and Schuye LaRue combined for seven three-point field goals in the second half. Volnaya connected on four-of-six attempts and LaRue hit three-of-four attempts from three-point range. Freshman Anna Crosswhite added two three-point field goals for Virginia in the victory. The Cavaliers shot 53.3 percent (8-15) from three-point range in the second exhibition win over Uralmash. Volnaya connected on all three of her three-point field goal attempts and Telisha Quarles hit two three-pointers in just four minutes of play.
VIRGINIA IN THE PRESEASON PUBLICATIONS
The Cavaliers were ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation in a number of preseason women’s basketball publications. Listed below are the preseason publication rankings for Virginia:
CAVALIERS PICKED SECOND IN ACC POLL
Virginia was selected to finish second in the 2000-01 Atlantic Coast Conference preseason poll that was announced at the annual ACC Media Day on October 22. Duke received 34 of the 36 votes by the media and 322 total points to finish first in the preseason poll. The Cavaliers received two first place votes and a total of 278 points to finish second.
LARUE AND VOLNAYA EARN PRESEASON ALL-ACC HONORS
Svetlana Volnaya and Schuye LaRue were named to the 2000-01 Preseason All-Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball team announced at the annual ACC Media Day on October 22. LaRue led the Cavaliers in scoring (14.1 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg) a year ago and was named ACC Rookie of the Year. The sophomore forward also earned All-ACC Second-Team honors and was Virginia’s first freshman to be named a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American. She was also the first Virginia freshman since the 1982 season to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding.
Volnaya returns for her senior season after being named a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American a year ago. The senior forward averaged 13.8 points per game and ranked seventh in the ACC in scoring. Volnaya was second in the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (42.9) and fifth in free throw shooting (75.5). She was named to the All-ACC First Team in 1999-2000.
LARUE NAMED NAISMITH PRESEASON CANDIDATE
Sophomore forward Schuye LaRue was named as one of the preseason candidates for the 2000-01 Naismith College Women’s Basketball Player of the Year Award. The Naismith Awards program, founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, annually honors the top male and female college basketball players in the nation.
Preseason candidates were selected by a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists, and basketball analysts. The women’s Naismith Award was first presented in 1983 and former Cavalier Dawn Staley was a two-time honoree winning in 1991 and 1992.
PRESEASON STREET & SMITH ALL-AMERICAN
Schuye LaRue was named to the Street & Smith Preseason All-American Team. The sophomore forward was the only representative from the Atlantic Coast Conference on the All-American Team.
Joining LaRue on the All-American team were Svetlana Abrosimova and Sue Bird of Connecticut, Tamika Catchings of Tennessee, Katie Douglas of Purdue, Marie Ferdinand of LSU, ShaRae Mansfield of Western Kentucky, Kelly Miller of Georgia, Jackie Stiles of Southwest Missouri, and LaToya Thomas of Mississippi State.
LEADERS IN THE ACC
Three players on Virginia’s 2000-01 roster were leaders in the ACC in a number of statistical categories a year ago. Schuye LaRue is the league’s returning field goal percentage leader (57.9) and one of the leaders in blocks per game as she tied for first with an average of 1.4 last season. Svetlana Volnaya is the conference’s returning leader in three-point field goal percentage (42.9) and Telisha Quarles is the returning leader in three-point field goals per game (1.9).
HONORS CANDIDATES
Three starters return from last year’s Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship team and each one is an All-American candidate. Schuye LaRue, Svetlana Volnaya, and Telisha Quarles combined to score 40.6 points per game and 15.0 rebounds last season. LaRue and Volnaya were Kodak Honorable Mention All-Americans last year and both were selected to the Preseason All-ACC team for 2000-01. Quarles set the school record for three-point field goals in a season (63) last year. The junior guard averaged 15.5 points per game against ranked opponents in 1999-00.
TAYLOR JOINS THE COACHING STAFF
Tim Taylor, who served as assistant coach at Furman University the past two seasons, joins the Virginia coaching staff in 2000-01. He replaces long-time assistant Shawn Campbell who left to join Dawn Staley’s staff at Temple.
Taylor, a 1989 graduate of James Madison University, was the recruiting coordinator at Furman and brought in two Top 50 recruiting classes to the Paladin program. Furman finished second in the Southern Conference during the regular season a year ago, won the conference tournament, and received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. From 1995-98, Taylor was the head coach for girls basketball and softball at Woodbridge High School in Woodbridge, Va. Taylor began his coaching career as the assistant boys and girls basketball coach at Madison County (Va.) High School.