Women's Team Picked Ninth
October 22, 2009 11:46 AM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
October 22, 2009
BIG EAST MEDIA DAY VIDEO
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia women’s basketball team has been picked ninth in the Preseason Big East Coaches Poll, announced today by the conference. WVU received 121 points to garner a ninth-place vote for the second straight season.
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| Liz Repella's outstanding sophomore season earned her a spot on the preseason all-conference team.
Allison Toffle Photo |
The Mountaineers lose two starters from a season ago, but return all three of their key injuries in Vanessa House, Madina Ali and Jessica Capers. WVU also brings in a tremendous recruiting class that includes top 50 recruit Asya Bussie and top 100 recruits Akeema Richards and Antishia Wright.
“I think our players worked extremely hard all summer, so we’re very excited,” coach Mike Carey said. “We have some players back from injury, we have some good freshmen and some returning players that played last year. We’re very excited, our bench is going to be deeper this year than last year.”
WVU also brings back two of its top three scorers from last year in guards Liz Repella and Sarah Miles. Repella, an all-Big East second team player in 2009, was named to the preseason all-Big East team after being just one of four players to finish in the top 10 in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg) last season.
Miles, who won the conference’s most improved player award in 2009, finished her sophomore season averaging 12.2 points and 5.3 rebounds after playing mostly at point guard.
WVU finished 18-15 overall last season en route to its trip to the WNIT. The Mountaineers were strong in non-conference action, posting a 13-4 mark, and look to improve their competitiveness within the Big East to assure themselves of a return trip to the NCAA Tournament.
“We think we’re going to be better this year, how much depends on how we mesh as a team,” Carey said. “We have no seniors on this team so it’s going to be a learning curve for a lot of them, even players that got injured last year and are coming back in. It’s going to be a lot of fun and we’re looking forward to the season.”
Once again, defending NCAA champion Connecticut was picked to win the conference, receiving 15 of 16 first-place votes. Notre Dame took the other vote and was predicted to finish second, while DePaul and NCAA runner-up Louisville tied for third.
Pitt followed in fifth, and trailing the Panthers are Rutgers, Syracuse and Georgetown. Behind WVU in tenth are Marquette, USF, St. John’s, Villanova and Seton Hall. Providence and Cincinnati own the last two spots in the poll.
“I think seven, eight teams can make the NCAA Tournament again. If you look at it from last year, out of 16 schools, 13 went to the postseason,” Carey added. “The Big East won the WNIT and won the national championship game, with two Big East teams in the game. It was very strong and I would be very surprised if seven or eight didn’t go again to the NCAAs.”
WVU begins its regular season with a home matchup against Towson in the Preseason WNIT on Nov. 13. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
