Lady Vols Will Be Youngest, Most Inexperienced Squad

KNOXVILLE -- The University of Tennessee Lady Volunteer basketball team enters the 2008-09 season with the distinction of being the youngest and most inexperienced group ever to don the orange and white uniform.

Nevertheless, this collection of players takes to the court with the same goal of all other previous Tennessee squads, to join the elite assemblage of the "Lady Vols of the Rings."

The record speaks for itself, that season after season Lady Vol Basketball has a championship ring to it.

During head coach Pat Summitt's 35 years at the helm of the winningest program in collegiate history only 153 women have been selected to join the Lady Vol basketball family, including this season's group of six eager newcomers. Incredibly, every Lady Vol hoopster (since 1976) has enjoyed the opportunity to play in at least one Final Four during her career, and 58 of those accomplished women have earned National Championship rings coming in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007 and 2008.

The University of Tennessee has turned into the "Ringdom" of women's collegiate hoops.

"The student-athletes who come to Tennessee to play on the Lady Vol basketball team want to join our great tradition and hopefully have an opportunity to win a national championship," Summitt said. "We can enjoy that type of success when each player takes responsibility for her individual game and exhibits a great basketball IQ by sharing the ball and playing together."

As the 2008-09 team begins its quest to attain this elite status, the players realize that a brand new line-up will take to the court replacing the quintet of starters drafted by the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): 6'4" post Nicky Anosike (8.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg), 5'11" forward Alberta Auguste (5.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg), 5'2" point guard Shannon Bobbitt (9.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.3 apg), 5'11" guard Alexis Hornbuckle (9.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and 6'4" redshirt junior All-American, Olympian, Player of the Year and number one draft pick Candace Parker (21.3 ppg and 8.5 rpg).

The scoring and rebounding firepower contributed by the departed starters helped propel the Lady Vols to consecutive national championships in 2007 and 2008.

"No doubt, we lost some great players to graduation" Summitt said. "Each player contributed something unique to make the past two seasons very special. Candace's incredible all-around game... Big Nick's leadership... Alexis' 'whatever we need - get it done attitude'... Little Bit (Bobbitt) bringing up-tempo basketball every night, and Bird's (Auguste) defensive emergence.

"It's crossed my mind that you don't replace players like these overnight," deadpanned Summitt. "Rather than thinking that 'we're rebuilding and won't be as strong,' I'm thinking how excited we are about our incoming and returning talent. The question I have is, 'how long will it take to mold them into a championship team?'

"Time will tell. But it will be fun for our coaching staff to help each player achieve her individual and team goals."

Like the sparkling jewels adorning each of UT's eight National Championship rings, the 2008-09 edition of Tennessee women's basketball is a team of multi-faceted gems. Six players return from last season, including four who saw time on the court and two who were sidelined following surgeries.

Lone fifth-year senior post Alex Fuller (6.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg) is the elder stateswoman of the group. As a junior, the 6'3" Fuller played in 37 games and averaged 15.8 minutes per contest. In her second-ever start in 2008, she replaced Parker in the starting lineup versus #15-ranked DePaul and turned in a career-high 19 points. Although she plays inside, Fuller is capable of pulling the trigger from three-point land as she connected on 22 of 68 treys last season and more than doubled the output of her first two seasons.

"I expect a great deal of insightful leadership from Alex this season," said Summitt. "She came in with a large and highly-touted class herself and has a clear understanding of what needs to be accomplished with a young team. On the court, Alex will play multiple positions for this team," she continued. "Her experience, versatility, great composure and heady play will be an asset for our team in the coming year."

Tennessee's only other upperclassman academically is 5'4" redshirt sophomore point guard Cait McMahan (2.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.4 apg as a rookie), who will be returning to the court this season after undergoing surgery on June 6, 2007, to repair a lesion on the articular cartilage in her right knee and a subsequent clean-up of the knee on Sept. 3, 2008. Other than helping her team to a championship in 2007, McMahan went through a lot. After battling cancer for most of young Cait's life, her mother, Teresa, finally succumbed to the disease. The loss of her mother was followed by the news of additional surgery to Cait's previously ACL-damaged right knee and having to sit out last season.

"I am so excited to get Cait back on the floor and give her the opportunity to be a leader for this team from her point guard position," said Summitt. "Over the past year she has matured tremendously after facing a lot of adversity. She's in a good place in her life right now and is chomping at the bit to contribute to this team.

"Cait needs to get on the court and get some repetitions to be able to run our sets with efficiency. She knows what we expect from her offensively (with all of our options) and defensively as a vocal leader. Cait said she is anxious to drop her cheerleader pom-poms and get back on the floor," said Summitt.

Between Fuller and McMahan, the upperclasswomen have three starts between them, but that doesn't seem to faze Summitt.

"Yes we are young and short on experience overall, and that inexperience could affect us in the early going. But we are not short on talent, and I am thrilled about the talent and depth at every position.

"Coach (John) Wooden has said many times that he'd take talent over experience any day," said Summitt.

One of the talented players from the Lady Vol sophomore class who gained a ton of experience last season was the 2008 Southeastern Conference Rookie of the Year in 6'0" guard/forward Angie Bjorklund (8.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg), who returns as UT's leading scorer. Bjorklund became just the 11th Lady Vol all-time to start her very first game as a UT freshman. In all, Bjorklund started in 30 of 38 games and tied Tennessee's school record for most three-pointers made in a game with seven on three occasions.

"Angie returns for her sophomore season with valuable playing time and experience on the big stage," said Summitt. "Our team is fortunate to have a player like Angie who opens up our offense and stretches the opponent's defense when they are forced to closely guard her from the three-point line. I see her composure and experience helping to guide our freshmen this season," said the head coach.

Last season, Bjorklund was one-half of the "killer B's" along with classmate Vicki Baugh (5.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg). Prior to their rookie season, Bjorklund and Baugh played on the USA U19 World Championship team and gained valuable experience playing with each other. The synergy they developed while winning the gold medal transferred to their time on the court together at Tennessee.

It was never more evident than during the 67-64 win at Duke in 2008 when the duo took over a lethargic Tennessee team to propel them out of a first half slump. A tremendous multi-dimensional talent, the 6'4" Baugh really came into her own down the stretch last season and returns as UT's most accurate shooter, at 55.2 percent, and leading rebounder, at 4.0 rpg.

Baugh made some key plays in the NCAA title game versus Stanford. With a little more than seven minutes to play, her slashing-through-the-key lay-up gave the Lady Vols a double-digit lead (55-44) that they would not relinquish down the stretch en route to NCAA Championship number eight.

Unfortunately for Baugh, on that play she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee and required reconstructive surgery on May 13, 2008.

"As a freshman, Vicki played a significant role for our basketball team," said Summitt. "Some of her key contributions came in the six games during our national championship run and in the SEC title game. Things were really starting to come together for her, and it's just so unfortunate that she suffered a torn ACL.

"She has been a relentless rehabber and is anxious to return to the floor. When her knee is 100 percent, I see Vicki playing a big role for us. She plays hard on both ends and has a nose for gathering in rebounds - I can still see her grabbing boards in the Louisiana Tech game when she had 16 in just 25 minutes."

The third member of the sophomore class is 5'10" guard Sydney Smallbone (2.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg), who saw action in 29 games last season while logging 11.3 minutes per contest. Smallbone is slated to provide backup at point guard and help hold down the two spot in the lineup. A tough three-point shooter, her playing time should increase with improved defensive play.

"Syd is a year older and more comfortable with what we're doing on both ends of the court," said Summitt. "She is getting her shot off quicker and can really stretch the defense with her three-point shooting ability. Syd has taken the challenge to become a solid defensive player for us."

A solid player all the way around is 6'6" redshirt rookie post Kelley Cain, who is anxious to restart her Lady Vol career. As a true freshman in 2008, Cain initially missed several workouts due to a concussion suffered in practice. She made her Lady Vol debut in the exhibition game versus Carson-Newman in impressive fashion, scoring 11 points, grabbing a dozen boards and adding four assists, three steals and two blocked shots. Unfortunately, the next week in practice, Cain landed on a defender's foot and suffered a subluxated patella which required surgery on Dec. 11, 2007.

At 6'6", she ties Vonda Ward (1991-95) as the tallest Lady Vols in the history of the basketball program. Cain has been impressive in workouts and is a diligent player who absorbs the nuances of a prowler in the paint every day at practice.

"We are very excited about Kelley's return to the court," said Summitt. "She has the entire post package with size, presence, an advanced skill set and a great shooting touch around the basket. I am challenging her to be a rim-to-rim runner and sprinting the floor on every possession.

"Kelley rarely misses a shot, and she is a great post presence on defense. She can play behind or in front to force the lob. She has a great basketball IQ and thinks execute on every play," continued Summitt.

Six returning players have already experienced the excitement of joining the exclusive group of the "Lady Vols of the Rings." They will be a ready reference for the talented and multi-faceted gems in Tennessee's rookie class.

Early on, the head coach saw a meshing of the two groups of returning and rookie players. "At first glance, this team appears to have good team chemistry, high energy, commitment to playing together and sharing the ball, and being intense every day in practice. Our returnees have done a great job in relating the culture of our program to our new players - bringing intensity to every possession. They have been fun to watch.

"And fun to coach," related the head coach. Speaking of coaches, Summitt added a gem to her staff in May 2008 when former Lady Vol and assistant coach Nikki Caldwell left UT to become the head coach at UCLA. With Caldwell's departure, Summitt tabbed former Lady Vol Olympian and All-American Daedra Charles-Furlow to join the Tennessee staff. Charles-Furlow, the Wade Trophy winner in 1991, collected two championship rings as an outstanding Lady Vol center in 1989 and 1991.

"We are thrilled to have Daedra rejoin the Lady Vol basketball family as an assistant coach," said Summitt. "She loves the program and our university and will bring a great deal of knowledge and experience to our staff and players. As a former player she understands both the system and the expectations of the Tennessee program. That combination should prove to be a valuable asset." So, what are the multi-facets of this rookie class which possesses many diverse qualities, talents and features? "I love the versatility of this group," said Summitt. "Just about every player in the class can play multiple positions. Shekinna Stricklen and Alicia Manning can probably play both guard spots or at the three; Glory Johnson, Alyssia Brewer and Amber Gray will mix it up at power forward or in the post." Summitt did concede that, at 5'2", Briana Bass would be best suited at her point guard slot.

Bass, a diminutive sparkplug from Indianapolis, Ind., is extremely quick with great handles and will immediately remind Tennessee fans of the recently graduated Shannon Bobbitt. Bass and Bobbitt share the distinction of being the shortest scholarship players in the history of Lady Vol basketball.

"Briana has great floor leadership and seems comfortable and confident to run our basketball team. She loves to push the ball, has great offensive instincts and is vocal and solid on defense," remarked Summitt. "Bri has a lot to learn-her position plus everyone else's-but she is an eager learner and a great communicator."

If Bass is the shortest rookie at 5'2" then high school All-American Alyssia Brewer is the tallest signee at 6'3". The highly-decorated Sapulpa, Okla., native is a rangy lefty who can step out to the three or mix it up inside with her strength.

"Lyssi has size, touch, excellent passing skills and great court vision," said Summitt. "I want her to develop a scorer's mentality. Her offensive package is very versatile, whether it is her face-up game, stepping outside to shoot a three or her post skills from the four...she is a blend player and has a great up side to her game.

"A key for Lyssi is to commit to being a great rebounder for this team," concluded Summitt.

Already turning heads in camp with her rebounding ability is 6'1" Amber Gray of West Chester, Ohio. Another high school All-American, Gray is an undersized post who can step out to shoot the three-ball and has many facets to her game.

"She is a great communicator," said Summitt. "Amber is talking on the court all the time. She has a great offensive skill set and can defend at the four spot. At the same time, she can play the three and shoots the three-ball pretty well. She is another example of a multiple position player for us."

One of the most decorated rookies for the Lady Vols is high school All-American and local talent Glory Johnson, who could be listed as a "Candace Parker-like" forward-center-guard as a 6'3" blend player. Comparisons of Johnson have been made to the talent level of a young Tamika Catchings on either side of the ball.

"Glory is a terrific athlete, and I'm glad she's in orange," commented the head coach. "I'm very excited about the potential of her game. She reminds me of Tamika Catchings in just how hard she plays. Glory runs the floor, she's aggressive to the ball and the paint, and she makes people around her better.

"She is the type of player who recognizes that she has an opportunity to play a big role here as a hard-nosed player, scorer and rebounder."

Besides dipping into its own backyard for Johnson and the states of Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio and Oklahoma, for other freshmen, the Lady Vols also nabbed a rookie from Georgia in 6'1" guard-forward Alicia Manning from Woodstock.

"Alicia is a skilled player with a great basketball IQ who can help us at either guard spot or the three," said Summitt. "While Cait has been sidelined in the preseason, Alicia has been getting a lot of reps at point guard. She doesn't mind playing off the dribble and gets to the paint. I really like her game."

While the entire team, fueled by the enormous energy from the rookies, has looked good in preseason drills, Summitt is quick to point out the need for great rebounders. "As we try to find ourselves offensively in the early going, we need a huge commitment from all 12 players to defense and board play."

Fortunately for Summitt, she won't have to look very far to get that type of production out of 6'2" rookie forward Shekinna Stricklen, a multi-decorated high school All-American from Morrilton, Ark., who possesses a huge game.

"Both Shekinna and Glory came from strong prep high school backgrounds, and it's no wonder why they are two of the most talented freshmen in the country," remarked Summitt. "I wouldn't hesitate a moment to play Shekinna in any position on the perimeter. She has a great all-around game - range from the three, gets to the rim, is a great passer and has a knack for getting on the boards all of the time.

"Maybe our slogan should be, 'no rebounds, no rings'," quipped Summitt. "Honestly, Shekinna can be a great rebounding guard for us."

Over the last two seasons, the Lady Vols knew that running the ball started with rebounding, and that resulted in two championship rings. Whether or not this team collects any baubles is entirely up to them.

"The personnel may change from year to year, but our system won't change," advised Summitt. "We will play up and down basketball...we will press and run...and we'll establish a strong inside game. It's simply Lady Vol basketball. The caliber of players we have year-in and year-out makes that happen and our fans expect that level of excitement.

"Much like last year, our success as a team was a direct result of how quickly we were able to get our freshman class committed and engaged into this style of play and intensity," reiterated Summitt.

Just because the Lady Vols have the youngest team in program history doesn't mean they will shy away from the competition, as another daunting schedule is waiting in the wings. Summitt wouldn't have it any other way.

"We're not going to change the toughness of our schedule regardless of our roster," exclaimed Summitt. "Our schedule has always prepared us for postseason. Our fans expect it, we expect it and that's who we are."

In addition to the familiar faces of the Southeastern Conference foes, the Lady Vols also will run the gauntlet of powerhouses and traditional rivals.

"Once again, I'm thrilled that we'll be playing 17 home dates (including the exhibition games) in our arena," said Summitt. "Our young team will certainly benefit from playing in front of our great fans -- they will be treated to a tremendous home schedule."

Home schedule highlights include a rematch of the 2008 NCAA Championship game versus Stanford in Knoxville, as well as the Kellie Jolly Harper (Western Carolina head coach) and Tanya Haave (San Francisco head coach) homecoming games. "I am glad that we were able to schedule both Kellie and Tanya's teams at home this season," said Summitt. "I am proud of them and the success they have enjoyed as college coaches. It is so gratifying to see 70 former members of the Lady Vol basketball family involved in coaching at the professional, collegiate and high school levels." In all, UT will be facing competition from 10 different conferences, including a pair of universities each from the Atlantic Coast, Big 12, BIG EAST, Southern and the West Coast Conferences.

The Lady Vols officially open the season at home on Nov. 15, facing the University of San Francisco. That's followed by a visit from the ACC's University of Virginia (Nov. 17) and a trip down the road to Chattanooga (Nov. 21). The Lady Vols close out the month at Thompson-Boling Arena with three consecutive home dates, facing long-time rival Louisiana Tech (Nov. 23), Jolly Harper's Western Carolina Catamounts (Nov. 25) and BIG EAST foe DePaul (Nov. 30).

Tennessee starts the December portion of its schedule on the road at George Washington University (Dec. 2) and takes a break for final exams before resuming hoops on Dec. 11, taking on Middle Tennessee State in Knoxville. The Lady Vols will then hit the road for a pair of games, traveling to Texas (Dec. 14) and Old Dominion (Dec. 18). The Big Orange returns home to take on Stanford in a Sunday night (Dec. 21) prime time meeting on ESPN2. The Lady Vols defeated the Cardinal last April in the 2008 NCAA Final Four title game. Following a break for the Christmas holidays, Tennessee will head to Spokane, Wash., for an Angie Bjorklund homecoming game at Gonzaga (Dec. 30).

In January, the Lady Vols open the 2009 side of the schedule on the road against BIG EAST foe Rutgers on Jan. 3 in a marquee CBS showdown. Back in Knoxville, UT starts SEC play battling Kentucky at home (Jan. 8) and then travels to Vanderbilt (Jan. 11) and Mississippi State (Jan. 15) before hosting South Carolina (Jan. 18). UT hits the road again, going to Arkansas (Jan. 22) and Auburn (Jan. 25) before returning to the Arena to entertain Mississippi (Jan. 29).

Sometime in January or February, the Lady Vols should claim their 17th win of the season. That triumph will be a historical milestone for Coach Pat Summitt, as it will mark her 1,000th career victory.

To open the month of February, the Lady Vols step out of conference play for an ESPN2 "Big Monday" meeting at Oklahoma (Feb. 2) and return home to meet Georgia in a key SEC game on Feb. 5. Other February home dates include Alabama (Feb. 12), an ESPN2 "Big Monday" showdown with Duke (Feb. 16), and Mississippi State (Feb. 22). February road trips include jaunts to Florida (Feb. 8), Kentucky (Feb. 19) and LSU (Feb. 25). UT plays a rare March regular season game, entertaining Vanderbilt in the finale on March 1 before heading to North Little Rock, Ark., for the SEC Championship. This season, Tennessee will play home-and-home SEC games with Kentucky and Mississippi State to go along with its annual home-and-home traditional rival contests versus Vanderbilt.

"Once again this year, the SEC - from top to bottom - will be as strong as it has ever been," professed Summitt. "We've had an infusion of some new coaches making a tough league even tougher. To be sure, the SEC schedule will be extremely challenging." Ah, that word "challenging." How about this one Lady Vols, what about a "three-peat" for a challenge? Summitt smiled at the question, "Never say never! It's funny, but it didn't come up until the team photo shoot and some of the players said 'let's do a back-to-back-to-back photo.' I guess that's the exuberance and youth of our basketball team. You've got to love their enthusiasm," said Summitt.

Like the sparkling jewels adorning each of UT's eight National Championship rings, the 2008-09 edition of Tennessee women's basketball is a team of multi-faceted gems. It's almost as if it's a rite of passage when a student-athlete decides to become a Lady Vol basketball player. Chances are more than likely that she will become a member of the exclusive group of "Lady Vols of the Rings." Because Lady Vol basketball always has had a championship ring to it.

DEPTH CHART

POINT GUARDS: Cait McMahan, Briana Bass, Alicia Manning
TWO GUARDS: Angie Bjorklund, Sydney Smallbone, Shekinna Stricklen, Alicia Manning
FORWARDS: Alex Fuller, Glory Johnson, Amber Gray
POSTS: Kelley Cain, Vicki Baugh, Alyssia Brewer

Sparks' Candace Parker will be named WNBA MVP

Sparks forward, who will be named winner Friday night, has already won the rookie of the year award.

One day after winning the WNBA's rookie-of-the-year award, the Sparks' Candace Parker will add the Most Valuable Player award to her resume.

Expectations for a No. 1 overall draft pick often exceed reality. That's not the case for Sparks forward Candace Parker. She was better.

Tonight, one day after accepting WNBA rookie of the year honors, Parker is expected to be named the league's most valuable player. The announcement will come during Game 2 of the WNBA finals in San Antonio and it will make her the first WNBA player to win both awards, regardless of the year.

It also will put her in an even loftier group: only two NBA players have won both awards in the same season -- Wilt Chamberlain in 1959-60 and Wes Unseld in 1968-69.

"It would mean a lot to me, playing in that highest level and actually winning the MVP award," Parker said Thursday morning in an interview with The Times, not long after being named the top rookie.

The former star for the Tennessee Lady Vols averaged 18.5 points (fourth best in the league), 9.5 rebounds (best in the league) and 2.3 blocks (second best) during the regular season. Only teammate Lisa Leslie, a three-time MVP, averaged more blocked shots. Parker also shot 52.3% from the field and averaged 3.4 assists.

"She's pulling those type of numbers with great people around her," said Sparks General Manager Penny Toler. "I know people say that's easier, but it isn't. Sometimes, if you have a rookie, they may sit back and say, 'Well, let me just do the minimum.' But she never sat back, she did as much as she could to try to help us win."

Parker, 22, said she was proudest of her rebounding, an aspect of her game that has been reinforced by every coach she has had, from her father, Larry, to Tennessee Coach Pat Summitt, to Sparks Coach Michael Cooper.

"With rebounding, you get extra possessions, you finish possessions and it's important to your team," said Parker, who credited Cooper for giving her the chance to grow as a player.

"He never lowered the bar," she said. "He always continued to raise it and I think that's why I always continued to be successful this year. . . . Sometimes, coaches have a really tight rein, but he let me make mistakes and grow from them. . . . I'm better because of that."

From the season's opening tip, she proved she wasn't a typical rookie, scoring 34 points in her first game, the most by a WNBA player in her debut. She also contributed 12 rebounds and eight assists. Two games later, she totaled 16 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, five steals and six blocks in a double-overtime loss to Indiana, becoming the first WNBA player to total at least five in each of those statistical categories.

She gained national attention at the end of June when she scored off slam dunks in consecutive games, joining Leslie as the only player to dunk in a WNBA game and the first to dunk twice. She never attempted another one.

"There were lots of other chances," said the team's co-owner, Kathy Goodman. "I kind of liked the idea that she didn't feel like she needed to keep doing it."

She combined for 71 points in back-to-back victories over Phoenix and Houston in early July then helped the U.S. women's team win gold at the Beijing Olympics in August.

Parker, who is enjoying her first extended break from basketball in two years, never felt like she was running out of gas, but she was wary of injuries.

During the NCAA tournament, Parker suffered a separated left shoulder, which required her to wear a brace throughout the WNBA season.

"I heard about rookies getting injured during the middle to end of the season," Parker said. "My main thing was just to stay strong and do as much as I could to prevent that."

After returning from the Olympics, she helped the Sparks win five of their final seven regular-season games, then helped them topple Seattle in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Though her shooting percentage dropped during the postseason as she increasingly became the focus of defenses, she found other ways to contribute, totaling a season-high 17 rebounds in a one-point, last-second loss to San Antonio in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.

The Sparks were then eliminated by another close loss in Game 3.

"We expected a lot of great things out of Candace," Toler said. "Did we expect rookie of the year? We knew it was seriously possible. If she wins MVP, I think we all have to say, 'Wow.' "

Summitt has shoulder surgery for raccoon attack

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee basketball coach Pat Summitt had offseason shoulder surgery, not for a sports injury but because of a tussle with a raccoon.

The winningest basketball coach in NCAA history has had problems with her right shoulder since dislocating it while chasing away a raccoon poised to attack her Labrador. The attack came near her home on March 5, just days before the Southeastern Conference tournament.

A month later, Summitt guided the Vols to their eighth NCAA title.

Summitt had arthroscopic surgery Thursday in Knoxville, Tenn., to repair recurring instability problems.

The coach will begin rehab in about a week. The Lady Vols begin practice on Oct. 17.

Spani decides to play basketball at Tennessee

For a while now, Taber Spani has been leaning toward playing college basketball at Tennessee.

By the time her official visit to the school was over, she was convinced of it. And on Monday morning, Spani, a 6-foot-1 senior guard from Metro Academy, called legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt and made it official.

“Tennessee has been on my heart,” said Spani, whose oral commitment to the defending national champions ended a recruiting journey that has lasted for more than a year. “Coming off the visit, I just felt like it was the perfect time to announce it.”

ESPN.com ranks Spani, who lives in Lee’s Summit and averaged 29.6 points, 11 rebounds, 3.4 assists, three blocks and 2.4 steals a game last season, as the No. 3 guard and No. 13 overall player in the class of 2009. Last year, she led Metro Academy — a Christian home-schooled team composed of players from the Kansas City area — to a second-place finish in the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships.

For her efforts, Spani won the DiRenna Award, which honors the top boys and girls basketball players in the metro area, and received the interest of several big-time programs, including Connecticut, which she dropped from consideration in June.

Her final decision came down to Tennessee and Kansas State, where her sister Shalin is currently a sophomore guard and her father, Gary — a former linebacker for the Chiefs — is an alumnus.

“I was really looking at Kansas State, especially with the family ties I have there,” Spani said. “But as the summer went on it became clear that Tennessee was special, and the visit just confirmed that. It definitely wasn’t an overnight decision.”

Spani followed a recent in-home visit by Summitt by touring the campus over the weekend and came away impressed by the fans, the atmosphere and her future teammates.

“It’s about the amazing challenge of going to what’s arguably the best school in the country for women’s basketball,” said Spani, who can’t sign a letter of intent until November. “I wanted to play for the best, play with the best and play against the best.”

Spani knows she has room to improve, and she is confident Summitt can help her reach her potential.

“I love how driven she is for excellence, and it shows with how much success she’s had,” Spani said of Summitt. “As amazing and successful as she is on the court, she is off the court, as well.

“She is so honest and straightforward and she sincerely cares about her players. I know when I go there, she’ll challenge me and make me better, and that’s what I’m looking for.”

However, that doesn’t mean Spani will stop cheering for Kansas State or her sister — she says their relationship transcends basketball.

“With my sister there — and I love her so much — even though I’m going to be at Tennessee and loving it, a part of me will always root for K-State,” Spani said.

Patience, Patience, Patience

Anosike advising patience for Lady Vols

Tennessee's size and athleticism was obvious on the Thompson-Boling Arena court Saturday.

Nicky Anosike noticed a few other attributes as well. The former UT women's basketball center, a starter on the past two national championship teams, is in town before going overseas to play in Israel. She attended the open workout.

"They have some things you can't teach,'' said Anosike, who just finished her WNBA rookie season in Minnesota. "They know where the open player is and they find her.

"They share the ball well. Sometimes when you have top recruiting classes coming in, they don't share."

Anosike could sum up her advice to the team in one word: patience.

"They're going to go through struggles being a young team," Anosike said. "You have to be patient. There's a lot to remember. There's a lot (coach) Pat (Summitt) expects.

"They already look good. They're going to continue to get better."

Calling All Quick Guards: With the team now convening full team workouts twice a week, the male practice players are on the court. At first glance, the latest group has size with two players standing 6-foot-5 and 6-4 1/2 respectively.

Assistant coach Dean Lockwood, who's assembling the players, wants more quickness.

"I need a quick, slashing wing (player),'' Lockwood said.

Lockwood said that he has 11 players in the fold but is looking for three or four more.

Injury Update: Point guard Briana Bass, who underwent knee surgery in February, appears to be going strong. Her quickness was evident during the scrimmage portion of Saturday's workout. Classmate Amber Gray, who has had a lingering thigh problem, participated in the practice.

High Praise: Summitt already is raising the bar for freshman guard Shekinna Stricklen.

"She's special; she brings it at both ends of the floor,'' Summitt said. "She could be a very, very special guard for us."

Schedule Updates: The game time for the season opener against San Francisco on Nov. 15 at the arena has been moved up to 1 p.m. As for other times changes: at George Washington Dec. 2 to 7:30 p.m., at Rutgers Jan. 3 to 2 p.m. and Feb. 26 at LSU to 9 p.m. EDT.

The game time for Dec. 14 at Texas has been set for 2 p.m.

Fox Sports Net will televise the following games: San Francisco, Nov. 17 vs. Virginia, Nov. 23 vs. Louisiana Tech, Dec. 11 vs. Middle Tennessee State, Feb. 5 vs. Georgia, Feb. 12 vs. Alabama, Feb. 19 at Kentucky and at LSU.

More On Spani: Before arriving in Knoxville, Lady Vols recruit Taber Spani said that she would be cheering for UT at Saturday's football game versus Florida.

Still, she has great respect for Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

"Tim Tebow has been a role model for me,'' she said. "I love how he's used his platform to influence people with his Christian faith."

Laxton Update: Former Lady Vol Brynae Laxton, who is finishing her residency at the University of Cincinnati, will return to Knoxville next spring, said Laxton's aunt, Bea Barnett.

Laxton will be working as a ear/throat/nose specialist at The Tower at Parkwest with Dr. David G. Sexton. Laxton and Sexton both are from Oneida.

Lady Vols basketball practice open to fans on Sept. 20

The University of Tennessee Lady Vol basketball team will hold an open practice on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at Thompson-Boling Arena. Fans and media members are encouraged to come get their first look at the 2008-09 edition of Head Coach Pat Summitt's team as they prepare to defend their back-to-back national titles.

Coach Summitt will be available for comment to members of the media following practice, but players will not because of hosting recruits.

The Lady Vols will host Carson-Newman and Love & Basketball on Nov. 6 and 9, respectively, before officially opening the 2008-09 season on Nov. 15 against San Francisco. UT will honor the 2008 National Championship team with the raising of the eighth title banner against the Dons.

Coach Summitt reflects on her gold-medal experience

Many Americans are glued to their televisions to watch Michael Phelps swim his way to Olympic glory, and that includes one famous East Tennessean with gold medal ties.

Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summitt has been watching the swimmer nab medal after medal, and she reflected on her own winning experience.

"To be able to win in Los Angeles, I've never, ever felt as much pressure in coaching as I did trying to bring home the gold in Los Angeles," Summitt said of the win.

The players got their gold medals, but the coach missed out on the bling.

"Coaches do not get gold medals, that hardly seemed fair," Summitt said.

However, she has a pretty good imitation that someone had made for her. Plus, she's got the real thing in silver.

Back in 1976, she played on the American team that won the Olympic silver medal.

This year, she's watching from the sidelines, tuning into women's basketball -- three former Lady Vols are on the team -- and swimming star Michael Phelps.

She recalled when she and her son, Tyler, met Phelps after the 2007 ESPY Awards. Summitt says the swimming phenom was the only sports star her son wanted to meet that night, but when it came time to capture the moment on camera, she had to try six times before the picture worked.

She now laughs at her son's embarrassment back then, but she says her persistence paid off, and now her son has a priceless memento from the most decorated Olympian.

"He's Superman, Michael Phelps is Superman," Summitt said. "I was sweating, I was worried about it. I was like, oh, he's got to make it, and I think everyone's pulling for him. I know all the USA team's gotta be pulling hard."

She says that's what the Games are all about -- the guts and the glory.

"It was incredible just being there, you know, it's exciting watching it, but having been there, I think I've got a better feel, you know, just for the energy, the intensity, the competitiveness of the Olympic Games. It's incredible, unlike any other sporting event you will see when you get that many people competing for gold medals."

Coach Pat Summitt makes $600K gift to Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Coach Pat Summitt will donate $600,000 to the University of Tennessee to be shared by the Knoxville and Martin campuses.

A spokeswoman for Tennessee athletics said Monday the donation will go to support the women's basketball programs at both campuses and includes a $100,000 endowed scholarship for a Lady Vols basketball graduate assistant in honor of Summitt's parents, Richard and Hazel Head.

Summitt has spent 34 seasons as the Lady Vols coach, leading the program to an unprecedented eight national championships. She played basketball and volleyball at Tennessee-Martin.

Two other coaches have made similar contributions. Men's coach Bruce Pearl endowed the Dane Bradshaw Scholarship Endowment in March 2007 and football coach Phillip Fulmer announced in August 2007 a $1 million gift for academics and athletics.

Dupree commits to Lady Vols

Another Webb School women's basketball standout is on the way to Tennessee.

Post player Faith Dupree is the latest Lady Spartan to commit to the Lady Vols. The 6-foot-3 senior-to-be informed UT coach Pat Summitt of her decision after attending UT's elite camp this weekend. She picked Tennessee over Kentucky, Georgia and Virginia Tech.

Glory Johnson, Dupree's former teammate, signed with UT last November and is enrolled in summer school classes.

"It's a dream come true,'' Dupree said. 'Since I was a little girl I've wanted to be a Lady Vol like everyone else. But it means more, this being my hometown."

Dupree, a PrepXtra girls' first-team honoree this spring, averaged 14.5 points 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals last season for Webb, the Division II-AA state runner-up.

Along with the PrepXtra honor, Dupree also was named to the Division II-AA all-tournament and all-region teams.

"She's worked hard,'' Webb coach Shelley Collier said. "She wanted to see herself at this level. Faith has come a long way in the last two years and she still has another year."

Playing with Johnson likely enhanced Dupree's recruiting profile with UT.

"They've been watching Glory,'' Collier said, "and Faith caught their eye as well."

Dupree is the second player from the class of 2009 to commit to UT. Kamiko Williams of Clarksville committed last fall.

Lady Vols release 2008-09 schedule

The players come and go, but Tennessee’s women’s basketball schedule stays the same — tough.

The Lady Vols return only one starter from the 2008 national champion team, but coach Pat Summitt didn’t lighten the load on the road to the 2009 NCAA tournament.

Besides the usual Who’s Who list, UT’s schedule includes two former Lady Vols bringing teams to Thompson-Boling Arena, where they well be welcomed warmly — until tip-off.

Stanford, Texas, Duke, LSU and Rutgers headline the familiar marquee names on the two-time defending national champion’s 2008-09 schedule released Tuesday.

As for why first-time opponent San Francisco pops up on opening night (Nov. 15), look to the bench. Tanya Haave, a 1980s star and member of the Lady Vols Hall of Fame, is making her head-coaching debut.

Kellie Jolly Harper, point guard during the 1996-98 NCAA three-peat, brings her fifth Western Carolina team to Thompson-Boling Arena on Nov. 25.

Fourteen opponents come from last year’s NCAA tournament bracket.

“I’m thrilled that we’ll be playing 17 home games (counting two exhibitions) in our arena,’’ Summitt said. “Our young team will certainly benefit from playing in front of our great fans.’’

Anjie Bjorklund is the only returning starter and even she was coming off the bench behind Alberta Auguste during the NCAA tournament run.

The roster includes seven freshmen, four sophomores and senior Alex Fuller.

One of the home games will be Stanford on Dec. 21, a rematch of UT’s 64-48 victory in the 2008 NCAA tournament title game. The Cardinal was one of two teams to beat Tennessee last season, a 73-69 overtime decision in December.

Duke, DePaul, Louisiana Tech, Virginia and MTSU also come to Knoxville.

Key non-conference road games are at George Washington, Texas, Old Dominion and Rutgers.

The Lady Vols also play Oklahoma in Oklahoma City on ESPN2’s Feb. 2 “Big Monday” package. The other “Big Monday” game is Duke on Feb. 16.

A Dec. 30 road trip to Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash., is a first for the program.

Tennessee plays UT-Chattanooga on its home floor for the first time since 2004.

The 14-game SEC slate includes two games each against Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi State. Tennessee plays the other eight league teams once apiece.

The SEC opener is Jan. 8 at home against Kentucky. The Lady Vols travel to LSU — which beat them 78-62 in Knoxville last year — on Feb. 26.

“Once again this year, the SEC, from top to bottom, will be as strong as it has ever been,’’ Summitt said.

“We’ve had an infusion of some new coaches making a tough league even tougher.’’

Dawn Staley is the new coach at South Carolina. Wendell Hudson takes over at Alabama.

The SEC Tournament moves to North Little Rock, Ark., March 5-8.

NCAA tournament games begin March 21. McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga is among the first-round sites.

The four regionals are: Raleigh, N.C.; Berkeley, Calif.; Oklahoma City; Trenton, N.J.

The Final Four is April 5-7 in St. Louis.

2008-09 TENNESSEE LADY VOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

as of July 29, 2008

DATE OPPONENT SITE TV TIME

THURS., NOV. 6 CARSON-NEWMAN (EXH) KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., NOV. 9 LOVE & BASKETBALL (EXH) KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

SAT., NOV. 15 SAN FRANCISCO KNOXVILLE 2 p.m.

MON., NOV. 17 VIRGINIA KNOXVILLE 7:00 p.m.

FRI., NOV. 21 at Chattanooga Chattanooga 7 p.m.

SUN., NOV. 23 LOUISIANA TECH KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

TUES., NOV. 25 WESTERN CAROLINA KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., NOV. 30 DEPAUL KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

TUES., DEC. 2 at George Washington Washington, D.C. 7 p.m.

THURS., DEC. 11 MIDDLE TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., DEC. 14 at Texas Austin, Texas FSN TBA p.m. CT

THURS., DEC. 18 at Old Dominion Norfolk, VA 7 p.m.

SUN., DEC. 21 STANFORD KNOXVILLE ESPN2 7 p.m.

TUES., DEC. 30 at Gonzaga Spokane, WA 7 p.m. PT

SAT., JAN. 3 at Rutgers Piscataway, NJ CBS Noon

THURS., JAN. 8 KENTUCKY KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., JAN. 11 at Vanderbilt Nashville 2 p.m. CT

THURS., JAN. 15 at Mississippi State Starkville, MS 7 p.m. CT

SUN., JAN. 18 SOUTH CAROLINA KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

THURS., JAN. 22 at Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 7 p.m. CT

SUN., JAN. 25 at Auburn Auburn, AL 2 p.m. CT

THURS., JAN. 29 MISSISSIPPI KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

MON. FEB. 2 vs. Oklahoma (“Big Monday”) Oklahoma City, OK ESPN2 6:30 p.m. CT

THURS., FEB. 5 GEORGIA KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., FEB. 8 at Florida Gainesville, FL 2 p.m.

THURS., FEB. 12 ALABAMA KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

MON. FEB. 16 DUKE (“Big Monday”) KNOXVILLE ESPN2 7:30 p.m.

THURS., FEB. 19 at Kentucky Lexington, KY 7 p.m.

SUN., FEB. 22 MISSISSIPPI STATE KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

THURS., FEB. 26 at LSU Baton Rouge, LA 7 p.m. CT

SUN., MAR. 1 VANDERBILT KNOXVILLE ESPN2 7 p.m.

Thurs.-Sun., Mar. 5-8 SEC Tournament N. Little Rock. AR

Thurs., Mar. 5 SEC Tournament N. Little Rock, AR FOX

Fri., Mar. 6 SEC Tournament N. Little Rock, AR FOX

Sun., Mar. 8 SEC Championship Game N. Little Rock, AR ESPN2

Sat.-Tues., Mar. 21-24 NCAA Tournament (1st & 2nd Rounds) Campus sites* ESPN/ESPN2

*(Eight pre-determined sites: First- and Second-Rounds: The Pit/Bob King Court, Albuquerque, N.M. Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, La.; E.A. Diddle Arena, Bowling Green, Ky.; McKenzie Arena, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Comcast Center, College Park, Md.; Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio; Arena at Gwinnett, Duluth, Ga.; Jack Breslin Student Events Center, East Lansing, Mich.; Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa; United Spirit Arena, Lubbock, Texas; Joyce Center, Notre Dame, Ind.; Galen Center, Los Angeles, Calif.; Louis Brown Athletic Center, Piscataway, N.J.; Cox Arena, San Diego, Calif.; Bank of America Arena, Seattle, Wash.; Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, Conn.)

Sat.-Tues., Mar. 28-31 NCAA Tournament (Regional) ESPN/ESPN2

Raleigh Regional (3/28 & 3/30): RBC Center, Raleigh, N.C.; Berkeley Regional (3/28 & 3/30): Haas Pavilion Berkeley, Calif.; Oklahoma City Regional (3/29 & 3/31): Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Trenton Regional (3/29 & 3/31): Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, N.J.

Sun. & Tues., Apr. 5 & 7 NCAA Final Four (Scottrade Center) St. Louis, Mo. ESPN

ALL TIMES, DATES AND TELEVISION SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Pat Summitt reports son’s debit card stolen, used in Knoxville

If you are going to steal something in Blount County, taking a debit card belonging to the son of Lady Vols head basketball coach Pat Summitt probably isn’t the best idea. And using it, four times, is equally ill advised.

But according to an Alcoa police report released today, that is exactly what Summitt told police happened.

According to the report, Summitt contacted police at 1:03 p.m. Tuesday to report that three debit cards, $60 in cash and an Apple iPod — all belonging to her 17-year-old son — were taken from a vehicle parked in front of her River Trace Lane home in Alcoa.

Summitt reportedly told officers that just before midnight she heard a “thump-like sound” outside her residence and went outside to investigate. She did not see anything and went back inside, the report said. She reported hearing a vehicle leave the area soon after she was back in her residence.

Once on the scene, officers spoke with the 17-year-old, who said he left his wallet in the parked the car at about 10:30 a.m. on Monday and did not notice it had been disturbed until noon the following day when was leaving to eat lunch with a friend.

The wallet was apparently left by the thief in the vehicle, but the cash and three debit cards were removed.

Officers reported it did not appear forced was used to gain entry into the vehicle and there was no evidence left by the suspect at the scene.

By the time officers had been notified of the theft, Summitt’s son reported the cards had been used four times in Knoxville — at a Kroger and Walgreens on Kingston Pike, and a Fav-O-Rite Market and Kenjo on Chapman Highway.

A sergeant with the Knoxville Police Department was contacted by Alcoa officers, “and he offered to assist by recovering the surveillance videos and the debit cards,” the Alcoa report said.

When contacted by The Daily Times today, no information was available from the Knoxville Police Department on the case, including any arrests or charges that had been filed or may be pending.

The incident is currently under investigation.

Parker wins two ESPY Awards; Summitt named top coach

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press

WNBA player Candace Parker accepts the award for best female athlete at the ESPYs Awards on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Candace Parker won two trophies at the ESPY Awards and Pat Summitt showed she can take on the professional coaches Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Parker was selected female athlete of the year and female college athlete of the year. She led Tennessee to its second consecutive NCAA national championship before becoming the WNBA’s No. 1 draft pick and going to the Los Angeles Sparks.

“I’m just excited I got to meet David Beckham,” said Parker, who received her trophy from the English superstar. “I grew up playing soccer, so I love David Beckham. I was thinking, ‘Don’t trip, don’t trip.’ He’s truly an inspiration.”

Summitt, who won her eighth NCAA championship as coach of the Lady Vols, was named coach-manager of the year. Also nominated was Terry Francona of Boston Red Sox, Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants and Doc Rivers of the Boston Celtics,

The Lady Vols also won an ESPY for top women’s collegiate team.

The ESPY Awards will be televised Sunday at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

Tamika Catchings, Kara Lawson, DeLisha Milton-Jones Round Out 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Women’s Basketball Roster

July 10, 2008

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A pair of Olympic gold medalists, Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever) and DeLisha Milton-Jones (Los Angeles Sparks), along with Kara Lawson (Sacramento Monarchs), were named today by USA Basketball to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. The trio round out the official 12-member USA roster that will head to Beijing in hopes of defending the USA’s string of three consecutive Olympic gold medals. Selections were made by the USA Basketball Women’s Senior National Team Committee, chaired by WNBA chief of basketball operations and player relations Reneé Brown.

“The committee had a difficult time with these final three names because of the level of talent in our pool,” said Brown. “However, ultimately we feel that the experience and leadership that we've added to the team in Tamika Catchings, DeLisha Milton-Jones and Kara Lawson are the final pieces to this puzzle. Tamika and DeLisha both know what it takes to be Olympic champions and will help this team defensively. Kara is a tremendous team player who made the most of her opportunities during the FIBA Americas Championship and over the past year has proven herself as a member of this team.”

“I’m thrilled that Tamika, DeLisha and Kara have been added to the team,” said USA head coach Anne Donovan, a three-time Olympian. “Tamika is such a complete player and a tenacious defender who will add much to our already strong Olympic team. DeLisha’s international and Olympic experience is sure to further fortify our inside game. I’m also pleased with the addition of Kara Lawson. Kara’s extensive experience training with the national team these last several years has made her a perfect selection for our team. She understands the game and her teammates so well that it’s like having another coach on the floor. All three of these athletes, along with the rest of the team, are comfortable with each other on the court, and know the system that we plan to utilize in Beijing. I’m excited about getting this team together at the end of this month and really focusing on our goal, which of course, is winning the gold medal.”

The first nine members were named to the U.S. squad on May 31, 2008, and include three-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks); two-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Smith (Detroit Shock); 2004 Olympic gold medalists Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury) and Tina Thompson (Houston Comets); and Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky), Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks) and Cappie Pondexter (Phoenix Mercury), who will participate in their first Olympic Games this summer.

A 2004 Olympic and 2002 World Championship gold medalist, Catchings was named to her first USA Basketball team in 1996 while still in high school. She has also helped U.S. teams capture gold medals at the 2002 Opals World Challenge, 1998 R. William Jones Cup and 1997 FIBA Junior World Championship, silver at the 1997 COPABA Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament and bronze at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. She last donned a USA Basketball jersey during the USA Women’s National Team’s 2007 Tour of Italy and helped the U.S. post a 4-0 slate, while averaging team highs of 12.8 ppg. and 9.0 rpg.

Lawson, who has plenty of international experience, will be participating in her first Olympic Games this summer. Added to the 2007-08 USA National Team roster on Sept. 7, 2007, she helped the United States capture the gold medal and its Olympic berth at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship. Lawson’s first foray into the international game came a decade ago as a member of the 1998 USA World Youth Games Team that returned with the bronze medal. She returned in 2001 to claim gold as a member of the USA World University Games Team and also won a silver medal with the USA Select Team that competed in the 2007 FIBA World League Tournament.

No stranger to USA Basketball, Milton-Jones has helped USA teams capture gold at eight tournaments, including the 2000 Olympic Games and 1998 and 2002 FIBA World Championship. She was also a member of the 2006 USA World Championship Team and earned gold at the 2002 Opals World Challenge, 1999 U.S. Olympic Cup, 1997 World University Games and the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival. Additionally, Milton-Jones was slated to compete in the 2004 Olympics, but injured her knee and was unable to compete.

FIBA conducted the draw to determine the Olympic preliminary round pools and schedule on April 26 in Beijing. The U.S. women were selected for Group B, as were host China, Czech Republic, Mali, New Zealand and Spain; while Group A features 2006 FIBA world champion Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Latvia, Russia and South Korea.

Olympic women’s basketball competition will be held Aug. 9-23. Preliminary play is scheduled for August 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17; quarterfinal action takes place Aug. 19; semifinal play is slated for Aug. 21; and the women’s finals will be held Aug. 23.

The U.S. Women’s Olympic Team opens Aug. 9 versus the Czech Republic, and next faces host China on Aug. 11, Mali on Aug. 13 and Spain on Aug. 15. The U.S. finishes off its preliminary play Aug. 17 against New Zealand.

The defending Olympic champs, the USA women in fact will be vying for a fourth consecutive Olympic gold. Since women’s basketball was officially staged at the 1976 Olympics, the Americans have collected a record five gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal, while compiling a 42-3 (.933) overall record in seven Olympic appearances (the United States chose not to participate in the 1980 Olympic Games).

The 2007-08 USA Basketball Women’s National Team participated in six different training camps, while the USA Select Team, featuring members of the USA National Team, competed in the 2007 FIBA World League Tournament. During the team’s training the USA compiled a 25-2 mark against nine different national teams and five professional club teams, earned the gold medal at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship and the silver medal at the 2008 Good Luck Beijing Tournament. Additionally, the USA Select Team posted a 3-2 slate, brought home the silver medal from the 2007 FIBA World League Tournament and notched victories against a pair of Russia’s top professional teams and the defending Australia WNBL champs.

Donovan is being assisted on the sidelines by Mike Thibault, head coach of the WNBA Connecticut Sun and collegiate head coaches Gail Goestenkors of the University of Texas and the University of South Carolina’s Dawn Staley.

In addition to Brown, the USA Basketball Women’s Senior National Team Committee includes: athlete representatives Jennifer Azzi, a 1996 U.S. Olympic Team member, and Teresa Edwards, a five-time Olympian; New York Liberty President and General Manager Carol Blazejowski, Minnesota Lynx Chief Operating Officer Roger Griffith, Indiana Fever Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Kelly Krauskopf and Los Angeles Sparks General Manager Penny Toler serve as the WNBA representatives on the Committee; while University of Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt is the NCAA representative.

USA Basketball is the national governing body responsible for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States and is responsible for representing the USA in international competitions.

The selected players will be nominated to the United States Olympic Committee to participate in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

White House welcomes Lady Vols

WASHINGTON — The Lady Vols basketball team visited the White House on Tuesday to be feted for their back-to-back national championships, but coach Pat Summitt was looking forward more than backward.

Four of the five starters in the Lady Vols’ march to the title, all WNBA draft picks led by All-American Candace Parker, couldn’t make the ceremony. Their professional teams played games Tuesday night.

But their former teammates, mostly underclassmen who will lead next year’s young squad, got to soak in a day of congratulations from President George Bush and the Tennessee congressional delegation.

“I think they can look around the table and know they have big shoes to fill,” Summitt said. “There’s high expectations at Tennessee, no matter who graduates. With a group of freshmen coming in — six of them, who are going to be very young — I think they understand they’ll have to set the example every day.”

The President honored the Lady Vols at a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, along with 19 other collegiate championship teams, including the Georgia men’s tennis and women’s gymnastics squads.

“It’s hard to become a champ, and that’s why we love to honor people here at the White House when you become one,” Bush said. “One of the things I tell people is, is that if you work hard and become a repeat champion, I look forward to welcoming you back to the White House. However, this time it’s not going to work. My eligibility has run out.”

Earlier Tuesday, the Tennessee congressional delegation celebrated the Lady Vols’ back-to-back championships at a luncheon.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on you, but we just want to make this an annual event,” said Rep. John Duncan, R-Tenn., who represents Knoxville.

Sophomore Vicki Baugh, who tore her ACL in the NCAA tournament final against Stanford, said the team was excited to visit the White House.

“It’s great to be here,” she said. “All along, we said we wanted to get here, so this is just a great experience.”

This past season’s team went 36-2, capping off their championship season with a 64-48 win over Stanford.

The Lady Vols were led by a talented veteran core that included Parker, who was taken by the Los Angeles Sparks first overall in April’s WNBA draft; fellow first-rounder Alexis Hornbuckle, now with the Detroit Shock; and second-round picks Shannon Bobbitt of the Sparks and Nicky Anosike of the Minnesota Lynx.

“I think that the players we had recruited in that class, in particular with Nicki and Alexis and Candace, they wanted to leave their legacy at UT in a significant way,” Summitt said. “They talked about it (and said), ‘We were too highly touted coming out of high school not to win two championships.’”

Alberta Auguste, also a graduating senior and a key starter during the postseason, said the second championship was extra rewarding given that the Lady Vols played with a target on their collective back all season.

“Every opponent was after us,” said Auguste, who was drafted in the third round by the New York Liberty but released after training camp. “Everybody knew we were the national champions and played harder against us. We knew what was at stake and how hard it would be to get back to the Final Four.”

Next year’s returners will include just one senior (forward/center Alex Fuller), one redshirt sophomore, three true sophomores and a redshirt freshman.

The Lady Vols also will welcome the six freshmen widely hailed as the nation’s top recruiting class.

“I think we might struggle a bit in the beginning, but once we get our chemistry together, I think we’ll be fine,” said Baugh, who should be fully recovered from her injury by fall. “We lost so many seniors, and we’re basically starting as a whole new team, so we’ll really need to get to know each other and know what we can do on the court.”

Bush is the fourth president Summitt has met in her 34-year career that includes an Olympic gold medal and eight national titles at Tennessee.

She met Jimmy Carter in 1980 as coach of the Olympic team, which missed the games in Moscow due to the U.S. boycott. She has also met Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush with Lady Vols trips.

“Any time you have an opportunity to win the national championship and go to the White House and meet the president, that puts the stamp of approval on what we accomplished,” said Summitt, the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history. “It’s truly a tremendous opportunity for these young women to get to meet the President of the United States.”

Lady Vols Add Another In-State Committment

Often times in collegiate recruiting, players earn scholarship offers even though the scouts attending their games or practices have really come to see a teammate or opponent. Such may be the case with the second commitment for the Lady Vols' 2009 signing class.

Pat Summitt and her staff made the short trip to Webb School of Knoxville several times to recruit Glory Johnson, a top-five recruit, last season. In the process they found 6'3" junior forward Faith Dupree.

The trips earned Dupress an invite to the Lady Vols Elite Camp this past weekend where she committed to sign with Tennessee during the early signing period this November.

With Johnson and Dupree, Webb was a state runner-up this past season. Dupress averaged 14.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals per game for the Spartans.

Dupree is the second in-state commitment as Pat Summitt begins building what she hopes will be a third-consecutive top-ranked recruiting class in NCAA women's college basketball.

Kamiko Williams, a 5'11" guard from Clarksville, had previously committed to the Lady Vols.

Both Dupree and Williams are ranked as four-star prospects by HoopGurlz.com with Dupree #67 nationally and Williams #68.

As is usually the case, Summitt is the hunt for several of the nation's top-rated recruits. Among those showing interest in the Lady Vols are 6'5" post Kelsey Bone [Sugar Land, TX], 5'8" point guard Skylar Diggins [South Bend, IN], 6'2" forward Mariah Chandler [Atlanta], 6'1" wing Shenneika Smith [Brooklyn, NY], 5'11" wing Tierra Rogers [San Francisco], 6'1" guard Taber Spani [Shwnee Mission, KS] and 5'11" guard Bianca Lutley [Penscola, FL]. All are five-star prospects and among the nation's top 25 players. Diggins is fourth nationally and Bone second. Bone had been first in her class since the beginning of her sophomore season before being overtaken by 6'7" post Brittney Griner of Houston. Griner has already committed to Baylor.

* Former Lady Vol Candace Parker was named as the winner of the Honda-Broderick Cup on Monday as the nation's top female college athlete. Parker flew to New York early on Monday to receive the award.

Just hours earlier, Parker recorded her first professional dunk with a one-handed break-away slam in the Los Angeles Sparks' 77-63 victory over the Indiana Fever. Parker joins teammate Lisa Leslie as the only WNBA players to dunk during a game.

Also nominated for the Honda-Broderick Cup were Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher (softball), Duke's Amanda Blumenherst (golf), North Carolina's Rachel Dawson (field hockey) and Arizona State's Jacquelyn Johnson (track).

* The National Champion Lady Vols will be honored at a White House ceremony on Tuesday.

Candace Parker Named 2008 Honda-Broderick Cup Winner

Parker Becomes Ninth U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team Member To Win The Cup

On June 23, 2008, at a press conference at the Columbia University Low Memorial Library in New York, N.Y., Honda, Inc., announced 2008 U.S. Olympic Team member Candace Parker as its 2008 cup winner, the ninth USA Basketball Olympian to earn the coveted trophy.

“I am honored to be chosen as the Honda-Broderick Cup winner this year from such an outstanding group of female student-athletes,” Parker said. “I have been blessed to be recognized as an individual but know that I couldn’t have gotten where I am today without the help of my family, friends, teammates and coaches. My experience at the University of Tennessee prepared me for life as a professional basketball player and as a strong, independent woman. Coach Summitt always says if you surround yourself with great people and players, you are destined for great things. Winning this award and two national championships at Tennessee are, to me, great things. I want to thank Honda for its continued support of the award and women’s athletics throughout the years.”

Parker, who opted out of her final year of eligibility, graduated in May from the University of Tennessee with a degree in sport management. On April 9, she was the No. 1 overall pick in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. She finished her career at Rocky Top with a plethora of school records, including most dunks, free throws made and attempted in a game; most dunks, blocks, free throws made and attempted in a single season; and as the career leader in dunks, blocks, free throws made and attempted. She became just the fourth 2,000-point scorer and was the eighth Lady Vol to amass 900 rebounds in program history. In 2008, her accolades included ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American of the Year and first-team Academic All-America honors, unanimous first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC), SEC All-Tournament Team and SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player, the Wooden Award, the Naismith Award, the U.S. Basketball Writers’ Association National Player of the Year, the Associated Press Player of the Year and unanimous first-team All-America honors. Parker also received ESPN.com National Player of the Year, State Farm All-America, WBCA National Player of the Month in January, and Oklahoma City Regional and NCAA Final Four All-Tournament and Most Outstanding Player honors.

The Naperville, Ill., native averaged 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.4 blocks and 2.3 steals in 38 games this season while leading her team to a 36-2 record and the program’s eighth NCAA Championship. The 36-win total marks the second-most in school history, behind only the 1997-98 squad that went 39-0. This year’s team set new UT records for three-pointers made and attempted and went an astonishing 18-2 against top-25 opposition.

The Collegiate Women's Sports Awards program is in its 32nd year and recognizes the top collegiate woman athlete in each of 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports. In addition, the program honors the top women collegiate athletes representing Division II and Division III schools and the recipient of the Honda Inspiration Award. The Award winners in the 12 sports were automatically nominated for The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and from those 12 rose Parker as the victor of the prestigious Honda-Broderick Cup.

The honor is based on the results of national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program for each sport. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., sponsor of the program, celebrates each nominee by donating $5,000 to each Honda Sports Award recipient school and $1,000 to each nominee school.

In addition to Parker, who was named to her first Olympic team and will represent the U.S. in Beijing later this summer, Honda-Broderick Cup Olympic basketball players include Kamie Ethridge (1988 gold medalist), Lusia Harris (1976 silver medalist), Chamique Holdsclaw (2000 gold medalist), Nancy Lieberman (1976 silver medalist), Rebecca Lobo (1996 gold medalist), Ann Meyers-Drysdale (1976 silver medalist), Cheryl Miller (1984 gold medalist) and Dawn Staley (1996, 2000 and 2004 gold medalist).

Rookie starter brings fighting spirit to Lynx

Nicky Anosike gives much of the credit for being a starter to two women who were tough on her: Pat Summitt and her mother.

Nicky Anosike feels more grown up these days.

Anosike, the 6-2 rookie center for the Lynx, passed her driver's license test last month and is driving a Jeep Liberty the team loaned her.

"I felt like a kid before, asking people for rides," said Anosike, 22. "Now I can get myself to most places."

Anosike is also helping drive her new team to places it has not gone before. After back-to-back 10-victory seasons, Minnesota is the WNBA's last unbeaten team at 3-0. That's the best start in the 10-year history of the franchise.

Anosike is averaging 11 points and 4.3 rebounds as a starter. Two other rookies, Charde Houston (12 ppg) and Candice Wiggins (11.7), are averaging in double figures coming off the bench.

Minnesota will try to extend its winning streak against defending champion Phoenix (0-3) at 7 tonight at the Target Center.

Anosike, taken 16th overall in last month's WNBA draft, played collegiately at Tennessee, which won the NCAA championship the past two seasons. But scoring was a secondary role for her on the Vols, as evidenced by her career average of only 7.5 points.

After scoring 11 and 20 points in her first two games, Anosike was only 1-for-6 from the field Thursday. But her only basket was an 8-foot jumper with 1 minute, 26 seconds left that put the Lynx ahead to stay in a 75-69 victory at Chicago.

"[Anosike] is a fighter, and that rubs off on her teammates," Lynx coach Don Zierden said.

'Equal opportunity'

Anosike insisted she has the ability to score the day after the Lynx drafted her. She averaged 22.2 points as a high school senior at St. Peter's, an all-girls private school on Staten Island in New York City.

But Tennessee coach coach Pat Summitt wanted Anosike primarily to rebound and play defense for her talent-laden team.

"Now with coach Z, I'm in a system of equal opportunity," Anosike said. "We don't just give the ball to one person, and that's when you really can shine if you are on a real team."

Candace Parker, a rookie with Los Angeles, was the Vols' All-America player.

Anosike gives much of the credit for her becoming an WNBA starter to two women in her life: her mother, Ngozi, and Summitt.

Her mother, who immigrated from Nigeria at 18, is a single parent who raised eight children in a Staten Island project. Until she became a nurse at age 40, Ngozi usually worked several jobs interspersed with night classes. She was just as demanding of her children.

"We'd bring a test home with a 92 or 93," Nicky said, "and she would say, 'This is not good enough. You need a 100.' "

Summitt, like Mom, pushed her

Nicky, the youngest daughter, finished first in her class in eighth grade, and fifth academically at St. Peter's. She started playing basketball at age 9, and by fifth grade one of Nicky's coaches was telling Ngozi that her daughter could some day be a great player.

Mom was skeptical, but she appreciated what coaches and parents of teammates were doing: always picking Nicky up for games and practices despite her living in a neighborhood so tough that Ngozi would not allow her children to play outside.

The first time her mother saw Nicky play basketball was as a high school junior in a game she scored her 1,000th career point. Summitt was also present.

Nicky, a McDonald's high school All-America player, had her choice of colleges. Her mother had just one in mind.

"I kept my mouth shut," said Ngozi, "and prayed Nicky would go to Pat Summitt. She reminded me of myself, a very hard-working woman, very disciplined, very tough, always pushing her girls to bring out the best in them."

Mom was right about Summitt. She was tough, especially on Nicky. "I had to meet the highest standard on the team day in and day out," Nicky said. "Why she was so much harder on me, I could not understand it. But it was for my betterment. It's why I am starting now."

At Tennessee, Nicky became a leader. She authored a team pact two seasons ago which everyone signed. It committed everyone to giving everything they had on the court, no matter what, Anosike said.

"I know it helped," she said.

So she persuaded her teammates to sign another pact her senior year. Nicky completed a triple major in criminal justice, political science and legal studies in four years at Tennessee and had a 3.8 grade-point average. She graduated May 9.

Last week Summitt called Nicky and said she was proud of her.

"People look at me like, 'Oh my goodness, three majors -- you are crazy, just be happy with the one,' " Nicky said. "But you want to do the unthinkable, you want to go that extra step."

Comin' For You

Parker leads Sparks to 99-94 victory over Mercury

PHOENIX - Candace Parker scored 34 points, the most ever in a WNBA debut, added 12 rebounds, and 8 assists to help the Los Angeles Sparks beat the defending champion Phoenix Mercury 99-94 on Saturday.

The previous high in a WNBA debut was 25 points by Cynthia Cooper in 1997.

The game was tied at 79 early in the fourth quarter when Parker, who led Tennessee to back-to-back NCAA titles, took over. She scored 10 straight points to give the Sparks an 89-86 lead with 3:15 to play.

Parker, who made 6-of-7 shots in the final quarter, hit a short hook shot to put the Sparks up 97-94 with 12 seconds to go.

Parker wore a brace on her left shoulder, which she dislocated during the NCAA tournament. It didn't slow her one bit.

Parker came within two assists of becoming the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double. Only one NBA player did it in his debut _ Oscar Robertson, in 1960.

Cappie Pondexter scored 32 points for Phoenix but missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 4 seconds to go. Lisa Leslie, who missed last season on maternity leave, had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Sparks.

Before the game, the Mercury celebrated their 2007 WNBA championship with a ring ceremony and the unveiling of US Airways Center's lone basketball title banner.

Mercury star Diana Taurasi told the crowd of 13,749 that the Mercury aim to make it two in a row this season. But this is a different team.

Former coach Paul Westhead left after the season to join the Seattle SuperSonics' staff, although he returned for the ring ceremony. And star forward Penny Taylor is back in her native Australia preparing for the Beijing Olympics.

With Phoenix-area resident Muhammad Ali watching from a baseline seat, the fired-up Mercury broke out to a 15-7 lead midway through the first quarter.

The Sparks answered with a 10-0 run capped by a pair of 3-pointers by Sidney Spencer, who hit 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in the opening quarter.

Taurasi missed her first six shots, showing the effects of a stomach virus she contracted after returning from Russia this week. She was scoreless until she made a 3-pointer late in the first half. Taurasi finished with 24 points.

Big Names At Vitale Gala

Sarasota, Florida - Basketball analyst and Sarasota resident Dick Vitale hosted his 2008 Dick Vitale Gala for Cancer Research tonight at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Sarasota.

The sold out event of over 700 attendees saw some of the biggest names in sports. But, it was headlined by two of the winningest coaches in NCCA basketball history, Tennessee’s Pat Summitt and former Texas Tech and Indiana head coach, Bob Knight. They were the honored guests at the event which is part of Dick Vitale’s efforts to raise money for cancer research.

Vitale is hoping to raise at least $1,000,000 for pediatric cancer research in memory of five-year old Payton Wright who lost her battle against cancer last summer.

For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.

UT's Pat Summitt finds she's 'mom' to many

Coach continues to support players long after they leave

NASHVILLE — Pat Summitt guesses it was about 20 years ago when she took on another role with her players.

Until then she had been the University of Tennessee women's basketball coach, teacher, disciplinarian and something akin to a sister to her players.

In fact, because she was so young her first year as the coach in 1974, her players just called her Pat.

"When I first started coaching and I was only a year older than my seniors, I was probably too tough and probably distanced myself too much from them so that they would recognize me as their coach," said Summitt, who guided the Lady Vols to their eighth national championship this past season.

"Now that's not an issue," she said. "That's probably been the case for the last 20 years. Now it is more of a mother-daughter relationship. We try to have a family atmosphere so those roles come naturally."

As the seasons came and went, Summitt says, her relationships with her players became more protective, more passionate, more maternal.

That is why she will spend time Sunday answering phone calls and opening Mother's Day cards from so many former Lady Vols. And from her son, Tyler, of course.

Coach reaches out

The close-knit bond lasts long after many of the players leave school. Summitt said she routinely gets visits or calls from former players seeking advice on everything from what to do about a work-related problem to when to start a family to matters that are best kept private.

Sounds like an added hassle for a coach trying to keep her program at its peak. Who has time to deal with a former player's stress or mess?

"Oh, I love it," Summitt said. "I think it's more fun for me. Now that I'm more secure in what I'm doing as a coach, and what I want to continue to do is to help these young women be successful. That was the problem when I was a young coach; I wasn't secure and so I kept that distance. I like it much better this way. You don't just say goodbye at the end of their playing careers and end it there."

Nikki Caldwell is thankful her relationship with Summitt lasted after she graduated from Tennessee in 1995. In fact, Caldwell followed in Summitt's footsteps and became a coach.

She spent the last six seasons as one of Summitt's assistants and recently was named head coach at UCLA

"Pat has played many roles in my life, and one has definitely been like a mother," Caldwell said. "I called her my agent when I was going through the process of getting the UCLA job. She was so helpful in that. She has worn so many different hats as a coach and now I am looking to her to help me to learn how to do the same."

Summitt became an actual mother during Caldwell's freshman year at Tennessee. She was pregnant with her only child, Tyler, and Caldwell says it was interesting to see her motherly instincts take over.

He became the top priority in Summitt's life.

"Anytime the baby sitter brought Tyler to practice, we knew practice was almost over," Caldwell said. "During those really hard practices, we would be looking around and saying, 'Where is Tyler?'"

Of course, Summitt did not allow the changes in her personal life to affect her professional life.

"I'll never forget when we were on the track running, and of course we had to be there at 5:30 in the morning," Caldwell said. "They told us Pat wasn't going to be there one morning. She had gone to the hospital to have Tyler. So we're thinking we can leave the workout and go to the hospital. But that was incorrect. She sent word for us to finish the workout before we came to visit."

Following in her footsteps

Tyler, now 17 and finishing his junior year in high school, and his mother are headed into an interesting time in both of their lives.

"He's at the same age now as the kids I've dealt with throughout my career," Summitt said. "This is the age when I start recruiting players. He just took his ACT and is getting ready to take his SATs. It's a little bit different. I am usually the one doing the recruiting. Now I'm just trying to help him sort through what he wants to do, if he wants to continue to play basketball after he graduates from high school or whatever."

Tyler recently informed his mother that he eventually wants to be a basketball coach.

"I'm trying to discourage him from that," Summitt said with a laugh. "But whatever he wants, I just want the best for him."

Lady Vols, Memphis take awards

Tennessee's Pat Summitt has been selected women's Coach of the Year and former Lady Vol Candace Parker was named women's Player of the Year by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association, the group announced.

They will be honored during an awards dinner July 9 at the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association in Hermitage.

Memphis Coach John Calipari was selected men's Coach of the Year and Chris Douglas-Roberts was named men's Player of the Year.

The TSWA also selected men's and women's all-star teams.

The men's team includes Douglas-Roberts, Derrick Rose of Memphis, Shan Foster of Vanderbilt, Tyler Smith of Tennessee and Lester Hudson of UT Martin.

The women's team includes Parker, Amber Holt of MTSU, Alexis Hornbuckle of Tennessee, Alex Anderson of Chattanooga and Jana Cross of Freed-Hardeman.

Also to be honored at the July dinner will be Vanderbilt's Earl Bennett, the college football Player of the Year and UT's Phillip Fulmer, the college football coach of the year.

Ohio picks Randall as new women's coach

ATHENS - Ohio University tapped a familiar pipeline in selecting its ninth women's basketball Friday.

Semeka Randall was introduced as the new face of the Bobcats, and like her predecessor, Randall carries the clout of having been a successful professional player and an up-and-coming coach.

"We hit a winning half-court shot at the buzzer in hiring Semeka Randall," Ohio Director of Athletics Jim Schaus said in a statement released by the university.
"I am very excited about her leading our program and is a perfect fit for what we were looking for. She is energetic and tenacious to succeed."

Randall, a Cleveland native and former two-time Miss Basketball in Ohio, was an assistant in 2007 at West Virginia and spent two seasons as an assistant at Michigan State. She spent two years at Cleveland State as an assistant with the Vikings' program.

"It is my dream job to coach in the state of Ohio," Randall said in the statement. "If you look at my previous coaching experiences, you'll see that I've always positioned myself around this state because it's a great place for women's basketball."

As an assistant at Michigan State, Randall helped guide the Spartans to the a national championship appearance in 2005 and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2006.

"Semeka has a strong coaching background, including being with programs that have competed in the NCAA Tournament." Schaus said. "She is from Ohio and has strong recruiting ties to the area. She has played at the highest level as a high school All-American in Cleveland, was a starting guard at Tennessee and won the national championship. She played four years in the WNBA and is a winner in everything she has done."

Randall replaces former Ohio coach Sylvia Crawley, who resigned this past week to take the head coaching job at Boston College. Both Randall and Crawley spent time playing in the WNBA. Randall and Crawley were members of the league's San Antonio Silver Stars in 2003-04.

Randall was a two-time All-American at Tennessee and helped the Lady Vols win the 1998 NCAA Championship with a 39-0 record.

"Ohio is a great school," she said.

"I like that it urges student-athletes to excel in the classroom and on the court. It's just a great place and I'm looking forward to becoming part of the Ohio basketball family and the Athens community."

Coaches turn bikers to raise breast cancer awareness

Their do-rags are pink. Their motorcycles are painted Tennessee orange.

Lady Vols assistant coach Holly Warlick and former assistant turned UCLA head coach Nikki Caldwell are hittin’ the road.

Warlick and Caldwell, who both played as Lady Vols and have spent a combined 27 seasons at coach Pat Summitt’s side embark Sunday on their second weeklong “Cruisin’ for a Cause” ride to raise money for breast cancer programs.

The pair rode cross-country last year from Knoxville to Berkeley, Calif., raising more than $50,000 along the way. That money went to various causes, including Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Wellness Community of East Tennessee.

They held events at every stop where they joined fans and breast cancer survivors to celebrate.

“The best stories are really when the survivors would come out and give their testimony. They’d talk about their fight,” Caldwell said. “That’s why we’ll always be committed to this. It’s really put everything in perspective.”

Warlick wanted to combine the charity work she and Caldwell often did with their love of riding — Caldwell has ridden for 14 years while Warlick began seven years ago and even received a Harley-Davidson as a gift when she was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Both wanted to raise awareness for breast cancer. Warlick’s grandmother had the disease and a friend of Caldwell’s passed away from complications in 2001.

Some of the proceeds of the 2007 trip went to the brand-new Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund in honor of the North Carolina State coach, a breast cancer survivor.

Yow was unavailable for comment because of a death in the family but said previously that she started the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund to show that women’s basketball coaches were stepping forward to help fight the disease.

“Kay’s been a huge icon in women’s basketball,” Warlick said. “We thought that was a kind of no-brainer to donate to her.”

Their 2,700-mile trip last year was in September — right in the middle of recruiting time — and Summitt worried a bit about the safety of two-thirds of her assistant coaching staff.

“She was a little skeptical at first, but when she saw the response and the amount of money we raised, she was very supportive,” Warlick said.

They had a little fun with each other too: Caldwell recalled one part of the ride when she became a sandwich between Warlick’s bike and an tractor-trailer truck.

“This year I’m not riding next her. I refuse to,” Caldwell said.

This year’s tour will take the pair 2,200 miles from Knoxville to Key West, Fla., and back traveling through Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. They expect to ride a week and have a fundraising goal of $100,000.

Events are planned in Miami, Naples and Tampa, Fla., where they’ll celebrate with more fans and survivors.

Their entourage includes seven bikes, a motorhome and a chase car.

They plan to carry on Cruisin’ for a Cause for years to come, even with Caldwell now a UCLA Bruin. Warlick said she hoped that because their charity is a bit more organized they could bring more riders along with them in the future.

She said they’ve even offered to bring Summitt along.

“We were trying to find a side car for her to go,” she said. “(Summitt) said she’d follow the dot on the computer as we traveled along.”

On the Net: http://www.volunteerscruisin.com/

Lady Vols' Summitt Red Cross guest

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — The Appalachian Chapter of the American Red Cross will recognize Red Cross "Heroes" and the corporate sponsors of its annual Humanitarian Luncheon at a special recognition event to be held 11:30 a.m. Monday at the DoubleTree Hotel.

Featured speaker will be UT Lady Vols Basketball Coach Pat Summitt.

The local Red Cross chapter -- serving Anderson County and Oak Ridge -- is celebrating its 90th anniversary.

In addition to presenting awards to its major contributors at the Oak Ridge event, the Appalachian Chapter will present Summitt with the Clara Barton Leadership Honor Award for her leadership and personal expertise that enables the Red Cross to contribute valuable services to the community.

Parker already making strong impact on Sparks, WNBA

NEW YORK - Kathy Goodman admits she was wary of the hype about the impact Candace Parker would have on the Los Angeles Sparks if they selected her with the No. 1 overall pick in last month’s WNBA draft.

“I am the cynic of the group,” the Sparks’ co-owner said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles. “I’m the one that’s like ‘Yes I know there’s a lot of hype and let’s not believe our own hype. This is still going to take some work.’ And I have to admit, that even I was pleasantly surprised by the response.”

Although Parker has yet to make her debut with the Sparks, the former Tennessee Lady Vols star is already boosting the team and the rest of the league at the box office, in merchandise sales and on the Web.

Los Angeles sold seven times the number of season tickets during the first week after the April 9 draft compared to the same period last year. Also, individual game ticket sales for the first eight days after the draft increased nearly threefold.

No doubt, the Sparks’ ticket sales are also being fueled by the return of Lisa Leslie. The perennial All-Star and three-time Olympic gold medalist is back after a one-year absence following the birth of her daughter last June.

“It has been really overwhelming to see,” Goodman said. “The combination of Candace joining the team and Lisa Leslie being back on the team, both of those things have been a matter of a lot of buzz in the community.”

And that buzz hasn’t been limited to Los Angeles. According to the WNBA, teams around the league are selling three times as many individual game tickets for when the Sparks are scheduled to visit compared to their overall average.

“I feel like it’s a huge responsibility,” Parker said. “Obviously we’ve gotten people to buy tickets to the games, but it’s a matter of getting them to come back. I guess a little bit of added pressure to perform when we play … not to take any nights off because there’s always going to be somebody watching you for the first time.”

Being a draw isn’t new for Parker. Tennessee is usually among the attendance leaders in women’s college basketball—at home and on the road. The Lady Vols averaged a school-record 15,796 at home this past season en route to their second straight NCAA championship, and eighth overall.

“It’s something I am used to in a way, coming from a storybook program at Tennessee,” Parker said. “We had a lot of sold-out away games this year, a lot of people wanted to see us play. I’m used to it, but it’s something you can’t take lightly.”

A few more numbers to quantify Parker’s impact:

— The league sold more Parker jerseys on WNBAStore.com in the first two weeks after the draft than any other rookie in league history during a similar time period.

— Parker’s page on WNBA.com received 70,000 page views in the week of the draft (April 6-12), trailing only the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul when compared to NBA players.

— The Sparks’ Web site has already set all-time monthly traffic records during April for page views, and set a single-day record on the day of the draft with more than 40,000 visits.

“Obviously she’s a spectacular player and she’s also an incredibly charismatic personality. People are really drawn to her,” Goodman said. “She can be a gateway player where people get hooked on her but they realize ‘Look at all these other great players we didn’t know about.’ This is not like this is a league that has nobody in it except for her. People will come to see her and stay to see the rest of the teams and the rest of the players.”

Parker knows she doesn’t have the pressure that usually falls on a No. 1 pick, of being the focal player for a struggling franchise. Although the Sparks were 10-24 last season, they had to contend with Leslie’s absence, injuries to key players like point guard Temeka Johnson, and the sudden retirement of six-time All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw five games into the season.

Not only is Leslie back this year, Los Angeles also reaquired two-time Olympian DeLisha Milton-Jones, who was on the Sparks’ championship teams in 2001 and 2002, from Washington last month.

“The team went 10-24 last year, but this year’s team isn’t a 10-24 team,” Parker said.

The Naperville, Ill., native admits she is looking forward to the Sparks’ visit to Chicago on June 3. And an added bonus to her rookie season is a likely trip to Beijing for the Olympics this summer as part of U.S. national team.

“The opportunity to represent my country is something I’ve wanted to do from the time I picked up a basketball,” she said. “It’s a neat experience that very few people get.”

The Sparks’ season-opener is on the road against defending champion Phoenix on May 17. Parker still has some unfinished business back in Tennessee before that.

“I’m trying to see if I can go back for graduation (on May 9),” she said. “I haven’t got that situated yet.”

Warlick to stay at UT; Staley to South Carolina

Tennessee Lady Vols assistant head coach Holly Warlick will remain on Pat Summitt's staff. Warlick had been in the running for the head coaching job at South Carolina.

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Dawn Staley will leave her hometown of Philadelphia to become the Gamecokc's head women's basketball coach. Warlick told 10 Sports, "I love what I do. I feel very fortunate, I love my job."

"It (South Carolina) was an opportunity I looked into," added Warlick. "It didn't work out. I had reservations about even applying for the job."

"I was meant to stay here," Holly said. "I'm not upset about it."

Staley will take over the women's basketball opening subject to approval from the university's board of trustees. Staley replaces Susan Walvius, who resigned after 11 seasons with the Gamecocks.

She has also served as a member of the USA Basketball staff since February 2006. She'll continue to serve through the Beijing Olympics this summer.

Former Lady Vol Charles-Furlow is new Tennessee assistant

KNOXVILLE, TN - Tennessee coach Pat Summitt has hired former player Daedra Charles-Furlow as an assistant.

Summitt announced Wednesday that Charles-Furlow will replace Nikki Caldwell, who last month accepted the head coaching job at UCLA.

The All-American has spent the last two seasons as an Auburn assistant under Nell Fortner. She's also worked as an assistant at Detroit Mercy and St. Martin dePorres High School, her alma mater.

As a 6-foot-3 center, Charles-Furlow led the Lady Vols to NCAA championships in 1989 and 1991.

She was named the 1991 Southeastern Conference female athlete of the year and became the first SEC player to win the Wade Trophy, the highest honor in women's basketball. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Charles-Furlow joins Tennessee assistants Holly Warlick and Dean Lockwood.

Bill Self and Pat Summitt to be Honored by NY Athletic Club

New York, NY, May 7th – Bill Self from the University of Kansas and Pat Summitt from the University of Tennessee, the winning men’s and women’s coaches from the NCAA Basketball Tournaments, will receive the WINGED FOOT AWARD at a gala banquet at the New York Athletic Club on Wednesday, May 14th, 2008.

“It’s a great honor to welcome Pat and Bill to the New York Athletic Club and to present them with the Winged Foot Award,” commented James W. O’Brien, chairman of the Winged Foot Award Committee. “Not only are they world class coaches and mentors, they are also world class people.”

This will be the 13th annual presentation of the Winged Foot Award, which will take place at the NYAC’s Manhattan headquarters with the coaches and key personnel in attendance.

Lady Vol coach Pat Summitt honored by Tennessee House of Representatives

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Lawmakers have passed a resolution honoring University of Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, who led the Lady Vols to the 2008 NCAA championship.

The House resolution was sponsored by Democrat Craig Fitzhugh of Ripley, who called Summitt "the greatest coach in America."

Pegram Republican Phillip Johnson told fellow representatives to remember that "when it came to bringing a national championship to Tennessee, the right man for the job was a woman."

Summitt told the legislators the 2008 team was unique in that "never in the history of the WNBA has a team had five starters go in the WNBA draft."

House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh also praised Summitt's 100 percent graduation rate for all players who have finished their careers at UT.