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Nov. 16, 2001

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Game 1: Friday, Nov. 16
*Season Opener*
Virginia (0-0)
at Hampton (0-0)
Convocation Center (7,200), Hampton, Va.
7 p.m. (WINA Radio)

Virginia Probable Starters

No Player Pos. Ht. Elig. Hometown PPG RPG FG% FT%
23 Bethany LeSueur F 5-10 Fr. Garden City, N.Y.
32 Brandi Teamer F 6-0 Fr. Joliet, Ill.
44 Jocelyn Logan-Friend C 6-1 Fr. Cheverly, Md.
10 Telisha Quarles G 5-8 Sr. Louisa, Va. 11.6 2.6 .373 .776
20 Safiya Grant G 5-6 So. Bronx, N.Y. 1.8 0.3 .400 .833

Key Reserves

No Player Pos. Ht. Elig. Hometown PPG RPG FG% FT%
12 LaTonya Blue G/F 5-9 Fr. Baltimore, Md.
21 Anna Prillaman G 5-10 So. Midlothian, Va. 6.1 3.0 .519 .828
33 Kathy Allen F 6-1 Sr. Green Lane, Pa.
41 Anna Crosswhite F 6-1 So. Castlecrag, Australia 3.8 2.1 .355 .545
54 Lynette O’Reggio C 6-4 Fr. Laurel, Md.

THIS WEEK: The Virginia Cavaliers (0-0) open the 2001-02 season withtworoad games. In the season opener on Friday, Nov. 16, UVA travels toHampton(0-0) for a 7 p.m. contest. On Monday, Nov. 19, the Cavaliers visitintrastate rival Richmond for a 7 p.m. contest. Virginia returns toUniversity Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 20 for its home opener with Liberty at7:30p.m. All UVA games will be broadcast on WINA Radio (1070 AM) with JedWilliams calling the action and Myron Ripley providing color analysis.

JUST FOR OPENERS: In its 28-year history, Virginia stands 25-3 inseasonopeners. The Cavaliers are also 26-2 in home openers. Last season UVAopened both its home and regular season with a 100-61 drubbing of MountSt.Mary’s in the Preseason WNIT.

SCOUTING HAMPTON: The Lady Pirates, under the direction of fifth-yearheadcoach Patricia Cage Bibbs, host UVA in the season opener for bothsquads.Hampton finished the 2001 campaign at 14-15 overall. The Lady Piratesreturn all five starters, including leading scorer Lashondra Dixon whoaveraged 14.9 ppg last season.

PIRATES SERIES: Virginia holds a 1-0 series edge over Hampton. In theironlymeeting on Feb. 19, 2001, UV claimed a 75-72 win at University Hall.

SCOUTING RICHMOND: The Spiders, under the guidance of sixth-year headcoachBob Foley, host Virginia on Monday, Nov. 19, after opening the seasonwithVirginia Tech. In preseason action, UR defeated M.I. Express 113-59 asallfive starters netted double digit scoring. Last season Richmond went16-12.

SPIDER SERIES: Virginia holds a perfect 9-0 series record againstRichmondsince the teams first met in 1980. Last season in Charlottesville, UVAwon83-76.

SCOUTING LIBERTY: The Flames, under the tutelage of third-year headcoachCarey Green, open the 2002 season at Michigan State’s Classic beforevisiting Charlottesville. In preseason action, Liberty defeatedLongwood,68-54, paced by junior Michelle Fricke’s 19-point, 11-rebound effort. Ayearago, Liberty finished 18-12.

FLAME SERIES: The Cavaliers stand a perfect 4-0 against Liberty inseriesaction. Last year in Charlottesville, UVA picked up a 73-46 win.

IN THE POLLS: Virginia received votes in the ESPN/USA Today coaches’poll,released Nov. 12. The Cavaliers also received votes in the preseasonAssociated Press writers’ poll and the CNN/Sports Illustrated poll.

MARDI GRAS: The Cavaliers hit the tournament trail over the holidays.UVAtravels to New Orleans for Tulane’s Christmas Tournament on Dec. 28-29.Virginia takes on Long Island in the tourney’s first round.

ACC PRESEASON PICKS: Defending ACC champion Duke was picked to repeataschampion this season. Virginia was picked to finish eighth.

2001-02 ACC Women’s Basketball
Preseason Poll

  1. Duke 372
  2. North Carolina 297
  3. N. C. State 273
  4. Maryland 246
  5. Clemson 213
  6. Florida State 198
  7. Georgia Tech 120
  8. VIRGINIA 117
  9. Wake Forest 54

YOUNG BUT HUNGRY: The Cavaliers return just four players from lastseason’steam that reached the NCAA Tournament. Virginia features eight newplayerson its 13-player roster, including five freshmen.

HEAD COACH DEBBIE RYAN: Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan embarks upon her25th season as a head coach. During her UVA tenure, Ryan has posted a544-197 record. The seven-time ACC Coach-of-the-Year has guided theCavaliers to 18 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, 20 postseasonappearances, three Final Four berths, and 11 ACC championship titles.

SILVER ANNIVERSARY: Cavalier head coach Debbie Ryan celebrates her 25thseason as a head coach, spending all 25 years at Virginia. Thearchitect ofthe Cavalier program since the 1978 season, Ryan became just the sixthcoachin NCAA Division I women’s basketball history to achieve 500 career winsin1999.

PRESEASON ACTION: Virginia captured a 72-67 win over the Houston Jaguarsinexhibition action. Freshman LaTonya Blue (Baltimore, Md.) led allplayerswith 17 points, while sophomore Anna Prillaman (Midlothian, Va.) added12points.

ON THE TUBE: Virginia will make at least seven television appearancesthisseason. The Cavaliers, who will appear on the Regional Sports Network(FoxSports Net South and Sunshine Network), take on defending ACC championDukeon ESPN2 on Jan. 20.

HITTING THE AIRWAVES: Every women’s basketball game is broadcast on WINARadio (1070 AM). Ten contests will also air on the statewide VirginiaSports Radio Network.

Network Affiliates
WINA (1070 AM) Charlottesville
WHEE (1370 AM) Martinsville
WRNL (910 AM) Richmond
WZXI (95.7 FM) Staunton
WISE (90.5 FM) Wise

CALL-IN SHOW: The Off the Bench with Debbie Ryan radio call-in show willairevery week, beginning Monday, Dec. 3, from 6-7 p.m. on WINA (1070 AM).Hosted by radio personality Jed Williams, Ryan fields questions live atBW3in the Barracks Road Shopping Center. To participate, fans may dial(434)977-1070.

CLASS OF 2005: Virginia welcomes five freshmen to the squad this fall.Joining the Cavaliers are 5-9 guard LaTonya Blue (Baltimore, Md.), 5-10guard Bethany LeSueur (Garden City, N.Y.), 6-1 forward JocelynLogan-Friend(Cheverly, Md.), 6-4 center Lynette O’Reggio (Laurel, Md.), and 6-0forwardBrandi Teamer (Joliet, Ill.).

NEW ROLE: Senior Kathy Allen (Green Lane, Pa.) knows more aboutVirginiabasketball than the average player. She served as the team’s manager forherfirst three seasons. This season Allen will don a UVA uniform.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR: Virginia sports two student-athletes from outsidetheU.S. In her second season, sophomore forward Anna Crosswhite hails fromCastlecrag, Australia. Newcomer Liz Sahin, from Hatay, Turkey, entersherfirst season at UVA after spending two seasons at Palm Beach (Fla.)Community College.

SAHIN TO MISS FOUR GAMES: Junior college transfer Liz Sahin (Hatay,Turkey),is ineligible for Virginia’s first four games. She will not be in actionuntil the November 26 home game against Howard. The NCAA declared Sahinineligible because of her participation with Fenerbache Sports Club ofTurkey. She will miss one game for every five she played withFenerbache.Sahin was granted permission to play in Virginia’s second exhibitiongameafter missing the first. She will continue to practice with the team.

OVER THE SUMMER: During the summer, Debbie Ryan served as head coach ofUSABasketball’s women’s team at the World University Games in Beijing,China.She guided the squad to its first gold medal since 1997 with a 87-69victory over host China.

DID YOU KNOW . . .
* Forward Anna Crosswhite (Castlecrag, Australia) comes from an athleticfamily. Her father Perry played on the Australian Olympic Team, hermotherJanice was a hurdles champion, and her sister Julia played on theAustralianJunior squad in 1996.

* Forward Marcie Dickson (Maplewood, N.J.), who’s pursuing a degree inbroadcast journalism, worked as the station manager for the TV stationandbroadcast media center at Columbia HS.

* Guard Safiya Grant (Bronx, N.Y.) was a three-year starter for theCentralPark East HS volleyball team.

* Guard Anna Prillaman’s older brother Brett plays football at VMI.

* Guard Telisha Quarles (Louisa, Va.) is the lone senior on this year’ssquad with UVA playing experience.

* Forward Kathy Allen’s younger brother Nick plays basketball forVillanova.

* Guard LaTonya Blue’s favorite color is “blue”.

* Forward Jocelyn Logan-Friend has six sisters. She is the secondoldest.

* Guard Cherrise Graham (Conshohocken, Pa.) transferred to UVA fromPurdueand will sit out this season.

* Guard Bethany LeSueur has a twin brother Peter, who plays lacrosse atJohns Hopkins.

* Forward Lynette O’Reggio (Laurel, Md.) has worn No. 54 since shebeginningplaying basketball at age 11.

* Junior Liz Sahin is the youngest of seven children.

* Forward Brandi Teamer played three sports- basketball, volleyball, andtennis- at The Miller School (Fla.).

UP NEXT: Virginia takes to the road again on Monday, Nov. 19 with ashorttrip to Richmond. Tip-off at the Robins Center is set for 7 p.m. TheCavaliers’ first home game is Tuesday, Nov. 20 against Liberty at 7:30p.m.in University Hall.

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