News
ROSTER
No. Player Ht. Pos. Yr.
0 Tahira Johnson 6-1 F So.
1 Jasmine Wynne 5-7 G Sr.
3 Kaneisha Saunders 5-7 G Jr.
4 Tiffany Conner 5-9 F Jr.
5 Sasha Bernard 5-6 G Jr.
11 Caitlin Rowe 6-4 C Jr.
12 Andrell Smith 5-8 G Jr.
13 Inga Orekhova 6-2 G Jr.
21 Andrea Smith 5-8 G Sr.
22 Aleshia Flowers 6-1 F Jr.
23 Shalethia Stringfield 5-6 G Fr.
24 Emily Dutton 5-5 G So.
32 Akila McDonald 6-4 C So.
33 Daleisha Carn 6-0 F Sr.
SCHEDULE
Nov. 11 Florida State* 4:30
Nov. 12 Arkansas* 4:30
Nov. 13 Minnesota* 4:30
Nov. 15 North Florida (Rec) 7
Nov. 17 Bethune-Cookman (Rec) 7
Nov. 23 Central Michigan** 6
Nov. 24 Miami/Alaska-Anchorage** 6
Nov. 28 Stetson (Rec) 7
Dec. 2 Idaho State# 7
Dec. 3 Air Force# 9
Dec. 14 at Auburn 7
Dec. 17 Maryland-Eastern Shore (Rec) 2
Dec. 28 Dayton## 5
Dec. 29 St. Peter's/Binghamton## 5
Jan. 3 at Cincinnati 7
Jan. 7 Georgetown 7
Jan. 11 at Louisville 7
Jan. 14 at Seton Hall 4
Jan. 17 DePaul 7
Jan. 21 Rutgers 7
Jan. 25 Seton Hall 7
Jan. 28 at Connecticut 1
Feb. 1 West Virginia 7
Feb. 4 at Syracuse 1
Feb. 8 at St. John's 11:30 a.m.
Feb. 11 Villanova 7
Feb. 14 at Marquette 7
Feb. 18 Pittsburgh 7
Feb. 25 at Notre Dame 2
Feb. 27 Providence 7
(Rec) USF Rec Center, * at Daytona Beach ** Great Alaska Shootout # Air Force Classic, Colorado Springs ## St. Peter's Holiday Classic, Jersey City
USF women
Coach: Jose Fernandez (170-168, 11th season at USF)
Last season: 12-19, 3-13 (t-13th in Big East)
Notable: Fernandez's team missed the postseason for the first time in seven years, but he's optimistic the Bulls can at least return to the WNIT. Last year's team nosedived from a 9-4 start, going 3-13 in Big East play. Top scorer G Andrea Smith tore her ACL in the final game of the season but should be fully recovered in the first month.
The team will improve in waves: getting Smith healthy is a first step, and junior college transfer Inga Orekhova, ineligible for the first half, should become a top supporting scorer. The post play should be improved as well, with another junior college transfer, 6-foot-4 Australian C Caitlin Rowe, likely starting ahead of 6-4 sophomore Akila McDonald.
With the Sun Dome under renovation, Fernandez's team will play nonconference home games at the USF Rec Center, with Big East home games at the University of Tampa's Bob Martinez Center. That could be a hurdle for a team that was 2-10 away from home last season. A strong nonconference schedule, with Arkansas, Auburn and likely Miami, will toughen the Bulls for Big East play.
The offseason arrival of the Muma Center practice facility gives the Bulls another advantage: Fernandez has a strong start in recruiting.
Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
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