Post by Pantherholic on Oct 11, 2006 23:49:32 GMT -6
UWM women picked to finish second behind UWGB
By BOBBI ROQUEMORE
Posted: Oct. 11, 2006
Based on the Horizon League women's basketball pre-season poll, UW-Milwaukee is being looked at as a one-year wonder.
The Panthers, reigning tournament champs and regular-season co-champs, were picked second behind fellow co-champion UW-Green Bay in the poll of league coaches, sports information directors and media members, which was released Wednesday.
UWGB claimed 22 of 27 first-place votes and UWM took in three first-place votes.
UWM won a school-record 22 games last season and at one point owned a 12-game winning streak en route to earning its second NCAA tournament berth.
Panthers sophomore center Traci Edwards, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, is back. But forwards Nichole Drummond and Molly O'Brien, the No. 2 and No. 3 scorers from last season, have graduated.
All five starters, including league player of the year Nicole Soulis, return for the Phoenix, who have won or shared the last nine Horizon regular-season titles.
"You can't be surprised we weren't picked to repeat," Panthers coach Sandy Botham said. "We lost two key players in Molly O'Brien and Nichole Drummond, two substantial players who played substantial roles in our championship run. Questions remain as to if we can replace them.
"When you compare that to Green Bay and them having their starting five back, it doesn't surprise me that they would have been picked No. 1."
Following UWGB (234 points) and UWM (198) in the poll were Butler (192), Illinois-Chicago (185), Wright State (132), Loyola (83), Youngstown State (72), Detroit (63) and Cleveland State (56).
www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=517631
By BOBBI ROQUEMORE
Posted: Oct. 11, 2006
Based on the Horizon League women's basketball pre-season poll, UW-Milwaukee is being looked at as a one-year wonder.
The Panthers, reigning tournament champs and regular-season co-champs, were picked second behind fellow co-champion UW-Green Bay in the poll of league coaches, sports information directors and media members, which was released Wednesday.
UWGB claimed 22 of 27 first-place votes and UWM took in three first-place votes.
UWM won a school-record 22 games last season and at one point owned a 12-game winning streak en route to earning its second NCAA tournament berth.
Panthers sophomore center Traci Edwards, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, is back. But forwards Nichole Drummond and Molly O'Brien, the No. 2 and No. 3 scorers from last season, have graduated.
All five starters, including league player of the year Nicole Soulis, return for the Phoenix, who have won or shared the last nine Horizon regular-season titles.
"You can't be surprised we weren't picked to repeat," Panthers coach Sandy Botham said. "We lost two key players in Molly O'Brien and Nichole Drummond, two substantial players who played substantial roles in our championship run. Questions remain as to if we can replace them.
"When you compare that to Green Bay and them having their starting five back, it doesn't surprise me that they would have been picked No. 1."
Following UWGB (234 points) and UWM (198) in the poll were Butler (192), Illinois-Chicago (185), Wright State (132), Loyola (83), Youngstown State (72), Detroit (63) and Cleveland State (56).
www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=517631
