George Washington University Athletics
Women's Basketball Picked Second in Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll
10/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 28, 2008
PHILADELPHIA, PA - The George Washington women's basketball team was chosen to finish second in the Atlantic 10 Conference according to a preseason poll conducted by the league's head coaches and select media and released during the conference's Media Day Tuesday. Senior All-America candidate Jessica Adair was named to the preseason All-Conference first team for the second straight year.
GW, winners of at least a share of seven consecutive A-10 regular-season titles, received one of 16 first-place votes cast by the panel of coaches and media. Two-time defending A-10 champion Xavier received the other 15 first-place votes and is this year's preseason favorite.
The Colonials are coming off a 2007-08 season in which it reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the second straight season and was ranked No. 14 in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Top 25 poll with a 27-7 overall record.
Two-time first team All-Atlantic 10 performer Jessica Adair, who led GW in scoring last season at 15.2 points per game, was named to the preseason All-Conference first team for the second straight year.
Senior forward/guard Antelia Parrish was voted to the preseason third team after averaging 10.8 points and team-leading 6.9 rebounds in her Division I debut in 2007-08.
This season's A-10 Championship host Charlotte and last year's regular season co-champion Temple came in third and fourth, respectively, in the preseason poll, followed by Richmond, Saint Joseph's, St. Bonaventure and Duquesne. Dayton, Saint Louis, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, La Salle and Fordham round out the final six spots.
The Colonials host DT-3 All-Stars in an exhibition game Wednesday, Nov. 5, before tipping-off the 2008-09 season against Maryland-Baltimore County at Smith Center, Saturday, Nov. 15. This year's schedule features 17 home dates and 13 opponents that qualified for postseason play last season, highlighted by two-time defending national champion Tennessee Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 pm.
Season tickets can be purchased by contacting the GW Athletics Ticket Office at 202-994-6050 or by email to gwcoltix@gwu.edu. Individual game tickets can be purchased at GW's Marvin Center TicketMaster (located on the lower level), through TicketMaster outlets at 202-397-SEAT (7328), or by visiting TicketMaster.com. For group tickets (10 or more), call 202-994-7325 or email Devin McCalla at dmccalla@gwu.edu.
2008-09 Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference Teams
(as selected by coaches and media)
First Team
Jessica Adair, George Washington
Amber Harris, Xavier
Kristi Little, Duquesne
Dana Mitchell, St. Bonaventure
Ta'Shia Phillips, Xavier
Second Team
Sarah Acker, Saint Joseph's
Danielle Burgin, Charlotte
Theresa Lisch, Saint Louis
Johanna McKnight, Richmond
Brittani Shells, Richmond
Third Team
Kristin Daugherty, Dayton
LaKeisha Eaddy, Temple
Megan Mahoney, Fordham
Antelia Parrish, George Washington
Jerri Taylor, Xavier
Defensive Team
LaKeisha Eaddy, Temple
Amber Harris, Xavier
Kristi Little, Duquesne
Johanna McKnight, Richmond
Ta'Shia Phillips, Xavier
2008-09 Atlantic 10 Predicted Order of Finish
(as selected by coaches and media)
1. Xavier (15)
2. George Washington (1)
3. Charlotte
4. Temple
5. Richmond
6. Saint Joseph's
7. St. Bonaventure
8. Duquesne
9. Dayton
10. Saint Louis
11. Rhode Island
12. Massachusetts
13. La Salle
14. Fordham
