University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Picked Fifth In Atlantic 10 Preaseason Poll
10/29/2008 | Women's Basketball
Oct. 29, 2008
University of Richmond, Va. -
The Richmond women's basketball team was picked fifth out of 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll. Senior Johanna McKnight and sophomore Brittani Shells were selected to the preseason Atlantic 10 second team. McKnight was also selected to the preseason Defensive Team.
Richmond defeated Duquesne in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Championships, before falling to Temple in the second round. The Spiders ended their year tied for seventh place in the league.
"I feel like being picked fifth in the league in the preseason polls is a good place to start," head coach Michael Shafer said. "I believe it is fair, but we have not proven anything yet. As I have repeatedly told our ladies this season, it really doesn't matter where people pick you, it is where your production places you at the end."
The Spiders will return two of their top three scorers from last year, including preseason second team picks, McKnight and Shells.
Shells led the Spiders in scoring last year, averaging 14.0 ppg while hitting 40 percent behind the arc. Shells ended her year being named to the Atlantic 10 All Conference Honorable Mention team.
"Brittani's selections is a great honor," said Shafer. She obviously has earned a great deal of respect from other coaches around the league. If she grows in her understanding of the game, she has a great career ahead of her. I am excited about her future."
McKnight followed Shells in the scoring category, averaging 13.4 ppg, while grabbing 2.2 steals per game. McKnight's 67 steals last season moved her into sixth place for steals recorded in a single season.
"I believe Johanna McKnight has developed into one of the top perimeter players in our league on both ends of the floor," said Shafer. "Her selection is a tribute to the work she has put in over the course of her career."
Richmond plays DT3 in an exhibition game scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Robins Center November 4th . The Spiders open their season at the Robins Center Nov. 14th versus Kennesaw State. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
Atlantic 10 Release
Philadelphia, Pa. - Two-time defending Atlantic 10 Conference champion Xavier has been selected as the team to beat in the 2008-09 Atlantic 10 women's basketball race, according to a poll conducted by the league's head coaches and select media and released by the Atlantic 10 Conference on Tuesday.
The Musketeers, under the direction of seventh-year head coach Kevin McGuff, received 15 first-place votes cast by the panel of coaches and media to repeat as league champions. The Musketeers have made two straight NCAA appearances after winning the A-10 Championship the past two years and are receiving preseason praise from several media outlets. The Musketeers were selected as one of the top-16 teams in the country by USA Today and are ranked No. 22 nationally by The Sporting News and No. 21 by Athlon Magazine. Additionally, The Sporting News has selected junior Amber Harris (15.3 ppg.) as a member of its preseason All-America second-team and sophomore Ta'Shia Phillips (14.0 ppg.) has been honored as a third-team pick. Harris and Phillips are both 2008-09 preseason Atlantic 10 All-Conference first-team selections.
George Washington was chosen to finish in second place in the preseason poll. The Colonials have advanced to the Sweet 16 the last two seasons, but lost three starting seniors to graduation, including All-American point guard Kimberly Beck ('08). Senior forward Jessica Adair was the team's leading scorer last season (15.2 ppg.) and returns to the floor as a preseason first-team All-Conference honoree.
Charlotte was chosen third and boasts four returning starters from last season's WNIT team. The 49ers will be led by senior forward/center Danielle Burgin (10.8 ppg.), a second-team preseason All-Conference member and the team's top returning scorer.
Temple, last year's Championship runner-up, was chosen fourth. Richmond, which welcomes back four starters, was picked fifth, and Saint Joseph's, also returning four starters, was chosen sixth. St. Bonaventure was tabbed seventh; Duquesne was picked eighth, followed by Dayton, Saint Louis, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, La Salle and Fordham.
In that same poll, the coaches and media selected the Atlantic 10 preseason All-Conference teams. In addition to Harris, Phillips and Adair, the other first-team selections are senior Kristi Little of Duquesne and St. Bonaventure junior Dana Mitchell.
The second-team consists of Burgin along with senior Johanna McKnight of Richmond, Saint Louis junior Theresa Lisch and sophomores Sarah Acker from Saint Joseph's and Richmond's Brittani Shells.
Third-team members include seniors Antelia Parrish of George Washington and Xavier's Jerri Taylor, junior LaKeisha Eaddy of Temple and sophomores Kristin Daugherty from Dayton and Fordham's Megan Mahoney.
Eaddy, Harris, Little, McKnight and Phillips make up the 2008-09 preseason All-Defensive team.
