Oct. 12, 2005
SAN BRUNO, CA - Loyola Marymount was chosen as the favorite to claim the West Coast Conference women's basketball title in the 2005-06 WCC women's basketball preseason poll, as selected by the conference coaches. The Lions, who posted a 16-13 overall record last season and a 9-5 mark in conference play to finish in second place, will be seeking their second WCC championship in the last three years. LMU captured the program's first conference regular season and tournament titles in 2003-04.
Julie Wilhoit's squad topped the preseason poll, receiving 59 points including four first place votes to edge defending champion Gonzaga. Headlining the group of LMU returners is first team all-conference performer Rachael Ziemann (10.2 ppg), the team's leading scorer from a season ago, and her sister, Bianca Ziemann, who ranked fourth on the team in scoring (7.9 ppg) and appeared in all 29 games with 20 starts at the guard spot. Also included in the returning cast is center Jevay Grooms, who ranked second in the WCC in field goal percentage (.539), and WCC All-Freshman team selection Valerie Ogoke (5.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg).
Gonzaga, picked to finish second in the conference, garnered three first place votes after turning in a record setting performance last season by reeling off a 28-4 overall record and advancing to the second round of the WNIT. Although the Zags will miss graduated All-American point guard Shannon Mathews as well as three-time All-WCC performer Ashley Burke, Head Coach Kelly Graves welcomes back honorable mention all-conference performer Anne Bailey (9.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and forward Stephanie Hawk (9.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg). Ashley Anderson, an honorable mention All-WCC selection in 2003-04, also returns after missing much of last year due to injury.
Santa Clara, the 2005 WCC Tournament champion, was picked third and received the remaining first place vote. The Broncos return four starters and six of last season's top seven scorers. Santa Clara is deep at the guard spot with Michelle Cozad (13.1 ppg), Chandice Cronk (6.3 ppg), Ashley Graham (9.1 ppg), and Kayla Huss (6.8 ppg) all returning after making significant contributions a year ago.
Pepperdine, which returns six letterwinners, and Saint Mary's, which returns an experienced group of eight letterwinners, tied for the No. 4 spot in the poll with 36 points. The Waves lost All-WCC performer Jennifer Lacy, but return WCC All-Freshman team selection Daphanie Kennedy (9.2 ppg) to lead a squad that will feature five newcomers. The Gaels will look to senior guard Brianna Winn (9.5 ppg, 62 assists) to head an experienced backcourt that includes senior Evynn Van Burger (7.9 ppg).
San Francisco, voted sixth, features the conference's leading returning scorer in sophomore Dominique Carter (15.7 ppg). Carter, the 2004-05 WCC Newcomer of the Year, was the only freshman named to the All-WCC team after finishing second on the circuit's scoring chart in conference contests (16.5 ppg) a year ago.
San Diego, selected for a seventh place finish, has a new head coach for the first time in 25 years as Cindy Fisher takes over for Kathy Marpe, and returns all five starters, including last season's top scorer and rebounder in center Amber Sprague (14.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg). Portland, picked eighth, returns WCC All-Freshman team selection Meagan Bermingham (8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg).
2005-06 WCC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Loyola Marymount - 59 (4)
2. Gonzaga - 56 (3)
3. Santa Clara - 43 (1)
4. Pepperdine - 36
Saint Mary's - 36
6. San Francisco - 25
7. San Diego - 21
8. Portland - 12
(First place votes)
2005-06 WCC Women's Basketball Top Six Returning Players*
Anne Bailey - Gonzaga (9.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
Dominique Carter - San Francisco (15.7 ppg)
Kayla Huss - Santa Clara (6.8 ppg, 3.5 apg)
Daphanie Kennedy - Pepperdine (9.2 ppg)
Amber Sprague - San Diego (14.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
Rachael Ziemann - LMU (10.2 ppg)
(*As voted by conference coaches)
