Rutgers Women's Basketball Picked Fourth in BIG EAST
Oct 28 | Women's Basketball
NEWARK, NJ - The Rutgers women's basketball team has been picked fourth and senior guard Cappie Pondexter (Chicago, IL) was named to the All-First Team in the BIG EAST Conference Preseason Coaches Polls.
Rutgers received 96 points to finish fourth in the coaches poll, one point behind third-place and 2004 BIG EAST Tournament champion Boston College (97). Three-time defending national champion Connecticut received 10 first-place votes and 120 points to finish first, followed by Notre Dame (105, two first-place votes). Boston College and Rutgers were followed by Villanova (86), West Virginia (68), Seton Hall (58), St. John's (43), Syracuse (42), Georgetown (39), Pittsburgh (27) and Providence (11).
Pondexter was joined on the All-First Team by Jacqueline Batteast (Notre Dame), Jessalyn Deveny (Boston College), Yolanda Paige (West Virginia), Ann Strother (Connecticut), Liad Suez (Villanova) and Barbara Turner (Connecticut). Pondexter, a member of the preseason watch lists for the Wade Trophy and Wooden Women's Award, averaged 17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game for the Scarlet Knights last season, earning All-America honors from the Associated Press (third team), Full Court Press (third team) and Kodak/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (honorable mention). A finalist for three national player-of-the-year awards (Women's Wooden Award, State Farm Wade Trophy and Naismith) as well as the Nancy Lieberman Award (top point guard), Pondexter also was named to the 2004 Kodak/WBCA All-Region 1 Team, was unanimously selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team, and earned a spot on the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team after averaging a tourney-best 23.3 points per game in leading RU to a runner-up finish.
Last season, Rutgers (21-12, 10-6 BIG EAST) advanced to its sixth NCAA Championship in the last seven years and finished as the runners-up at the 2004 BIG EAST Championship. C. Vivian Stringer, who will begin her 10th year at the helm of the Rutgers program this fall just five wins shy of her 700th victory, helped lead Team USA to a gold medal as an assistant coach for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team in Athens. The 2004-2005 Scarlet Knights were recognized at the conclusion of last season as a team to watch nationally, singled out by Sports Illustrated as one of 10 teams to challenge for the 2005 national title.
Preseason BIG EAST Women's Basketball Coaches Poll
1. Connecticut (10) 120
2. Notre Dame (2) 105
3. Boston College 97
4. Rutgers 96
5. Villanova 86
6. West Virginia 68
7. Seton Hall 58
8. St. John's 43
9. Syracuse 42
10. Georgetown 39
11. Pittsburgh 27
12. Providence 11
Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year: Jacqueline Batteast, Notre Dame
Preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year: Charde Houston, Connecticut
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Jacqueline Batteast, Notre Dame*
Jessalyn Deveny, Boston College
Yolanda Paige, West Virginia
Cappie Pondexter, Rutgers
Ann Strother, Connecticut
Liad Suez, Villanova
Barbara Turner, Connecticut*
* indicates unanimous choice
Seven member due to ties in voting
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
Meg Bulger, West Virginia
Angela Clark, St. John's
Megan Duffy, Notre Dame
Jessica Moore, Connecticut
Kathrin Ress, Boston College
