DePaul vs. Chicago Challengers

Nov. 9, 2002 - 5:30 p.m.

DePaul Athletic Center - Chicago, Ill.

CHICAGO – The DePaul women’s basketball team plays the first of two exhibition games on Saturday evening. The Blue Demons host the Chicago Challengers in a doubleheader at the DePaul Athletic Center. The women’s team tips off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the DePaul men’s team against Lewis University at 7:30 p.m.

Next Wednesday, Doug Bruno’s squad hosts the Dominican Republic National Team at 7 p.m. in the final warm-up for the regular season start at Southern Illinois on Nov. 23.

What’s Back

DePaul returns seven players from last year’s 15-14 WNIT team. In addition to Jenni Dant, Lindsay Forsberg, Sarah Kustok, Jamie Smith, Khara Smith, Laura Sobieszczyk and Claudette Towers, a pair of transfers are eligible after sitting out last season. Charlene Smith and Ashley Luke will provide immediate contributions after practicing with the team last season. Smith played a season at UW-Milwaukee while Luke played two seasons at Penn State. Experience is there as six of the returners played in at least 27 games last season. Those seven returners also accounted for two-thirds of the scoring and shot a combined .365 from three-point range.

Head Coach Doug Bruno

DePaul head coach Doug Bruno enters his 17th season at DePaul. With the Blue Demons he is 277-188, and the overall mark stands at 317-218 in 18 career seasons. Bruno was the head coach of the Chicago Hustle of the Women’s Basketball League from 1978-80. With 23 victories, he will reach 300 wins with the Blue Demons. In the offseason, the DePaul coaching staff promoted Jana Mathis from Director of Basketball Operations to Assistant Coach. With the departure of Lisa Ryckbosch to the head coaching position at Illinois-Chicago, Maggie Dixon and Candis Blankson increased their responsibilities. Former Blue Demon Latasha White will serve as a Student Assistant

Coach this season.

Nothing but the Best

The Blue Demons will once again play one of toughest schedules in the nation. On the 2002-03 slate are possible matchups with three of last season’s Final Four participants. The Blue Demons have potential games against Connecticut and Oklahoma at the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic. In Jan., DePaul travels to Knoxville to take on Tennessee. Other NCAA Tournament teams include Cincinnati, North Carolina, Notre Dame, TCU and Tulane.

Preseason Picks

In the annual Conference USA Preseason Poll, chosen by the league’s 14 head coaches, the Blue Demons were picked to finish seventh. Prior to last season, Bruno’s squad was picked seventh, but entered the league tournament as the fourth seed. Cincinnati and TCU were selected by the 14 head coaches as co-favorites to win the league. Houston’s Chandi Jones was named Preseason Player of the Year. She was joined on the preseason team by TCU’s Sandora Irvin, Valerie King from Cincinnati, Teana McKiver of Tulane and Sara Nord at Louisville.

2002-03 Conference USA Preseason Poll

1. Cincinnati

1. TCU

3. Tulane

4. Houston

5. Louisville

6. Charlotte

7. DePaul

8. Marquette

9. Memphis

10. South Florida

11. Saint Louis

12. UAB

13. Southern Miss

14. East Carolina

Would You Like Some Pineapple With That Turkey?

The highlight of the non-conference schedule is a trip to Hawai’i over Thanksgiving. The Blue Demons will be one of eight teams in the 24th annual Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic, Nov. 29-Dec. 1. DePaul opens the tournament against North Carolina and will play either Oklahoma or Fordham on the second day of action. Other teams in the three-day tourney included host Hawai’i, Connecticut, Denver and Gonzaga. In 1997, DePaul defeated San Francisco and lost to Hawai’i in the Hawai’i Invitational.

TV Time

At least four games will be televised this season, including three on the Conference USA Television Network. DePaul will appear on the league network in games against TCU and Marquette and at Louisville. The Charlotte game on Feb. 14 will be televised on FOX Sports Net Chicago. The C-USA Network will broadcast the tournament semifinals while the championship game will be carried live from The Pyramid in Memphis on ESPN2, Mar. 9.

Opening Tournaments

In addition to the tournament in Hawaii, DePaul will host the annual Moran Realty Classic in December. The Blue Demons host local foe Loyola-Chicago while Montana State and Boston University travel to Chicago for the two-day event, Dec. 6-7. Boston University and Montana State open play on Friday followed by DePaul and Loyola. The consolation and championship games will be played on Saturday evening at the DePaul Athletic Center.

Home Cookin’

In just two seasons, the DePaul Athletic Center has proven itself as one of the toughest venues in the midwest. The Blue Demons have posted a 21-7 (.750) home record over two years. In 28 seasons, the Blue Demons have an all-time home court record of 263-87 (.751). Over 26 seasons at Alumni Hall, the women’s basketball program won over 75 percent of their games with a 242-80 all-time record.

Welcome to the Team

Coach Bruno and his staff welcome six freshmen from four states to the roster for the 2002-03 season. Local standouts include Lauren Levine from Mother McAuley, Casmir Patterson of Marshall and Maureen Simon from Marian Catholic. Recruits from outside the Chicagoland area are Jarietta Benton of Houston, Texas, Shiesha McCollum from Washingtonville, N.Y. and Lindsey Deason of Fort Wayne, Ind. Deason will join the team after she is done playing goalkeeper for DePaul’s soccer team.