TicketsOct. 21, 2010
NEW YORK - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team was picked to finish 15th in the 2010-11 BIG EAST Coaches' Poll, the league announced on Thursday (Oct. 21).
Head coach Jamelle Elliott enters her second season with the Bearcats as the only current BIG EAST women's basketball head coach who also played in the league. Last season, UC finished the season 12-18, with four conference wins, a one-win improvement over the 2009-10 season. Senior point guard Shareese Ulis is the Bearcats' leading returning scorer, having averaged 11.4 points per game last season.
Defending national champion Connecticut was the unanimous choice for preseason favorite. West Virginia was picked second, followed by Georgetown, Notre Dame, St. John's, and DePaul.
Rutgers was chosen seventh, Louisville eighth, Syracuse ninth, and Marquette rounds out the Top 10.
USF was picked 11th, followed by Providence, Pittsburgh, Villanova, UC, and Seton Hall under the league's only rookie head coach, Anne Donovan.
Connecticut senior all-American Maya Moore has been selected by the league's head coaches as the unanimous 2010-11 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year for the third straight season. Connecticut guard Bria Hartley was chosen as the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.
The 2011 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Championship returns to the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., for the eighth straight year. After a successful championship in 2010 that saw attendance increases and again was the national leader among other conferences, the five-day, 15-game event returns March 4-8, 2011. All 16 teams battle for the conference title and will earn the league's automatic bid to the 64-team NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.
The Bearcats open the 2010-11 season with an exhibition game against Northern Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in Fifth Third Arena. The regular season opener is set for Nov. 12 against Southwest Baptist, an 11 a.m. tipoff and Elementary School Day. Season tickets are available now. Log on to CATSTIX.com or call 1-877-CATS-TIX for more information or to order your tickets today!
2010-11 Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll 1. Connecticut (15)
2. West Virginia (1)
3. Georgetown
4. Notre Dame
5. St. John's
6. DePaul
7. Rutgers
8. Louisville
9. Syracuse
10. Marquette
11. USF
12. Providence
13. Pittsburgh
14. Villanova
15. Cincinnati
16. Seton Hall
Preseason Player of the Year
*Maya Moore, Connecticut, Sr., F
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Bria Hartley, Connecticut, G
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
*Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame, So., G
Keisha Hampton, DePaul, Jr., F
*Tiffany Hayes, Connecticut, Jr., G
Sarah Miles, West Virginia, Sr., G
Monique Reid, Louisville, Jr., F
Liz Repella, West Virginia, Sr., G
Angel Robinson, Marquette, Sr., G
*Sugar Rodgers, Georgetown, So., G
Shenneika Smith, St. John's, So., G
Da'Shena Stevens, St. John's, Jr., F
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Erica Morrow, Syracuse, Sr., G
Deirdre Naughton, DePaul, Sr., G
Sam Quigley, DePaul, Sr., G
Khadijah Rushdan, Rutgers, R-Jr., G
* - unanimous selections