Ladyjacks Open Season at Home
11/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2009
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team will open a new season Saturday when they host North Texas. The Ladyjacks return all five starters from last season's 15-14 (.517) squad that went 10-6 in Southland Conference play, and finished tied for fourth. North Texas returns only three letterwinners and one starter from last season's 11-20 squad that finished sixth in the Sun Belt's West Division. Saturday's game is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m. from the William R. Johnson Coliseum, and will serve as the season opener for both squads.
The Ladyjacks have dominated the all-time series against North Texas owning 28-2 (.933) record. The Ladyjacks have won 21 of the last 22 meetings in the series, but have split the last two. Saturday's game will mark the first meeting between the two schools since SFA recorded a 75-68 decision in Nacogdoches during the 2006-07 season.
The Ladyjacks are 23-14 (.622) all-time in season openers. SFA ended a seven-game skid in season-opening games with their 69-58 win at Prairie View A&M to open the 2008-09 season. Saturday's contest will mark the second time in school history that SFA has opened the season against North Texas (2005-06). The Ladyjacks dropped that game, 71-65, in Denton, but won 13 of their final 14 regular-season games to win the Southland Conference title and advance to the NCAA Championships.
The Ladyjacks became the sixth member of an elusive club with their 73-40 victory over Sam Houston State during the 2007-08. SFA became only the sixth women's program in NCAA Division I history to record 800 wins. The Ladyjacks joined Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, Texas and James Madison as the only schools to ever accomplish the feat. Making the victory more special was the fact that it was Sue Gunter Day on the SFA campus. Tennessee Tech joined the 800-win club last season.
The SFA Ladyjack basketball program has been one of the most dominant programs in women's basketball history. The Ladyjacks are among the nation's all-time top 10 with 821 wins. The Ladyjacks are also among the all-time top 10 with a .716 winning percentage (821-325).
As dominant as SFA has been nationally, they have been just as strong in the Southland Conference. The Ladyjacks are the conference's most dominant team, compiling a 308-62 (.832) all-time record. SFA has won 15 of a possible 22 SLC tournament titles and 14 regular-season titles. SFA has also recorded four undefeated seasons in league play and has had 54 players named All-SLC.
Ladyjack head coach Lee Ann Riley has compiled a dominant record against Southland Conference foes. Riley is 93-43 (.684) against SLC teams during the regular season.
The Ladyjacks are one of the nation's all-time winningest teams at home, with a 371-97 (.793) all-time record. SFA has won 40 of its last 52 games in the Coliseum. The Ladyjacks went 9-3 (.750) in the William R. Johnson Coliseum last season.
Junior Whitney Cormier enters her final season in a Ladyjack uniform with high expectations. Cormier has been named a 2009 Preseason All-SLC selection. Last season Cormier led the team averaging 12.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. She also led the team averaging 2.0 steals per game.
The Ladyjacks are overwhelming favorites to win the SLC East Division this season. The SFA women were picked first in a preseason poll of the conference head coaches and sports information directors. The Ladyjacks received nine first-place votes and 63 points to earn the top spot in the coaches' poll, and 10 first-place votes and 65 points in the SID poll.
The Ladyjacks enter the 2009-10 season with arguably the most veteran lineup in the conference. SFA returns 11 letterwinners, and all five starters from last year's team. The returning letterwinners are Ebony Alexander, Courtney Conwright, Whitney Cormier, Chantol Drennan, Decreasha Goodner, Antoinette Davis, Jord Ford, Tammara Marion, Schera Sampson, Amina Sawyer and Cambria Smith.
The Ladyjacks have added two transfers to the 2009-10 roster. Junior Brittany Hardy (Guard - San Antonio, Texas) transferred from Incarnate Word last season but sat out due to NCAA transfer rules. The Ladyjacks also added sharp-shooting guard Chelsea Foy from Jacksonville College.
Senior Whitney Cormier appears to have picked up where she left off last season. The Fort Worth native led the team averaging 14.5 points per game, and pulled down 7.0 rebounds in the two exhibitions.
Sophomore Cambria Smith appears ready for the start of the new season. The point guard recorded 14 points, five rebounds, 10 assists and four steals in the exhibition victory over Ouachita Baptist. All four marks would have been career-highs for the Garland, Texas native.
The Ladyjacks are opening a season at home for the first time since the 2004-05 season. The 2009-10 campaign marks the first time since 2003-04 the Ladyjacks will open a season with consecutive home games.
The Ladyjacks will be holding a canned food drive at Saturday's game. Fans who bring three canned food items will receive free admission to the game.
-SFA-
