Aug. 13, 2001
NORFOLK, VA.-- The 2001-02 Old Dominion University Lady Monarchbasketball schedule, announced today by athletic director Jim Jarrett, will be one of theprogram's most competitive in history. Highlighting the slate are home dates withformer national champions Connecticut, North Carolina, Penn State and Seton Hall,road games to six-time national champion Tennessee, national powers Rutgers, andN.C. State and a strengthened conference with new CAA members Delaware, Drexel, Hofstra, and Towson.
The Lady Monarchs, 10-time consecutive CAA champions and three-time national champions, are anticipated to be among the nation's elite squads in 2001-02, with pre-season Top 10 rankings expected. Bolstered by the return of 2000 CAA Playerof the Year Lucienne Berthieu (Rennes, France), 2001 CAA Player of the Year Hamchetou Maiga (Bamako, Mali), and first-team CAA member Okeisha Howard(Va. Beach, Va.), the Lady Monarchs will also be strengthened by the addition ofnational Junior College player of the year Evelina Nhassengo (Maputo, Mozambique).
In the final year of tradition of the ODU fieldhouse, it is our hope that this team will return some of the excitement to the building that the great teams before them havegenerated," says head coach Wendy Larry. "Great crowds have played a key role in thesuccess of the Lady Monarch program, and we challenge the people of Hampton Roadsto fill up the fieldhouse a final time in our quest for another national championship."
Old Dominion will open the season at home on Nov. 16 against new CAA member Towson and host ACC power North Carolina on Sunday, Dec. 2, and Top 20power Penn State on Dec. 6. The University of Connecticut will visit the fieldhouseon Saturday, Dec. 29, in their first trip to the fieldhouse since an 82-77 loss to theLady Monarchs in 1999. In addition, the team will host first-time meeting with Seton Hall of the Big East on Dec. 14. The road schedule will feature games with N.C. Stateon Nov. 26, the University of Denver on Dec. 20, Tennessee on Jan. 8 and Rutgers on Feb. 1. An 18-game CAA schedule will include the program's first meetings with thefour new league members and Old Dominion will host the CAA tournament at thefieldhouse, March 6-9, 2002.
This will be the Lady Monarchs' final season in the fieldhouse, as the Universityexpects to open the Ted Constant Convocation Center on campus in the fall of 2002. The women's basketball teams have played all their games in the fieldhouse since itsopening in 1970 and amassed an amazing 674-224 record in the building, including anational record-64 game win streak that extended from Feb. 4, 1977 to Feb. 16, 1981.
"I expect sell-out crowds as the Lady Monarchs play their final season in the fieldhouse. The memories and traditions of a Lady Monarch basketball program that has played a significant role in the growth of women's basketball, a strong home schedule and the opportunity to host the CAA tournament are all part of the excitement that willbring standing room only crowds for the final fieldhouse chapter," says Jarrett.
"I believe the current Lady Monarch team with coach Wendy Larry's outstanding leadership will have an outstanding year that will bring national recognitionto Old Dominion University. I encourage our fans to buy season tickets early in orderto insure that they will be a part of this outstanding season," Jarrett adds.
The Lady Monarchs will get a head start on preparation for this season, as theydepart tomorrow for a 10-day, five-game exhibition tour in Italy, that includes a gameagainst the Italian junior national team. Fans can follow the team's success at odusports.com.
Season tickets are available for purchase now by calling the Athletic TicketOffice at 683-4444.
2001-02 OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
November
Wed.7BASKETBALL TRAVELERS (exh.)7:35 p.m.
Tue.13MI EXPRESS (exh.)7:35 p.m.
Fri.16TOWSON*7:35 p.m.
Mon.19at Virginia TechTBA
Fri.23at Virginia Commonwealth*TBA
Mon.26at N.C. StateTBA
December
Sun.2NORTH CAROLINATBA
Thu.6PENN STATE7:35 p.m.
Fri.14SETON HALL7:35 p.m.
Thu.20at DenverTBA
Sat.29CONNECTICUTTBA
January
Tue.1at William & Mary*TBA
Fri.4VA. COMMONWEALTH*7:35 p.m.
Tue.8at TennesseeTBA
Fri.11at Delaware*7:00 p.m.
Sun.13at George Mason*2:00 p.m.
Thu.17HOFSTRA*7:35 p.m.
Sun.20DREXEL*TBA
Thu.24at UNC Wilmington*7:00 p.m.
Sun.27at James Madison*2:00 p.m.
February
Fri.1at RutgersTBA
Sun.3at Towson*TBA
Fri.8GEORGE MASON*7:35 p.m.
Sun.10DELAWARE*TBA
Fri.15UNC WILMINGTON*7:35 p.m.
Sun.17JAMES MADISON *2:00 p.m.
Fri.22at Hofstra*TBA
Sun.24at Drexel*TBA
March
Fri.1WILLIAM & MARY*7:35 p.m.
6-9CAA TOURNAMENTat Old Dominion
(Times are subject to change)
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