Oct. 23, 2008
NEW YORK – The Notre Dame women’s basketball team has been projected to finish fourth in the BIG EAST Conference this season, according to a preseason vote of the league’s 16 head coaches that was announced during Thursday’s BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Media Day at the ESPN Zone in New York City. The Irish collected 182 points, with Connecticut (14 first-place votes, 224 points), Rutgers (one first-place vote, 201 points) and Louisville (one first-place vote, 200 points) joining Notre Dame in the top four.
In addition, senior guard Lindsay Schrader (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) was chosen as a Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention selection, one of 14 players to garner preseason all-conference status. Schrader averaged 10.3 points and a team-high 6.2 rebounds per game last season while scoring in double figures 21 times. A 2008 honorable mention all-BIG EAST selection, Schrader is one of three starters and seven monogram winners back for the Irish from last year’s 25-9 club that finished fourth in the BIG EAST and advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 for the seventh time in the past 12 seasons.
Now in its second week of preseason practice, Notre Dame will tip off its 2008-09 season on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. (ET) with an exhibition game against Gannon at the Joyce Center. The game will be broadcast live on radio in the South Bend area on Pulse FM (96.9/92.1), and televised live worldwide on the official Notre Dame athletics web site (www.UND.com), with veteran broadcaster Bob Nagle on the call. Tickets for all Irish women’s basketball games this season are available through the Notre Dame Athletics Ticket Office (574-631-7356; Joyce Center Gate 1) and the tickets page at UND.com.
— ND —
2008-09 BIG EAST Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Connecticut (14) 224 points
2. Rutgers (1) 201
3. Louisville (1) 200
4. NOTRE DAME 182
5. Pittsburgh 162
6. Syracuse 156
7. Marquette 147
8. DePaul 132
9. West Virginia 109
10. Villanova 85
11. Georgetown 77
12. South Florida 76
13. St. John’s 66
14. Seton Hall 40
15. Cincinnati 33
16. Providence 30
NOTE: First-place votes in parentheses
2008-09 BIG EAST Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year – Maya Moore, Connecticut, So., F
Preseason Freshman of the Year – April Sykes, Rutgers, Fr., G/F
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Candyce Bingham, Louisville, Sr., F
*Tina Charles, Connecticut, Jr., C
*Krystal Ellis, Marquette, Sr., G
Shantia Grace, USF, Sr., G
Chandrea Jones, Syracuse, Sr., G
*Angel McCoughtry, Louisville, Sr., F
Renee Montgomery, Connecticut, Sr., G
*Maya Moore, Connecticut, So., F
*Epiphanny Prince, Rutgers, Jr., G
Kia Vaughn, Rutgers, Sr., C
*Shavonte Zellous, Pittsburgh, Sr.-RS, G
* – unanimous selection
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Laura Kurz, Villanova, Sr., F
Deirdre Naughton, DePaul, Jr., G
Lindsay Schrader, Notre Dame, Sr., G