Big Ten Network : Women's Basketball Top Stories

BIG TOP: Watch Big Ten Women's Basketball Preview show

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 12:15:00 +0000

BIG TOP: Watch Big Ten Women's Basketball Preview show

OSU's Lavender named to preseason AP team

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 18:35:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State junior center Jantel Lavender has been named to the Associated Press' 2009-10 Preseason Women's All-America basketball team. She is only the second women's player at Ohio State to be named to the five-member preseason squad. Former Buckeye All-American Jessica Davenport was the first. A 2009 WBCA All-American and the Big Ten's Player of the Year the last two seasons, Lavender recently was picked to win her third conference player of the year honor last week at Big Ten media day in Chicago. The junior also is a member of the preseason Wade and Wooden award watch lists after finishing last season first in the conference and 11th in the nation with 20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Reigning Big Ten freshman of the year Samantha Prahalis also received consideration for the preseason squad. Led by Lavender, Ohio State, ranked No. 3 in the preseason AP poll, was tabbed by the conference coaches and media to win the program's sixth straight Big Ten title. The Buckeyes return four starters from last year's 29-6 squad that won the Big Ten championship and tournament before advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. Below is the Associated Press' 2009-10 preseason women's All-America basketball team, with school, height, year, key stats from last season and votes from a 40-member national media panel: Maya Moore, Connecticut, 6-0, junior, 19.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg, .521 fg pct (40 votes) Jayne Appel, Stanford, 6-4, senior, 16.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg, .602 fg pct (34) Tina Charles, Connecticut, 6-4, senior, 16.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg, .620 fg pct (28) Jantel Lavender, Ohio State, 6-4, junior, 20.8 ppg, 10.7 rpg, .541 fg pct (20) Monica Wright, Virginia, 5-11, senior, 20.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 117 3-pointers (20) Others receiving votes (in alphabetical order): Ashley Barlow, Notre Dame; Angie Bjorklund, Tennessee; Alysha Clark, Middle Tennessee State; Elena Delle Donne, Delaware; Alexis Gray-Lawson, California; Brittney Griner, Baylor; Allison Hightower, LSU; Danielle McCray, Kansas; Deirdre Naughton, DePaul; Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford; Samantha Prahalis, Ohio State; Andrea Riley, Oklahoma State; Danielle Robinson, Oklahoma; Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga.

Media, coaches pick OSU women

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:33:00 +0000

PARK RIDGE, Ill. – Ohio State junior Jantel Lavender was selected as the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year by the conference coaches and a panel of media members, the Big Ten Conference announced on Thursday. Lavender's Buckeyes were selected to finish first in the conference standings by both groups. An All-American and the Big Ten's Player of the Year last season, Lavender earns her second Preseason Player of the Year nod. The junior is a member of the preseason Wade and Wooden award watch lists after finishing last season first in the conference and 11th in the nation with 20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Lavender is the unanimous Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches and a unanimous member of both the coaches and media Preseason All-Big Ten teams. Led by Lavender, Ohio State was tabbed by the conference coaches and media to win the program's sixth straight Big Ten title. The Buckeyes return four starters from last year's 29-6 squad that won the Big Ten Championship and Tournament before advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. Among OSU's returnees are last year's Big Ten Freshman of the Year Samantha Prahalis, a Preseason All-Conference selection, and two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Shavelle Little. Michigan State was selected to finish second by the coaches and the media, led by Preseason All-Big Ten selection Allyssa DeHaan. A member of the preseason Wade and Wooden award watch lists, DeHaan is the Big Ten's all-time leading blocker and is on pace to break the NCAA's all-time blocks record this season. The Spartans return all five starters from last year's team that went 22-11 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. The Big Ten coaches selected Minnesota to finish third, while the conference media members tabbed Purdue as their third-place finisher. The Gophers finished 20-12 last season and moved on to the second round of NCAA play, while Purdue ended the year at 25-11 with the program's second Elite Eight appearance in the last three years. Joining Lavender, Prahalis and DeHaan on the Preseason All-Big Ten team are Illinois' Jenna Smith, a unanimous pick by the coaches, and Penn State's Tyra Grant. Both players are also on the Preseason Wooden Award watch list. The complete results of the coaches and media preseason polls and All-Conference teams can be found on the below. PRESEASON COACHES POLL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL 1. Ohio State 1. Ohio State 2. Michigan State 2. Michigan State 3. Minnesota 3. Purdue 4. Purdue 4. Minnsota 5. Iowa 5. Iowa 6. Illinois 6. Illinois 7. Penn State 7. Wisconsin 8. Northwestern 8. Penn State 9. Indiana 9. Indiana 10. Wisconsin 10. Northwestern 11. Michigan 11. Michigan PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN COACHES TEAM PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN MEDIA TEAM JENNA SMITH, Sr., F, ILL Jenna Smith, Sr., F, ILL Allyssa DeHaan, Sr., C, MSU Allyssa DeHaan, Sr., C, MSU JANTEL LAVENDER, Jr., C, OSU JANTEL LAVENDER, Jr., C, OSU Samantha Prahalis, So., G, OSU Samantha Prahalis, So., G, OSU Tyra Grant, Sr., F, PSU Tyra Grant, Sr., F, PSU PRESEASON COACHES PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRESEASON MEDIA PLAYER OF THE YEAR JANTEL LAVENDER, Jr., C, OSU Jantel Lavender, Jr., C, OSU * Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS

OSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL; Buckeyes know they wear a target

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Expectations follow a winner as doggedly as a tailgating driver loves the other guy's rear bumper at rush hour. So Jantel Lavender wasn't surprised to learn yesterday that the Big Ten coaches and media had picked the Ohio State women's basketball team to win its sixth consecutive conference championship, or her to repeat for a third time as the player of the year. "In the conference aspect, we expect to be picked," said Lavender, the junior All-America center. "In the player aspect, I expect to be picked. You want to live up to those goals. I'm just ready because I know a lot is going to be thrown at us this year as a team and individually." She knows because she can hear the honking horns and feel the glaring eyes from people intent on passing. Michigan State, with five starters returning, was picked second in both polls. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes last season in East Lansing. Minnesota also pulled off a rare conference upset of OSU in Value City Arena. "Everybody wants to beat you," Lavender said. "They hate us. They want to be in our position. They want to feel what we feel. They want to take our spot. We have to constantly protect our title." Illinois coach Jolette Law has title designs, if not this year, then in the near future. She sees human nature in the rivalries. "It's not hate," she said. "It's just something that I want. Everybody always wants to be in that No. 1 spot. Ohio State just so happens to be in the No. 1 spot. I want to be where they are. I love Ohio State. But I want to be in that No. 1 spot." Catching the Buckeyes won't be easy because the sum of this year's team is more than Lavender's formidable physical presence and ability. Ohio State sophomore point guard Samantha Prahalis also was selected by the coaches and media for the preseason all-conference team along with seniors Jenna Smith of Illinois, Allyssa DeHaan of Michigan State and Tyra Grant of Penn State. Two-time conference defensive player of the year Shavelle Little also returns to the OSU lineup. "It's good that they picked us to win," Prahalis said. "But even if they didn't, we still have our own goals. We want to win, and we don't want them to win." OSU coach Jim Foster doesn't care for preseason (or in-season) polls. He does realize that his players are aware. "They've had some success and have been a target in the Big Ten for the last five or six years," he said. "I think you just get used to walking around with that on your shoulders. A team gets to make their month or their year (by beating us.) You can't let that happen. You can't let somebody who is not as good and doesn't work as hard walk out there and knock you off one night. You've got to handle the responsibility." jmassie@dispatch.com Box Story: Big Ten women's polls Preseason coaches poll 1. Ohio State 2. Michigan State 3. Minnesota 4. Purdue 5. Iowa 6. Illinois 7. Penn State 8. Northwestern 9. Indiana 10. Wisconsin 11. Michigan Coaches' preseason all-Big Ten team (all caps unanimous) JENNA SMITH, Illinois; Allyssa DeHaan, Michigan State; JANTEL LAVENDER, Ohio State; Samantha Prahalis, Ohio State; Tyra Grant, Penn State. Player of the year: LAVENDER Preseason media poll 1. Ohio State 2. Michigan State 3. Purdue 4. Minnesota 5. Iowa 6. Illinois 7. Wisconsin 8. Penn State 9. Indiana 10. Northwestern 11. Michigan Preseason media all-Big Ten Jenna Smith, Illinois; Allyssa DeHaan, Michigan State; JANTEL LAVENDER, Ohio State; Samantha Prahalis, Ohio State; Tyra Grant, Penn State. Player of the year: Lavender Copyright 2009 The Columbus DispatchAll Rights Reserved

BIG TOP: Big Ten Network to double number of streamed events this year

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 17:24:00 +0000

OHIO STATE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL; Buckeyes think greatness is near

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

At the end of the hourlong session with the local media yesterday, the 14 players on the Ohio State women's basketball team came together to shoot a promotional video to be shown on the scoreboard in Value City Arena. The energy of the moment immediately started to overflow, like a champagne bottle shaken and uncorked. Three players and then four, five and six bounced in unison. They laughed as the rest rushed to join the scrum and held onto one another in a manner that fairly begged for the new season to begin. That first game, Nov. 13 against Eastern Illinois in the opening round of the Preseason WNIT, remains a month away. The first full team practice arrives today. Each day between now and then is a bounce along the way to a shared goal. "We know what we have," sophomore point guard Samantha Prahalis said. "We have talent. We've just got to keep working hard every day." Prahalis, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, brightened at the mention of competition to come. "I'm just excited to play already," she said. "I think it's a great group. We all have chemistry. We all get along. It's fun to play with people that you love to get along with." The Buckeyes enter practice with four returning starters from a 29-6 team and a chance to win an unprecedented sixth consecutive conference regular-season championship. Three major preseason magazines rank them at No. 3 nationally, behind defending national champion Connecticut and runner-up Stanford. The presence of the electric Prahalis and junior All-America center Jantel Lavender, the two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, fuels the lofty expectations. That kind of on-paper motivation, however, isn't necessary. "I think about basketball all the time," Lavender said. "I dream about it. I constantly think about what I can do to make myself better. So if it means coming in and shooting 500 (three-pointers) a day, or if it means coming in and running extremely hard in conditioning, whatever it takes, I will do." Senior guard Shavelle Little, the defensive player of the year in the Big Ten for the past two years, spoke often last season about the closeness of the team. The new group, with five freshmen, already has a similar feel. "We were together all summer," Little said. "I think it has carried on and will only get stronger with the group that we have. This team is like a family. And there is so much passion. We have the talent and skills to go where we need to go. We just need to know that we're capable of doing bigger things." Lavender went to St. Louis for the Final Four in April to accept an All-America honor. She watched the proceedings and dreamed. "I said that I could see myself here," Lavender said. "Then I had a dream that it was us there. "The little shingle things came down and we were like screaming and jumping and hugging. It was great. Then I woke up, and I was like, 'Oh.' "Maybe the next two years." jmassie@dispatch.com Box Story: Ticket update All-session tickets for the 2010 Big Ten men's and women's basketball tournaments go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday. They can be purchased at all university ticket offices and Ticketmaster outlets, at Ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. The women's tournament is March 4-7, and the men's tournament is March 11-14 -- both at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Copyright 2009 The Columbus DispatchAll Rights Reserved

Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments all-session tickets on sale Monday, Oct. 19

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:45:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – All-session tickets for the 2010 Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments will go on sale to the general public on Monday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. EST. Tickets can be purchased at all 11 Big Ten university ticket offices, Conseco Fieldhouse box office, Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is the site of the women's tournament from March 4-7 and the men's tournament from March 11-14, with both events including 10 games over four days. For the men's basketball tournament, all-session tickets for the lower and club level are available for $275 through the 11 Big Ten universities only. All-session tickets for the upper level are available for $220 or $165 (depending on seat location) through Ticketmaster or the Conseco Fieldhouse box office only. Orders will be limited to 12 all-session tickets. In addition, the men's basketball tournament for the first time will also feature a special discounted rate of $50 for all-session tickets available only to students of the 11 Big Ten universities. Student section seating will be available in eight balcony sections and orders will be limited to four all-session tickets. Details on the student ticket program will be sent to the university ticket offices for distribution directly to students. For the women's basketball tournament, all-session tickets are available for $45 through January 18, which marks a 30-percent discount off the regular price of $65. Fans wishing to purchase all-session tickets within their university's fan block are encouraged to contact their school's ticket office. The Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments will call Indianapolis and Conseco Fieldhouse home through 2012. The 2010 tournaments mark the sixth time Indianapolis has hosted the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse and the Circle City's 15th Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament. The brackets for the 2010 Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments, along with information on tickets, travel, lodging, tournament history and more, will be available soon at both www.bigten.org and www.indianasportscorp.com. Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone Numbers Local to Big Ten Universities Champaign (217) 351-2626; Bloomington (812) 333-9955; Iowa City (319) 363-1888; Ann Arbor (248) 645-6666; East Lansing (517) 484-5656; Minneapolis (651) 989-5151; Evanston (312) 559-1212; Columbus (614) 431-3600; University Park (570) 693-4100; West Lafayette (765) 743-5151; Madison (608) 255-4646. The Big Ten Conference is an association of 11 world-class universities whose institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in student-athletes' lives and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. Big Ten universities provide in excess of $100 million in athletic scholarship aid to more than 8,500 men and women student athletes who compete for 25 championships, 12 for men and 13 for women. Conference institutions sponsor broad-based athletic programs with more than 270 teams. For more information, visit www.bigten.org. Indiana Sports Corporation is the amateur sports champion, stimulating economic growth, inspiring healthy kids, and creating vibrant communities throughout Indiana. Indiana Sports Corp was founded in 1979 as the nation's first sports commission. For more information, visit www.indianasportscorp.com.

Hoosiers sophomore to miss season with knee injury

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 15:17:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS(AP) Indiana sophomore Lindsay Enterline will miss the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during preseason conditioning. Coach Felisha Legette-Jack said Enterline's knee buckled while she was making a pass to a teammate. Legette-Jack confirmed the injury following the team's workout Thursday. Enterline played guard and forward on a senior-dominated team last season. She averaged 1.5 points per game and finished with 22 rebounds, six steals and four blocks in 26 games. Enterline was expected to have a bigger role this season.

Purdue's Poston out for the year

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 09:53:00 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Chantel Poston, a 5-10 sophomore guard on the Purdue women's basketball team, has injured the Achilles tendon in her right leg and is expected to miss the season. Poston will meet with a specialist on Monday and it is anticipated that surgery will be scheduled at that time. "It is a disappointing injury for Chantel and for our team, especially since Chantel had worked so hard and made such progress in the offseason,"" head coach Sharon Versyp said. ""Fortunately, she's in good hands. The medical staff for Purdue is among the best in the country and will ensure she makes a full recovery in as little time as possible." Poston suffered the injury while conditioning with the team on Thursday. The Milan, Tenn., native played in 35 of 36 games as a freshman, averaging 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 8.4 minutes per contest. She recorded a career-high 15 points and six rebounds against Portland on Nov. 20, 2008.

Two publications rank Ohio State at No. 3

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:03:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The buzz created from last season's run to the NCAA Sweet 16 has carried over into the 2009-10 campaign. Two preseason publications, Athlon and Lindy's, have the Ohio State women's basketball team at No. 3 in their respective preseason Top 25 rankings behind UConn and Stanford. Big Ten rival Michigan State, which also made it to the Sweet 16 last season, comes in at No. 5 and No. 7, respectively. Much of the preseason praise stems from Ohio State's potent inside-outside duo of Jantel Lavender and Samantha Prahalis. Lavender, who averaged 20.8 ppg and 10.7 rpg last season as a sophomore, took home State Farm/WBCA and USBWA All-America honors last season and also won Big Ten Player of the Year honors for the second-consecutive year. Prahalis was dubbed the Big Ten freshman of the year and led the Big Ten in assists with 5.8 per game. In addition, the Buckeyes return senior two-time Big Ten defensive player of the year in Shavelle Little. In all, Ohio State returns four starters from last season -- junior Brittany Johnson being the other -- and is coming off a record-setting 2008-09 campaign. The Buckeyes won their record-tying fifth-consecutive Big Ten regular-season championship, won the Big Ten tournament title and advanced all the way to the NCAA Sweet 16. They recorded 29 wins, which tied for the third-most in Division I. In addition to the preseason rankings, Lindy's placed Lavender and Prahalis on its preseason All-America second team. Lavender also was included on Athlon's preseason second team. Ohio State has two Top 10 opponents on its 2009-10 schedule with Duke and Michigan State. The season begins Nov. 13 at home against Eastern Illinois in the opening round of the WNIT. Athlon Preseason Top 10 1. UConn 2. Stanford 3. Ohio State 4. Duke 5. Michigan State 6. Texas 7. Xavier 8. Baylor 9. Georgia Tech 10. North Carolina Lindy's Preseason Top 10 1. UConn 2. Stanford 3. Ohio State 4. Tennessee 5. Notre Dame 6. Duke 7. Michigan State 8. Rutgers 9. Baylor 10. Oklahoma

Penn State's Quinn reflects on injury

Steve Heiser — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Meggan Quinn's college basketball career is over. After anterior cruciate ligament injuries to both of her knees, the former Red Lion High School standout has decided to stop playing for the Penn State Lady Lions. But the senior will still have an integral role with the Lady Lions this season. In fact, PSU coach Coquese Washington has decided to allow Quinn to serve as a non-playing captain for the 2009-2010 women's team. "It's been a long career here, and after both knee injuries and the career I'm pursuing (criminal justice), it's really not in my best interest to keep playing and having the possibility that (an ACL injury) might happen again." The 5-foot, 8-inch guard averaged a career-best 2.8 points per game last season at PSU, including a career-high 16 points against Coppin State on Nov. 29, 2008. She averaged 2.1 points for her college career. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient was also honored by her teammates and coaches with the Jeanette Goss Courage Award in 2009 and the Tom Caldwell "Unsung Hero" Award in 2008. Quinn, who is on track to graduate in May, made the decision to stop playing after talking to her surgeon. She said her knees are doing well, but she is still rehabbing them in an effort to get them to feel "as normal as possible." "I want to be able to run around with my kids at some point," said Quinn, who plans to pursue a career in law enforcement. "If I continue to abuse my body, that's not going to be an option. It was a tough decision." Quinn said she will remain on scholarship for her senior year. She will attend most, if not all, of the Lady Lions practices and games, and she hopes to serve as a mentor/coach to some of the team's younger players. Despite the injuries and the fact that her college playing career didn't turn out as she hoped, Quinn said she'd still make the same decision to attend Penn State. "I love this school," she said. "To leave here with a Penn State degree and the opportunities that this degree will open, I'm blessed and I thank God every day for that. It's just unfortunate that it ended the way it did. It's kind of a letdown. But everything happens for a reason. I'm a firm believer in that." Penn State did not experience great success during Quinn's first three seasons, compiling an overall record of 39-54, but she thinks the program is ready for a turnaround under Washington, who is in her third season. "The team just had its first unofficial practice and they looked sharp," Quinn said. "They have five freshman who came in and they're going to have great careers." Quinn admitted it was difficult to simply stand on the sideline and just watch that practice, but she said "it's time to move on." "This experience has given me a lot of life lessons that will be crucial for me in the future," she said. Quinn was a first team Class AAAA all-state performer while at Red Lion and she finished her high school career with 2,042 points. Her Red Lion teams compiled a four-year record of 104-20 with four York-Adams League Tournament championships. "I'm just genuinely thankful to everyone who's been of supportive of me," she said. "I don't think I could've done it without the support from the people at home." -- Reach Steve Heiser at sheiser@yorkdispatch.com or at 854-1575, ext. 455. Copyright 2009 York Newspapers, Inc.All Rights Reserved

Women's Big Ten/ACC Challenge announced

Tue, 5 May 2009 11:13:00 +0000

PARK RIDGE, Ill. – The Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big Ten Conference announced Tuesday the pairings for the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge for women's basketball, which is in its third year of a four-year agreement. The 2009 Challenge, which will take on a two-day format this year, will open on Wednesday, Dec. 2, as Wake Forest hosts Illinois, Boston College travels to Iowa, and Georgia Tech takes on Penn State. The Big Ten/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge matches 11 teams from each conference in head-to-head competition traditionally on the first Wednesday, Thursday and Friday after Thanksgiving, following the men's basketball Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Last year, the ACC won seven of the 11 Big Ten/ACC Challenge games, while the inaugural Challenge in 2007 saw the ACC collect eight victories. The Big Ten and ACC offices determine the 11-game schedule each season, and matchups may repeat from year-to-year in efforts to coordinate similar opponents and reach competitive equity. Each of the Big Ten's 11 institutions will participate, while the ACC will select 11 teams from its 12-team membership. In addition, the official title of the Challenge will rotate each year. The 2009 event will be referred to as the Big Ten/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge and will continue to mirror the official title of the two conferences' challenge agreement for men's basketball. The Big Ten and ACC have long been among the most dominant conferences on the women's basketball scene. This past season, the ACC was represented by six teams in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, making it the seventh straight year the league has had at least six in the Big Dance. Maryland advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, giving the ACC at least one team in the Elite Eight for the eighth consecutive year. In 2005-06, the ACC became the first conference to send three teams – Duke, Maryland and North Carolina – to the same Final Four. Overall, the ACC has made 11 Final Four trips, including six in the past 13 years. The Big Ten sent seven teams to the 2009 postseason, including five squads to the NCAA Championship. Three teams advanced to the Sweet 16, making the Big Ten one of just four conferences in the nation with multiple representatives in the regional round. In addition, Purdue advanced to the Elite Eight, giving the Big Ten its second regional finals appearance in the last three years. The conference has sent at least one team to the NCAA's Sweet 16 in 24 of the last 25 years and has had at least one squad participate in five of the last 11 Final Fours, owning eight overall appearances. Since the 1999-2000 season, the two conferences have squared off in head-to-head competition on 85 occasions with the ACC holding a 48-37 advantage. Last season, the ACC boasted an 11-6 record over Big Ten teams; however, Michigan State and Purdue knocked Duke and North Carolina, respectively, out of the postseason. Game times, as well as television and broadband coverage, will be announced at a later date. For more information about the Big Ten/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge, including a complete schedule, log on to www.bigten.org. Wednesday, December 2 Georgia Tech at Penn State Illinois at Wake Forest Boston College at Iowa Thursday, December 3 Michigan at Virginia Tech Clemson at Northwestern Minnesota at Maryland North Carolina at Michigan State Ohio State at Duke Purdue at Virginia Florida State at Indiana Wisconsin at N.C. State

Injuries to force Quinn to sit out final year

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:04:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Lady Lion senior guard Meggan Quinn (Red Lion, Pa.) will sit out the 2009-10 season due to knee injuries suffered throughout her collegiate career. The native of Red Lion, Pa., will serve as a team captain for her final season at Penn State. Quinn, who has suffered ACL injuries to both knees while at Penn State, averaged a career-best 2.8 points per game a year ago and tallied a career-high five steals and two blocks. She had a career-high 16 points, including a 4-for-8 day from three-point range, against Coppin State on Nov. 29, 2008. For her career, Quinn averaged 2.1 points per game. Her teammates and coaches have honored Quinn with the Jeanette Goss Courage Award in 2009 and the Tom Caldwell "Unsung Hero" Award in 2008. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient is majoring in crime, law and justice and plans to pursue a career in law enforcement. Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are available by calling 1-800-NITTANY or 814-863-1000. Season tickets are $117 for adults, $52 for youth and $91 for seniors. Penn State fans that attend the Indiana football game can use their football ticket to receive buy one ticket, get one free ticket for the Lady Lions' game against NJIT on Sat., Nov. 15. The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow head coach Coquese Washington (@psucoachquese) and sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook. Search Lady Lion Basketball and become a fan.

Renovation puts Mackey Madness on hold

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:41:00 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue men's and women's basketball teams will not conduct Mackey Madness this season or next. "The Mackey Complex construction schedule requires all available time between basketball seasons be reserved for the renovation for 2009 and 2010," athletics director Morgan Burke said. "We hope we are far enough along to do one in 2011 and allow it to serve as a preview for this amazing project. Our current plans are to host the first men's game on Nov. 11, 2011, and the first women's game on Nov. 13, 2011. We play Ohio State in football on Nov. 12, 2011, so this will be an historic weekend for Boilermaker Athletics and one all fans will want to put on their calendars." Mackey Arena will be available for the men's and women's teams to practice in October, but will not be accessible to the general public until November both this year and next. The facility is currently undergoing a $99.5 million renovation that will create an expanded concourse and other fan amenities while maintaining the tradition of the arena. The project also includes a three-level Student-Athlete Development Center for academics, sports medicine, strength and weight training, and a new basketball practice facility and locker rooms. Mackey Madness is a fan-friendly event that is the Boilermakers' version of Midnight Madness, the first official basketball practice of the season. It was renewed last season after a five-year hiatus and drew approximately 10,000 fans to catch the first glimpse of Matt Painter and Sharon Versyp's teams.

Stringer set for HOF enshrinement

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:32:00 +0000

IOWA CITY – Former University of Iowa Head Women's Basketball Coach C. Vivian Stringer will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Friday at Symphony Hall in Springfield, MA. Stringer will join NBA legends Michael Jordan, David Robinson, John Stockton and Utah Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan in the Class of 2009. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Stringer is the first coach, male or female, to take three different teams to the Final Four. She led Cheyney State to a Final Four in 1982, Iowa in 1993 and Rutgers in both 2000 and 2007. She currently ranks third in career victories (825) in Division I women's basketball history. Stringer served as Iowa's head coach from 1983-95, and collected an impressive 269-84 record (.762). She led the Hawkeyes to nine NCAA Tournament appearances in her 12 seasons, including a berth in the 1993 Final Four. She was named National Coach of the Year twice while in Iowa City (1988, 1993). She also earned NCAA District Coach of the Year honors in 1983, 1985 and 1988. Stringer was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1991. Stringer already belongs to numerous Halls of Fame, including the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame (2006), the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame (2006), the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (2001) and the Sport in Society Hall of Fame (2005). The 2009 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Ceremony will be televised live on ESPN and NBA TV from 5:30-8 p.m. (CT) Friday night. NBA TV will air a live red carpet special from 4:30-5:30 p.m. (CT).

O'Rourke signs pro contract in Germany

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:16:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Former Lady Lion standout Brianne O'Rourke (Pittsburgh, Pa.) has signed a professional contract to play with TC Herner of Germany's Damen Basketball Bundesligen (DBBL). TC Herner, which was the runner-up of the Damen Basketball Bundesligen last season, is located in Herne, Germany. Herner's season begins on Sept. 26 against SV Halle Lions. "I am really looking forward to the opportunity that I have to play in Germany," O'Rourke said. "I truly feel blessed to have the opportunity to play professionally and continue my career. I believe TC Herner will be a great place to start my career. I look forward to building my career from there. I will definitely miss playing at Penn State but I am looking forward to traveling to Europe and seeing the world while playing professional basketball." O'Rourke recently closed out her era at Point Guard U by averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 assists per game, which was second in the Big Ten. The 2009 graduate garnered honorable mention All-Big Ten honors for the third time in her career last season. O'Rourke is arguably one of the best point guards in Big Ten history as she is ended her career as one of 22 player in conference history to reach 500 assists. O'Rourke etched into the Penn State record books, becoming the sixth player in school history with 1,000 points and 500 assists. She ended her tenure seventh in assists (560), seventh in three-pointers made (120), 13th in steals (196) and 29th in scoring (1,084). She is tied with Jess Strom on Penn State's single-game free throw percentage chart with a 15-for-15 effort against Duke during the 2007-08 season. O'Rourke posted her first career double-double with 12 points and 13 assists in a win over Coppin State last season. It was her fifth career game with 10 or more assists. Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are available by calling 1-800-NITTANY or 814-863-1000. Season tickets are $117 for adults, $52 for youth and $91 for seniors. Penn State fans that attend the Indiana football game can use their football ticket to receive buy one ticket, get one free ticket for the Lady Lions' game against NJIT on Sat., Nov. 15.

WNIT, trip to Duke on tap for OSU

Jim Massie — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Ohio State women's basketball team opens its season on Nov. 13, with a WNIT game against Eastern Illinois in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes, the five-time defending Big Ten champions, begin conference play with a home game at 2 p.m. Dec. 6, against Wisconsin. The home schedule also includes a potential match-up against California in the second round of the Buckeye Classic on Nov. 29 in St. John Arena. Two road tests occur in December with Ohio State traveling to Duke for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Dec. 3, and going to Mississippi on Dec. 13. All-American center Jantel Lavender, a two-time Big Ten player of the year, returns to the lineup for her junior season with sophomore guard Samantha Prahalis, the freshman of the year in the Big Ten last season, and senior guard Shavelle Little, the two-time conference defensive player of the year. Box Story: 2009-10 SCHEDULE (Time to be determined if not listed) Nov. 13 -- Eastern Illinois (Preseason WNIT) Nov. 15/16 -- Chicago State/Bowling Green (Preseason WNIT) Nov. 17 -- Alabama-Birmingham, 7 p.m. Nov. 18/19 -- TBA at Ohio State (Preseason WNIT) Nov. 22 -- TBA (Preseason WNIT championship) Nov. 25 -- North Carolina-Greensboro, 7 p.m. Nov. 28 -- Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis, noon (Buckeye Classic)* Nov. 29 -- California/Southern U., 2 or 4 p.m. (Buckeye Classic)* Dec. 3 -- at Duke (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) Dec. 6 -- Wisconsin, 2 p.m. Dec. 13 -- at Mississippi, 1 p.m. Dec. 15 -- Wright State Dec. 19 -- Alabama A&M Dec. 22 -- Western Illinois, 7 p.m. Dec. 28 -- at Illinois Dec. 31 -- at Northwestern Jan. 3 -- Michigan Jan. 9 -- at Michigan State, 2 p.m. Jan. 14 -- Illinois Jan. 17 -- Indiana Jan. 21 -- at Michigan Jan. 25 -- at Purdue, 7 p.m. Jan. 28 -- Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 -- at Indiana, noon Feb. 4 -- Iowa, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 -- at Penn State Feb. 11 -- Purdue, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 -- at Minnesota, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 18 -- at Wisconsin Feb. 21 -- Michigan State, 3 p.m. Feb. 25 -- Northwestern March 4-7 -- Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis * -- Buckeye Classic games in St. John Arena Copyright 2009 The Columbus DispatchAll Rights Reserved

Prahalis, USA top Spain, win gold medal

Sun, 2 Aug 2009 18:01:00 +0000

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Nnemkadi Ogwumike (Stanford / Cypress, Texas) posted game-highs of 22 points and 20 rebounds to lead the 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team (8-1) to an 87-71 gold medal victory over Spain (8-1) on Sunday night in. For her play throughout the tournament, Ogwumike, who ranked seventh overall in scoring (13.6 ppg.) and third for rebounding (9.9 rpg.) among the 16-team field, was named to the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship All-Tournament Team. The U.S. now owns a record four gold medals and one bronze at the FIBA U19 Worlds and has posted a 49-11 all-time record in U19 World Championship play. Argentina (6-3) claimed its first medal at this event with a 58-51 victory over Canada (4-5) in the bronze medal game. In addition to the Stanford forward's play, the U.S. was aided in the victory by 21 points from Samantha Prahalis (Ohio State / Commack, N.Y.); Kelsey Bone (Dulles H.S. /Stafford, Texas) scored 18 points; Shenise Johnson (Miami, Fla. / Henrietta, N.Y.) also notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards; while Skylar Diggins (Washington H.S. / South Bend, Ind.) celebrated her 19th birthday by scoring 10 points and collecting seven rebounds. "We started out better than any team I've seen play," said Carol Owens, USA and Northern Illinois University head coach. "We were ready; we were focused. Our intensity was very good. We knew at some point Spain was going to make their runs at us, but I think we held our composure. This was a gold medal team, and we earned every bit of it. We started out slow, but we got better and they believed in the vision that we had for them. "Nneka was awesome, as usual. I'm always probably harder on Nneka because I know she can do so much. She takes it in stride, she gets better. She knew rebounding was important. She got a lot of offensive rebounds. With her and Kelsey inside, when they're ready to go there's no one who can guard them. No one." The U.S. exacted a bit of revenge against its opponent. After opening the tournament with a heartbreaking loss to Spain, the United States proved it was not about to lose again, especially with a gold medal on the line. Similar to the USA's semifinal contest against Canada, Spain hit a three to open the game at 9:45. Behind six points from Bone, however, the United States reeled off 14 unanswered points for the game's largest scoring run. From there the teams swapped baskets, and with 3:28 to go in the first quarter Spain hit a pair of free throws, closing the gap to 24-16. The USA's defense forced three turnovers, however, while its offense scored nine straight, including a Prahalis floater in the lane that dropped as the buzzer sounded. The USA's lead was 33-16 at the end of the first stanza. The American lead never again dropped below double digits. The score stood at 41-26 with 4:41 to play when five different players scored in an 8-2 run that ended with LaSondra Barrett (Louisiana State / Jackson, Miss.) hitting one of two from the line with under a minute before halftime. Spain got two more from the line before the buzzer sounded, and as the teams headed into the locker rooms for the break, the United States held a 19-point, 49-30 advantage. By halftime Prahalis already had 14 points, Bone had 10 and Ogwumike and Johnson were well on her way to their double-doubles. Ogwumike had nine points and seven boards, and Johnson posted nine points and six boards in the first half. "It was just coming out with intensity, doing what I had to do," said Ogwumike. "I just came out with all the effort that I had." In the second half Spain never was able to make a run and put together at most five points in a row as the U.S. held on tight to its lead for the gold medal victory. By the end of the third quarter, which Spain won 24-18 to pull as close as 13 points, 67-54, Ogwumike had her double-double with 16 points and 13 boards. The U.S. outscored Spain 20-17 in the fourth quarter and sailed in for the gold medal celebration. "We weren't scared (that Spain would come back in the second half), but knew that they would want to," said Ogwumike. "We knew that they were capable. We said it's zero to zero, anything can happen and we played as hard as we could to keep it from getting close." "It's great, especially to end it to Spain who we lost to in the first round," said Prahalis. "Just to overcome adversity and win, it is great." Spain's leading scorer was Leonor Rodriguez with 21 points. The United States shot 44.2 percent (34-77 FGs) from the field and outrebounded Spain 46-33. This marks Spain's first medal of any kind as its best finish was fourth place in 2007, while Argentina's top finish was ninth in 1997 and Canada's best placing at the U19 Worlds was eighth place in 1985. In classification play, Australia (8-1) defeated Russia (5-4) 78-38 for fifth place, and France (4-5) took seventh place after downing Lithuania (3-6) 65-56. The 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship featured 16 national teams comprised of athletes 19-years-old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1990) that qualified through their FIBA zone tournaments.

Penn State guard-forward shines for German U-20 women's team

Alex Ivanov — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Heading into their July 15 match-up against Italy, Julia Trogele and her German teammates at the European U20 Women's Championships in Poland knew that they needed to win by at least seven points to advance to the quarterfinals. Trogele, a junior guard/forward for the Penn State Lady Lions, and her German teammates managed to rally from a three-point deficit with nine minutes to play, beating the Italians 77-56. With the victory, Germany secured the last available spot in the quarterfinals. While Trogele said the victory over a technically skilled team like Italy was the defining moment of the tournament for her, she enjoyed representing her home country and hopes her experience this summer will translate to an improved performance for the Lady Lions this season. "We knew it was going to be a tough game because they are usually a really tough team." said Trogele who scored 13 points and added 9 rebounds in the game against Italy. "It was exciting and overwhelming at the same time because it was a huge win for us." Trogele, who was born in Berlin, Germany, averaged 10.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in leading Germany to an eighth-place finish in the tournament. It was a marked improvement over the team's 12th-place finish from the year before. Trogele said playing for her country holds a special place in her heart. "My family was born in Germany, so playing for a team that is in my blood is really special," Trogele said. "Wearing the German colors and the crest on the uniform really gave me strong feelings of honor and pride. It was an awesome experience." Lady Lion Assistant coach Itoro Coleman, who represented Nigeria at the Olympic Games, said the style of play in the international game is much different than in college, and Trogele is gaining a lot of valuable experience. "It's a great experience for her, learning how to incorporate her game into that style of play," Coleman said. "In the international game, most of the post players have the skills of guards. The centers can handle the ball and most shoot well from the outside." Trogele, who shot 46.3 percent from the field in the tournament, agreed with Coleman, saying the intense international schedule has also helped her grow. "I got a lot of great experience learning how to prepare for games and learning how my body would react to the schedule," said Trogele, who has played 26 games since the beginning of June. "We traveled a lot, going from country to country and playing games on back to back days. It was tougher than college, but it really helped prepare me better for life on the road." Julia's father Bob Trogele, who played basketball for Germany at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, likened his daughter's experience to that of the NCAA tournament. "It's great to play stiff competition like that over the summer," he said. "You're basically playing against the college all-star teams from all of those European nations, so the exposure and maturity through that type of tournament is really invaluable." Trogele's Penn State coaches and teammates all agree that she will probably come back as a more complete player due to the experience she gained playing in Europe. Sophomore guard Zhaque Gray said Trogele grew a lot as a player after last year's tournament, and she expects the same this year. "Last year Julia came back to Penn State with a lot of confidence," Gray said. "She played really well and it helped her grow. It'll be a good thing for the team, her coming back and doing the same things she did last year." Coleman agreed with Gray about Julia's confidence and noted Trogele led the German team in rebounding. "She seems to be becoming more aggressive, which is good because she'll have the chance to fill up our stat sheets next year," Coleman said. "I don't really think she's touched her potential yet, which is awesome." Trogele, who said she now feels more comfortable with bringing the ball up the floor and setting up the offense, realizes that she will have more of a leadership role for the Lady Lions next year as an upperclassman. With only one other starter returning from last year, Trogele acknowledged that she will probably see more double teams from defenses trying to stop her. However, she feels that she will now be prepared. "I think I'll have more pressure to perform this year, but I think this tournament experience helped me a lot," Trogele said. Her father, however, said the pressure will probably not matter at all to Julia. "Julia is all about winning," he said. "She's a versatile player who will contribute anything in any way that is necessary for Penn State to win." (C) 2008 Daily Collegian via UWIRE Copyright 2009 Daily Collegian via U-Wire

Lavender, Prahalis named to Wade Trophy Watch List

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:32:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced the 2009-2010 preseason "Wade Watch" list for The State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year. Making the list from Ohio State were junior Jantel Lavender and sophomore Samantha Prahalis. The 25-member list is made up of top NCAA Division I student-athletes who best embody the spirit of Lily Margaret Wade according to the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability. Lavender, the 2008-09 Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year, enjoyed a record-breaking season in 2008-09 on her way to earning State Farm/WBCA Coaches and USBWA All-America honors. The Cleveland, Ohio, native was the Big Ten Player of the Year for a second-consecutive season and became only the second player in conference history to complete the statistical triple crown, leading the conference in points (20.0), rebounds (9.9) and a shooting percentage (.549) in conference games while averaging 20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds with 24 double-doubles in all games played. The only Division I player to rank in the Top 20 in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage, Lavender set a Big Ten single-season record with 374 rebounds and was named the 2009 Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Lavender scored in double-figures each game and has done so in all 66 career contests, the longest active streak in Division I. Prahalis burst on to the scene as a freshman in 2008-09, starting all 35 games and earning Big Ten freshman of the year honors. She led all Big Ten freshmen in scoring (10.2 ppg), assists (5.8) and steals (1.9) while her 5.8 assists per game was good for 15th in Division I. The Commack, N.Y. native also was named to the NCAA Berkeley Regional All-Tournament team. Prahalis had 19 games with six or more assists and set an Ohio State freshman record with 203. She was one of 13 finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, given to the nation's most outstanding point guard. Lavender and Prahalis led the Buckeyes to a 29-6 record last season (tying for the third-most wins in Division I), a record-tying fifth straight Big Ten regular season championship, tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Sweet 16. This year's list has 20 institutions and 10 conferences represented. Connecticut and Stanford each have three student-athletes on the list - Tina Charles, Tiffany Hayes and Maya Moore from the Huskies - and - Jayne Appel, Kayla Pederson and Jeannette Pohlen from the Cardinal. Ohio State added two (Lavender and Prahalis) to the list. The ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten and Pac-10 each have four student-athletes on the list, followed by the Big 12 (3), SEC (2), Atlantic-10 (1), Mountain West (1), Sun Belt (1) and West Coast (1). The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 33rd year and named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade, debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women's national player of the year award in college basketball. This highly prestigious award, regarded as the "Heisman of Women's Basketball," is organized by the WBCA, in conjunction with the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS). The 2010 State Farm Wade Trophy winner will be announced at the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four, in San Antonio, Texas, April 2-6. The Wade Trophy Coalition was established in June of 2000 when the WBCA partnered with The National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS). For the past eight years the two have worked together to present The State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year Award. A committee comprised of coaches, administration and media from across the United States selects the winner.