Sept. 16, 2008
2008-09 Old Dominion Women's Basketball Schedule in PDF Format
NORFOLK, Va. -- Do you believe? The Old Dominion women's basketball team believes they have what it takes to capture their 18th consecutive Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title and make a run deep into the NCAA Tournament. The 2008-09 schedule, released on Tuesday, certainly proves the Lady Monarchs have a test in front of them with four opponents that reached NCAA last year, including national champion Tennessee, four WNIT participants, among them runner-up Michigan State, a season-opening tournament at Texas, and a challenging CAA slate.
"Year in and year out we attempt to bring the best that women's basketball has to offer to the Hampton Roads area," said head coach Wendy Larry, who enters her 22nd season at the helm of the Lady Monarch program. "This year is certainly no exception. Our league continues to get stronger and stronger and now ranks 11th in the RPI ranking out of the 31 Division I conferences in the country."
The 2008-09 season kicks off at the World Vision Classic hosted by the University of Texas November 15th-17th. Tournament play begins with the Lady Monarchs meeting St. Mary's of California on Saturday, November 15th, followed by a match-up with Dayton on Sunday, November 16th, and culminating with a game against host Texas on Monday, November 17th.
The University of Virginia, which the Lady Monarch defeated in an epic Second Round NCAA Tournament game, will serve as ODU's home opener on Homecoming on Friday, November 21st.
Old Dominion will then hit the road to face WNIT runner-up Michigan State on Wednesday, November 26th before returning home for a four-game home stand. The homestand kicks off against Norfolk State on Sunday, November 30th and St. Joseph's on Friday, December 12th. The homestand continues with a pair of national powerhouses. National champion Tennessee comes to Norfolk on Thursday, December 18th, and Maryland, who reached the "Elite Eight" a season ago, comes to the Constant Center on Sunday, December 21st.
The non-conference schedule comes to a close on Friday, January 2nd as Old Dominion travels to Ole Miss.
CAA actions kicks off on Monday, January 5th when the Lady Monarchs welcomes CAA runner-up and WNIT participant Virginia Commonwealth to the Ted Constant Convocation Center. Other CAA home dates include George Mason on Thursday, January 15th, Georgia State on Sunday, January 18th, James Madison on Sunday, January 25th, Northeastern on Thursday, February 5th, UNC-Wilmington on Sunday, February 8th, Delaware in the annual "Hoops for a Cure" game on Sunday, February 15th, and Towson on Thursday, February 26th. William & Mary will serve as the Lady Monarch's final regular season opponent on "Senior Day" on Wednesday, March 4th.
Old Dominion's first conference contest on the road will be UNC-Wilmington on Thursday, January 8th. The Lady Monarchs will also travel to Northeastern on Sunday, January 11th, William & Mary on Thursday, January 22nd, Georgia State on Thursday, January 29th, Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday, February 1st, Drexel on Thursday February 12th, Hofstra on Thursday, February 19th, George Mason on Sunday, February 22nd, and James Madison on Sunday, March 1st.
Old Dominion's quest for its NCAA record 18th straight CAA title will take place Thursday, March 12th through Sunday, March 15th at the 2009 CAA Women's Basketball Tournament hosted by James Madison at the JMU Convocation Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
All times and dates are subject to change. The television schedule will be released at a future date.
The 2008-09 Lady Monarchs return eight letterwinners and two starters from last year's "Sweet 16" team. Among the returnees are Second Team All-CAA honoree, CAA leading shot blocker, and Lady Monarch leading rebounder senior forward/center Tiffany Green (Chesapeake, Va.), CAA assist leader senior guard Jazzmin Walters (Norfolk, Va.), and Third Team All-CAA selection and CAA field goal percentage leader junior Jessica Canady (Williamsburg, Va.).