Oct. 17, 2007
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 17, 2007) - Old Dominion, which has captured the past 16 Colonial Athletic Association women's basketball titles, was picked to repeat as conference champion in 2007-08 according to a vote of the league's coaches, sports information directors and media. The results of the poll were announced during Wednesday's CAA Basketball Media Day at the ESPN Zone in Washington, D.C.
The Lady Monarchs, who posted their 16th consecutive 20-win season last year, were followed in the voting by James Madison, William & Mary, VCU and Delaware. Picked sixth was Towson, followed by Hofstra, Drexel, Georgia State, Northeastern, UNC Wilmington, and George Mason.
ODU returns two starters from last season's 24-9 squad. Headlining the list is senior guard TJ Jordan, who was a first-team All-CAA selection after averaging 14.5 points and draining a league-high 101 three-pointers a year ago. The Lady Monarchs also return center/forward Tiffany Green, who averaged 8.4 points and 6.0 rebounds. Head coach Wendy Larry will also look to returnees Tamara Ransburg (7.7 ppg), Shahida Williams(7.1 ppg) and Jazzmin Walters (3.3 apg).
James Madison, which went 27-6 and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament last year, returns two-time first team All-CAA guard Tamera Young. The senior averaged 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game and also led the team in steals (68). Senior forward Jennifer Brown, who averaged 5.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per outing off the bench a year ago, will step into a more prominent role. Also back are junior forward Kisha Stokes and senior guard Jasmin Lawrence.
Head coach Debbie Taylor welcomes back four starters, including a trio of double-digit scorers, to the William & Mary line-up that posted a 19-12 record last season. Senior forward Kyra Kaylor led the Tribe in scoring (14.8 ppg) and rebounding (9.2 rpg) to earn first team All-CAA accolades for the second year in a row and senior Devin James returns after contributing 12.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. William & Mary will also get a lift from the return of injured junior forward Dani Kell (12.6 ppg).
VCU recorded its most victories in over a decade last season with a 17-13 record. Head coach Beth Cunningham welcomes back 10 letterwinners, including three starters. Senior Krystal Vaughn, a second team All-CAA selection, led the Rams averaging 15.2 points per outing last season and adding 6.8 rebounds. Junior Quanitra Hollingsworth, second team All-CAA honoree, returns after posting 13.7 points and a team-best 9.4 rebounds per game. Senior guard LeKea Jones averaged 6.0 points and 3.1 rebounds per game for VCU.
For the first time ever in CAA history, three women's basketball teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Hofstra represented the conference in the WNIT, which marked the second straight season the CAA had four women's basketball teams advance to post season action. Seven of the 15 members from last year's All-CAA team will return for the 2007-08 season, including three first-team honorees.
James Madison's Tamera Young was chosen as the CAA Preseason Player of the Year. She is joined on the preseason All-CAA first team by VCU's Hollingsworth, Old Dominion's Jordan, William & Mary's Kaylor and Drexel's Gabriela Marginean.
Voted to the pre-season All-CAA second team were Towson's Shanae Baker-Brice, Delaware's Kyle DeHaven, ODU's Green, Georgia State's Brittany Hollins, Northeastern's Shaleyse Smallwood and VCU's Vaughn.
2007-08 CAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Old Dominion2. James Madison3. William & Mary4. VCU5. Delaware6. Towson7. Hofstra8. Drexel9. Georgia State10. Northeastern11. UNC Wilmington12. George Mason
2007-08 CAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRE-SEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
First Team Cl. Pos. Ht. Hometown/High SchoolQuanitra Hollingsworth, VCU# Jr. C 6-5 Chesapeake, Va./Great BridgeTJ Jordan, Old Dominion* Sr. G 5-8 Portsmouth, Va./WilsonKyra Kaylor, William & Mary* Sr. F 6-0 Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. ClairGabriela Marginean, Drexel^ So. F 6-1 Cluj-Napoca, Romania/Mt. De Chantal Academy (W.V.)Tamera Young, James Madison* Sr. G 6-2 Wilmington, N.C./Laney
Second Team Cl. Pos. Ht. Hometown/High School/Previous SchoolShanae Baker-Brice, Towson So. G 5-6 Washington, D.C./Theodore RooseveltKyle DeHaven, Delaware Sr. G 5-8 Herndon, Va./Herndon/William & MaryTiffany Green, Old Dominion Jr. C/F 6-2 Chesapeake, Va./Indian RiverBrittany Hollins, Georgia State Jr. G 5-9 Columbia, S.C./ColumbiaShaleyse Smallwood, Northeastern^ Sr. G 5-5 Boston, Mass./O'BryantKrystal Vaughn, VCU# Sr. F 6-1 Baltimore, Md./Lake Clifton-Eastern
* - All-CAA 1st team in 2006-07# - All-CAA 2nd team in 2006-07^ - All-CAA 3rd team in 2006-07
Honorable Mention:Devin James, Sr., G/F, William & MarySahsha Taylor, Jr., G/F, UNC WilmingtonLateisha Wade, Sr., G, George Mason
CAA Pre-Season Player of the Year: Tamera Young, James Madison