George Washington University Athletics
Women's Basketball Picked Second In A-10 West
11/10/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
WASHINGTON, DC (November 10) -- In the annual coaches' preseason poll, the George Washington University women's basketball team was picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10 Conference West division. Results of the coaches' poll were announded Wednesday morning on the preseason media teleconference call. Additionally, senior guard Elisa Aguilar was tabbed first team preseason all-conference.
GW was picked second behind Xavier in the West division and ahead of third-place Virginia Tech. Xavier received seven first-place votes, GW three and Virginia Tech two. Dayton, La Salle and Duquesne round out the West division.
The West Division race should be particularly interesting this year. Xavier boasts a talented squad that reached the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling to Connecticut in a barn-burner. Virginia Tech is receiving preseason top-25 attention after a phenominal season in 1999. GW, a perennial power in the A-10, has one of the best backcourts in the nation behind senior all-American Elisa Aguilar and junior Kristeena Alexander.
In the East division, St. Joseph's was the unanimous pick by the coaches to win the division, receiving all 12 first-place votes. Massachusetts was picked second, followed by Fordham in third place. Temple and St. Bonaventure tied for fourth, and Rhode Island was picked sixth.
Aguilar, a first-team all-conference selection in 1999, was named to the preseason all-conference first team. Joining Aguilar on the first team are St. Joseph's Susan Moran, Xavier's Jennifer Phillips and Virginia Tech's Tere Williams and Amy Wetzel. Aguilar, named a preseason honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith's and the Women's Basketball News Service, is considered a candidate for conference Player of the Year this season.
Junior guard Kristeena Alexander and junior forward Petra Dubovcova received third team preseason all-conference recognition by the league's coaches.
Freshmen Lindsey Davidson and Erica Lawrence were named to the preseason all-rookie team. GW's freshman class of Davidson, Lawrence and Cathy Joens were named the 24th-best recruiting class by Athlon magazine. Davidson was named second team all-freshman by the Women's Basketball News Service.
GW plays an exhibition game Sunday at 4:00 pm versus Volgda Russia in Smith Center before tipping off the season Friday, Nov. 19, with a 7:00 pm tilt at Vanderbilt.
1999-2000 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Predicted Order Of Finish (as voted by coaches)
EAST
1. St. Joseph's (12)
2. Massachusetts
3. Fordham
4. Temple
St. Bonaventure
6. Rhode Island
WEST
1. Xavier (7)
2. George Washington (3)
3. Virginia Tech (2)
4. Dayton
5. La Salle
6. Duquesne
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1999-2000 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Teams (as voted by coaches)
First-Team
Player School Pos. Cl.
Elisa Aguilar George Washington G Sr
Susan Moran St. Joseph's F So
Jennifer Phillips Xavier F Jr
Amy Wetzel Virginia Tech G Jr
Tere Williams Virginia Tech F Jr
Second-Team
Melissa Fazio St. Bonaventure F/G So
LynnDee Howell Duquesne G Jr
Nicole Levandusky Xavier G/F Jr
Angela Zampella St. Joseph's G Sr
Jen Zenszer La Salle G Jr
Third-Team
Kristeena Alexander George Washington G Jr
Petra Dubovcova George Washington F Jr
Kathy Coyner Massachusetts G So
Nicole Jones Virginia Tech F/C So
Jana Lichnerova St. Joseph's C Sr
All-Rookie
Lindsey Davidson George Washington G Fr
Erica Lawrence George Washington F Fr
Bonnie Randa La Salle G Fr
Terraya Richardson St. Joseph's G Fr
Amy Waugh Xavier G Fr
