University of Washington - Home

Jan. 30, 2001

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

The Washington women's basketball team (12-6, 5-3), in third place and within a half-game of first in the Pac-10, travels across the state to face rival Washington State (8-10, 3-5) in a nationally televised game at 1 p.m., Sat., Feb. 3 in Pullman, Wash. The game will be televised live by Fox Sports Net with Tod Pickett and Heather Cox calling the action. It can also be heard on radio at KKOL 1300 am.

The Huskies are coming off a road split in the Bay area, falling first to Stanford (76-68) and then winning at California (69-68). Senior guard Megan Franza rebounded from a nine-point performance against the Cardinal to record a 30-point outburst against the Bears, in which she scored 22 points in the first half and tied her own school record with six three point baskets. Franza, who chalked up the third 30+ point performance of her career, continues to lead the Huskies in scoring, at 14.7 points per game. Freshman guard Giuliana Mendiola snapped a scoring slump with 14 points at Stanford and is next at 10.4 points per game and Loree Payne follows at 10.2.

Although they were outrebounded in both games last week, the Huskies continue to lead the Pac-10 at 43.5 boards per game. They are third in scoring offense, with 70.4 points per game, behind Arizona and Stanford, and stand second in assists per game with a 16.22 average. Washington also leads the Pac-10 in three point field goals made, with 117 in 18 games. Franza's 30-point game bumped her up to third on the conference scoring chart, behind UCLA's Michelle Greco (20.1) and Oregon State's Felicia Ragland (18.5).

The Cougars, coming off a pair of road losses, are led by senior forward Yvonne Volkman, who is averaging 9.8 points per game. As a team, WSU is posting 65.2 points per and 36.6 rebounds per contest. The Cougars opened conference play with a wins over USC and UCLA but have lost five of six since then.

Game 19 Washington Huskies (12-6, 5-3) at Washington State Cougars (8-10, 3-5)
1 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 3
Friel Court (12,058)
Pullman, Wash.
Game will be televised live on
Fox Sports Net

The Coaches
Washington
June Daugherty (Ohio St. Ô78)
Record at UW: 71-62 (5th yr.)
Career record: 194-136 (12th yr.)
Washington State
Jenny Przekwas (Wyoming Ô86)
Record at WSU: 12-34 (2nd yr.)
Career: 145-133 (10th yr.)

Series Notes
Washington leads the series with WSU, 40-10, and has won the last 10 games ... WSU's last victory over the Huskies was Feb. 25, 1995 (72-67 in Pullman).

Recent Results
UW split on the road, losing at Stanford (76-68) and winning at Cal (69-68) ... WSU lost a pair on the road, at Cal (69-56) and at Stanford (84-67).

Huskies on Radio
All UW games air live on KKOL 1300 AM radio. Steve Sandmeyer calls the action. Games can also be heard live on the internet at: http:www.broadcast.com/sports/ncaa/washington

June Daugherty Radio Show
KOMO am 1000
Mondays, 6:30-7 p.m.

Next Games
Arizona, 7 p.m., Feb. 8
Arizona State, 2 p.m., Feb. 10
Bank of America Arena
Seattle, Wash.

Franza Named Seattle PI Sports Star of the Year Finalist:
Senior guard Megan Franza, a four-year starter for the Huskies, is a finalist for the 66th annual Seattle Post Intelligencer Sports Star of the Year Award. Franza, No. 8 on the UW career scoring chart, is among 10 Seattle-area sports personalities who are finalists for the prestigious award that will be presented at the annual banquet Jan. 31. The list of finalists, which includes three additional UW student-athletes, is as follows: Tami Bennett (UW soccer), Megan Franza (UW basketball) Megan Quann (Olympic swimmer), Jennifer Spediacci (UW softball), Ja'Warren Hooker (UW track), Darrell Jackson (Seattle Seahawks), Nate McMillan (Seattle SuperSonics), Gallyn Mitchell (Emerald Downs), Rick Neuheisel (UW football coach), Kazuhiro Sasaki (Seattle Mariners).

Looking Back:
Washington has engineered a dramatic turnaround from last season, when the Huskies played their home games in downtown Seattle, were continually plagued by injuries and lacked a senior class. After 18 games last season, Washington had a record of 5-13 ... this year, the Huskies are 12-6 ... they were 2-6 after the first eight Pac-10 games in 2000 ... this year they are 5-3, in third place and a half-game out of first.

Last Meeting with Washington State:
March 4, 2000 at Pullman - Loree Payne scored 14 of her game-high 17 points in the second half to lead Washington past Washington State, 64-56. The Huskies snapped a six-game losing streak while beating WSU for the 10th straight time despite committing 26 turnovers. Emily Autrey scored a career-high 14 points to go along with eight rebounds. Megan Franza and LeAnn Sheets added 13 and 12 points, respectively.

WSU was outrebounded 42-32 in the loss. Victoria Harrod, who scored seven points in the last two and a half minutes, led the team with 14 points. After a tight first half, Washington owned a one-point lead at the intermission, 32-31. WSU took its second lead of the game when Alke Dietel knocked down a jumper just seconds into the second half. The Cougars' advantage was short-lived. A Sheets free throw knotted at 33-33 at 19:21. Then Autrey and Payne combined to bury to the Cougars over the next three minutes. Autrey's three-pointer started the run at 18:38. Payne added four straight points, then Autrey added another field goal to put Washington up 42-33 at 16:25. Yvonne Volkman broke-up the Husky onslaught with a three-point play at 16:18. But Washington answered with an 8-0 run that brought their lead to 50-36 with 11:52 left. WSU struggled from the field shooting 36 percent, heavily hampered by a 1-of-15 performance from beyond the three-point arc.

Look at Lalum:
Freshman center Andrea Lalum (Bozeman, Mont.) moved into the starting lineup four games ago, for the Oregon/Oregon State series, and has responded well to the move. She has averaged 11.5 points over the last four games, with a career-best 19 at Stanford. In addition, her field goal percentage has been stellar in Pac-10 games, at a team-high .593 from the field in eight conference games. Lalum, who is part Native American, posted her second double-double of the year when she had 12 points and 11 rebounds against Oregon State.

Lalum, who grew an inch last year up to 6-foot-4, is a versatile player who provides the Huskies with a physical inside presence but has also connected on 13 three-point shots this year. She was 3-for-3 from behind the arc as a part of her 19-point effort at Stanford.

She blocked four shots against St. Mary's Dec. 17, the highest single game mark by a Husky player since Amber Hall swatted four away at Texas, Dec. 2, 1996. Hall, then a junior, went on to finish her career as Washington's career-leading rebounder (1,003 rebounds, 1996-99).

Lalum has now started six games this season, including the Oklahoma State and Nebraska contests.

Senior Strength:
Husky coach June Daugherty continually points to the six-player senior class as a major reason for UW's hot start this year, crediting the group with strong leadership in practice and during games. Senior captains Megan Franza and Jill Pimley headline the group. Franza has been a constant in the starting lineup since her freshman year and is a leader on the court. Pimley is in her second season as a team captain and is a vocal leader whether she is playing or on the bench. LeAnn Sheets, who has struggled with injuries throughout her career, is healthy and gives the Huskies a veteran presence in the post. Melissa Erickson also offers experience off the bench, giving the Huskies added height inside. Sarah Duncan was named Most Inspirational last season and continues to fill that role this year. Carli Halpenny rounds out the group. A redshirt junior, she has opted to graduate this year in order to spend the spring quarter studying in Italy. The move puts her back in the class she entered with in 1997 and strengths the leadership the six-player group provides.

Washington had no seniors on its roster last season when it posted an 8-22 record.

Healthy Huskies:
While crediting the senior class with leading the Huskies, coach Daugherty also points to a healthy lineup as cause for celebration. Washington's frontline was beset by injuries last season, causing Daugherty to constantly shuffle her lineup. No less than five different players were on the bench with injuries at one point or another last year. LeAnn Sheets missed the first eight games of the season after foot surgery. Cheryl Sorenson ended up redshirting after a torn ACL in preseason. Melissa Erickson was hampered by a sore shoulder during the non-conference portion of the schedule. Carli Halpenny was limited by a stress reaction in her hip and was initially declared out for the season and Kellie O'Neill had a premature end to her freshman year after suffering a severe ankle sprain midway through the season.

Sheets suffered a sprained ankle at Boise State this year, causing her to miss the next two games, but she has returned to full strength. In addition, Loree Payne returned after missing the first six games with a stress fracture in her foot. She posted a season-best 21 points against USC, Jan. 7.

The healthy lineup has given the Huskies increased depth this season, a factor that was particularly evident in the triple overtime win against USC Jan. 7. The Trojans had four key players foul out while the Huskies were able to constantly rotate fresh players in the game.

Megan on the Move:
Senior guard Megan Franza had one of the finest performances of her career last Saturday at California. The left-handed guard from Leavenworth, Wash., exploded for a season-high 30 points on 11-of-17 from the field. She tallied 22 points by halftime and finished the night with a school-record tying six three point baskets to go along with four assists, three steals and a block. Here are a few notes on what Franza is doing in her final season as a Husky:

• Season-high 30 points at California, Jan. 27
• Third career performance of 30 or more points (35 vs. Idaho, 12/18/99, 33 vs. Stanford, 1/27/00)
• Tied her own school record with six three pointers at Cal (shares record with two others) ... she and Jamie Redd (1996-99) both hit six twice
• No. 8 on UW career scoring chart with 1,361 points ... with nine points at Stanford, she passed former teammate Amber Hall (1,330)
• Started 103 of last 105 games ... last time not starting was Nov. 15, 1998, vs. Iowa sophomore year
• Reached double figure scoring in 39 of last 45 games ... has led UW in scoring last two seasons
• Team captain

A few more Franza Notes:

• Career scoring average of 13.0 points per game
• No. 2 on UW career three point field goals made chart (171 made) ... trails leader Jamie Redd (192)
• No. 2 on career three point attempts list with 609 ... again trails Redd (675) ... Franza equalled her career high attempts with 13 versus Nebraska this season (Dec. 6)
• A first team All-Pac-10 selection last year, Franza became the 16th Husky to top the 1,000-point barrier and only the eighth player to pass the mark as a junior.

Chart Topper:
Megan Franza's game-winning shot with 4.5 seconds on the clock against Oregon State (Jan. 20), capped 28-point performance for the senior guard. That was followed by her 30-point performance two games later at Califorinia.

And Finally:
Last year, with a scoring average of 17.2 ppg, Franza led the Pac-10 in scoring until the final two weeks of the season, while freshman teammate Loree Payne finished fourth with 17.4 points per game. Together they formed the highest scoring duo from the same school in Pac-10 history.

With the graduation of Maylana Martin (UCLA) and the redshirt season for Oregon's injured Shaquala Williams, Payne and Franza entered the 2000-01 season as the leading returning scorers in the Pac-10.

Here is a look at Franza's top six scoring marks:
35 -- vs. Idaho, Dec. 18, 1999
33 -- vs. No. 24 Stanford, Jan. 27, 2000
30 -- at California, Jan. 27, 2001
28 -- vs. Oregon State, Jan. 20, 2001
27 -- at Colorado State, Dec. 29, 1999
26 -- at Nebraska, Dec. 6, 1999

Dawgbite:
A victory over Washington State would give fifth-year Husky coach June Daugherty career win No. 195 ... when Washington defeated Oregon State Jan. 20, it gave Daugherty victory No. 70 in her tenure at Washington ... she enters the WSU game with a five-year mark of 71-61 and a 12-year career record of 194-135 ... her win total is third among seven Husky coaches over the years.

On the Rebound:
Washington's rebounding efforts have improved tremendously >from last season. After a cumulative -4.3 rebounding margin in 2000, the Huskies have a margin of +4.4 over opponents this season, a mark that led the Pac-10 until the Huskies were outrebouned at Stanford and Cal. Washington has outrebounded all but six opponents this season (UConn, St. Mary's, ASU, Oregon, Stanford, Cal). The team is averaging 43.5 rpg, first in the Pac-10, after 18 games. Freshman Giuliana Mendiola is currently the leading rebounder at 6.5 boards per game. LeAnn Sheets follows at 6.0 and Kellie O'Neill is at 5.6 rebounds per game.

Pizza Time!:
Washington's defensive efforts have been stellar so far this season and it's not just the Huskies who are reaping the benefits. When Washington wins at home and holds its opponent under 55 points, every fan in Bank of America Arena can redeem their ticket stub for a free small pizza at Papa John's Pizza. It's become a rally cry for the home crowd and so far, the fans have cashed in twice, against UCLA (54) Jan. 4 and against Loyola Marymount (52) on Dec. 21. They just missed against James Madison when the Dukes tallied 56 points. Overall, the Huskies are holding opponents to 66.7 points per game this season.

Mendiola Magic:
Freshman guard Giuliana Mendiola is off to a great start in her first season as a Husky. Here are a few highlights from the year:

• Leads UW in rebounding (6.5) and assists (3.7)
• Second-leading scorer at 10.4 points per game
• No. 8 rebounder in the Pac-10
• Seattle Times Classic MVP ... 37 points, 15 rebounds, three turnovers in two games
• Four double-doubles this season
• Assist to turnover ratio is 1.4
• Has started 16-of-18 games
• Plays point guard and either wing position
• A few more notes ... the younger sister of teammate Gioconda ... takes care of the ball well, with only one turnover in her first college game, at Indiana, none at Boise State and none against Loyola Marymount ... eight assists versus UCLA ... In the triple OT win over USC, had 12 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and only two turnovers in 41 minutes of action ... was held scoreless at California, for, in her own memory "probably the first time ever."

More Magic:
Freshman guard Gioconda Mendiola, older sister to Giuliana, had a career high when she posted a team-leading 10 points against UCLA Jan. 4. Mendiola had only scored in two of the nine games in which she had played to that point in the season. Her previous high was five points against James Madison.

Mendiola graduated from high school in June, 1999 and then remained at home in California for a year before starting school. She and younger sister Giuliana wanted to start college at the same time, so that they could play four years together.

Road Warriors:
This weekend marks the third game of a three-game road swing for Washington. The Huskies have compiled a record of 5-3 on the road this year, with a 2-2 mark on their first conference road trip, after splitting in the Bay area last week. Washington's three non-conference road wins came at Michigan, Boise State and Oklahoma State. The only loss was a 77-74 setback in overtime at the buzzer to an Indiana squad that now boasts a record of 13-5.

Washington had a mark of 1-10 on the road last season.

Payne Returns to Action:
Sophomore guard Loree Payne has returned to the form Husky fans are used to. UW's leading scorer as a freshman last season (17.4 ppg), Payne missed the first six games after being sidelined by a stress fracture in her left foot. The sophomore guard, who was on the gold-medal winning USA Basketball Jones Cup team this summer, is back in the starting lineup and bumped her scoring average into double figures for the first time this year after tallying 29 points, including seven three pointers, in the Oregon series two weeks ago. She followed that by shaking off a 2-for-10 performance by hitting the winning three point basket with :58 seconds remaining in the game at California.

Payne returned to the court against Loyola Marymount, Dec. 21.

Injury Update:
Gioconda Mendiola will have surgery Feb. 1 to repair a sprained thumb on her right hand. She will not play at WSU. Melissa Erickson is being evaluated by doctors after injuring her knee at California. She is doubtful for WSU. Cheryl Sorenson suffered a sprained ankle at California but is expected to play at WSU.

Loree Payne missed the first six game with a stress fracture in her left foot but returned Dec. 21. LeAnn Sheets suffered a left ankle sprain at Boise State and missed the Nebraska and Oklahoma State games. Sarah Keeler had a minor meniscus tear in December and will redshirt this season.

Keeler to Redshirt:
Freshman forward Sarah Keeler (Pendleton, Ore.) will redshirt this season and begin her first year of play in 2001-02. Keeler, a USA Today honorable mention selection as a junior in high school, suffered a torn ACL during her senior year at Pendleton High. Keeler had surgery Nov. 10 to repair a minor meniscus tear in her left knee. She slightly re-injured the knee during practice recently. Keeler is continuing rehabilitation and is practicing with the team.

UW Against Ranked Teams:
The Huskies are 0-3 against opponents ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. The first loss came at the hands of No. 1 Connecticut (100-54) back on Nov. 24. The second at No. 22 Arizona, 88-72, and then to No. 18 Oregon, 67-53.

Though the Huskies have faced just three ranked teams this season, their schedule has not light. In the Jan. 29 RPI rankings, Washington's schedule is listed as No. 21 in the country, in strength of schedule. It was been as high as No. 2 earlier in the year.

Huskies in Overtime:
The triple overtime game against USC Jan. 7 was Washington's second extra period contest this season. The Huskies opened the year with a 77-74 loss at the buzzer in one overtime period at Indiana. The triple overtime game against USC was the first in UW school history. Washington's all-time record in overtime is 8-9 since 1976.

Huskies Honor UW Football Player:
The women's basketball team is wearing a patch with the initials "CW" on its jerseys this season, to support senior football player Curtis Williams, who suffered a spinal cord injury during the Oct. 28 football game at Stanford. Williams, who attended the Rose Bowl, is currently in a rehabilitation center in San Jose, Calif.

So Far, So Good:
Washington wrapped up the non-conference portion of its schedule with a mark of 7-3, its best non-league record since 1997-98 when it was 9-0. Included in that record is a 3-1 mark on the road. The only three non-conference losses of the season came in overtime at the buzzer at Indiana, at the hands of No. 1 Connecticut and a two-point loss to a 10-1 Colorado State team. The third straight road win, at Oklahoma State Dec. 3, equalled UW's mark from all of last season. The wins have been impressive, beginning with a 73-60 thumping of a Michigan team that had knocked off Louisiana Tech two nights earlier. The Huskies rebounded from the UConn loss by cruising past Boise State, 87-67, and followed with the win at OSU and its first home victory in the new arena, against Nebraska. The Huskies currently have a home mark of 6-3. Helping the cause this year has been increased scoring from the bench and a versatile rotation that is nearly three deep at every position.

Last Week
UW 69, at California 68 Ð Despite a second half surge and a five point lead with 7:51 remaining in the game, it was not enough for California as Washington regained the lead with 1:18 to play and defeating the Bears, 69-68, Saturday. Husky senior guard Megan Franza led all scorers with 30 points, including a school-record tying six three pointers. Franza, who was 11-for-17 from the field and 6-of-10 from behind the arc had 22 of her points by halftime.

With just 1:37 left on the clock, Courtney Johnson scored on a fast-break lay-up to hand California a two point, 68-66, lead. The Huskies came right back down the floor, missing on their first shot but grabbing the rebound and kicking the ball out to sophomore guard Loree Payne who promptly hit a three-pointer, the final points of the game, to give Washington the win. Ami Forney had a double-double for the Bears, with a career-high 27 points and 14 rebounds.

California put up two shots with 12 and six seconds remaining respectively, both failing to drop, before Forney committed a foul with five seconds on the clock. LeAnn Sheets missed both resulting free throws for Washington, giving Cal a glimmer of hope, but the Bears final shot with a second remaining again would not fall.

Washington went into halftime with a comfortable 39-30 lead thanks to a strong first half start that never saw the Huskies trailing. Freshman center Andrea Lalum finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. Washington shot 42 percent as a team over the course of the night, besting Cal's 35 percent showing.

at Stanford 76, UW 68 -
Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer became the first women's basketball coach in Pac-10 history to win 200 career conference games as the Cardinal defeated Washington 76-68 at Maples Pavilion. Stanford freshman Nicole Powell led all scorers with 20 points while adding a game-high nine rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots.

Stanford, which scored the first four points and never trailed, received 11 points from Powell and shot 57.7 percent from the floor en route to a 35-28 halftime lead. Washington drew within three five minutes into the second half, however, the Cardinal responded with an 18-7 run to take a 58-44 lead with 8:10 left. Enjoli Izidor came off the bench and hit both three-point attempts to spur the run. From there, the Huskies never got within 10 points and Stanford took a 16-point lead, its biggest of the game, on a St. Clair three with 3:56 remaining.

UW freshman center Andrea Lalum scored a career-best 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting to pace the Huskies, while fellow freshman Giuliana Mendiola added 14. LeAnn Sheets and Loree Payne each scored 10, while Megan Franza had nine for Washington.

Huskies Among National Leaders in RPI Rankings
Washington's impressive stand in the RPI rankings continues. In the Jan. 22 Collegiate Basketball News Women's RPI Ratings, UW stands at No. 19 in the nation and its schedule is listed as the 21st-toughest. Last week, they were No. 17 and listed as having the 16th-toughest schedule.

Washington has posted a record of 12-6 thus far, including a six-game win streak that was snapped by a now 12-4 Colorado State team. The wins have been impressive. UW's victory over Michigan came against a Wolverine team that had knocked off then-eighth-ranked Louisiana Tech, a 2000 Final Four participant. Washington's season-opening loss at Indiana, at the buzzer in overtime, came against a Hoosier team that has gone on to post a record of 13-5. UW's other loss came at the hands of top-ranked and defending national champion Connecticut.

The Rating Percentage Index (RPI) is used by the NCAA women's basketball committee to supplement the selection of at-large teams and the seeding of all teams for the NCAA basketball tournament. It is derived from three component factors: Div. 1 winning percentage (25%), schedule strength (50%) and opponent's schedule strength (25%).

Catching up with Kellie:
Sophomore Kellie O'Neill had a stellar performance in her first home game this season, against No. 1 Connecticut. A 6-1 guard-forward, she poured in a game-high 27 points against top-ranked Connecticut in Washington's home-opener Nov. 24.

O'Neill, who topped her previous career-best 16-point from December 1999, went 12-for-18 from the field, including a 2-for-3 effort from 3-point range. Even more impressive was who it came against. O'Neill put in the highest individual scoring effort against UConn to that point in the season. Only three players - including 2000 WNBA Rookie of the Year Betty Lennox - were able to score at least 25 points against UConn and its stingy defense last season.

O'Neill, whose younger sister Kristen recently signed with Huskies for next season, finished her high school career at Meadowdale with 1,414 points, 810 rebounds, 213 steals and 170 blocks with a career field goal percentage of 50.9 percent.

What They're Saying about O'Neill
"I like the way she plays," Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma said of Kellie O'Neill after she scored 27 points against them on Nov. 24. "You have to guard her at the 3-point line. She's really smart with the ball in the lane. Their guards (Megan Franza and injured Loree Payne) get a lot of mention and notoriety, and they should. But I think that kid (O'Neill) is really, really good."

Home Sweet Home:
Over the last year and a half, Bank of America Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion has undergone an extensive renovation. On Nov. 24 the Huskies, who hosted defending national champion Connecticut, moved back into their on-campus arena Ð a venue that provides the charm of its original 1920s style along with all the modern conveniences of today. Over $40 million dollars in improvements have been made and the new transformation ensures that every person in the building has a great seat with no obstructed views.

The Huskies have enjoyed remarkable success in Hec Edmundson Pavilion, now called Bank of America Arena, building a long-standing tradition of top-notch women's basketball on the west coast and across the country.

This season marks the 72nd year of service for the historical building that has an entirely new look on the inside. The renovation gives Washington a much-needed new competition and practice facility for several of its teams. The seating capacity has been increased from 7,900 to 10,000 and gone are the supports pillars that have obstructed views from the upper level seats since the buildings inception. The renovation design of Hec Edmundson Pavilion began in the summer of 1997. Construction began in March, 1999 with completion in the fall of 2000.

The Schedule:
As is tradition, the Washington women's basketball team faces a challenging schedule as it enters the 2000-2001 season. The Huskies face 11 teams that played in the postseason last year, seven in the NCAA Tournament, and already saw none other than defending national champion Connecticut Nov. 24. Four Pac-10 teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2000 and four opponents played in the WNIT, including national semi-finalist Colorado State.

Coaching Staff:
Head coach June Daugherty and her staff enter their fifth year at Washington, with one newcomer on list. Former Michigan Wolverine Yeshimbra "Shimmy" Gray joins the Huskies this season, replacing Hulett Brooks who left to pursue private business. Daugherty, who was inducted into the Ohio State Athletic Hall of Fame in September, and her assistants, Sunny Smallwood and Mike Daugherty, have been together since the 1996-97 season.

Gold Medal Count:
Sophomore Loree Payne capped a stellar freshman campaign with her selection to the USA Basketball R.William Jones Cup team that annually plays in Taiwan. The youngest player on the squad and the lone representative from the Pac-10, Payne helped lead the team to a gold medal in the four-game tournament. She finished with 16 points, three rebounds and four assists in three games played. Payne tallied 11 points in the gold medal game.

Reichmann Honored:
Junior forward Heather Reichmann received a special honor when her high school jersey was retired in a surprise ceremony Dec. 19. Reichmann, who prepped at King's High School in Everett, was a three sport star in high school, earning letters in basketball, swimming and track. The 1998 Class A Player of the Year, Reichmann led her basketball team to a 25-3 record and the state title as a junior and a second place finish as a senior.

Halpenny Selected to Study Abroad
Carli Halpenny is one of 25 University of Washington undergraduates selected to participate in a prestigious international study program during the spring quarter. She was chosen from a pool of 50 applicants to participate in the UW's Comparative History of Ideas (CHID) program. Halpenny, a redshirt junior, will spend the spring, 2000 academic quarter at school in Rome, Italy in the program that involves the study of literature, architecture and the culture and language of the country. She was one of 12 students chosen from outside the UW architecture school to join the 25-person travel party.

The program allows Halpenny, who maintains a 3.75 grade point average, to complete her undergraduate degree in zoology and graduate in June, 2001. She has elected to complete her basketball eligibility at the conclusion of this season, a move that now gives the Huskies a six-player senior class. Halpenny joins Sarah Duncan, Melissa Erickson, Megan Franza, Jill Pimley and LeAnn Sheets in their final year of eligibility.

Halpenny, a 6-foot-3 center, enters this season healthy for the first time since her arrival in 1997-98. She has played in all six games this year and is averaging 10 minutes and 2.8 points per game. Halpenny suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee upon her arrival in 1997 and used a redshirt season for her rehabilitation. She saw limited action in her first two seasons, playing in eight games as a redshirt freshman in 1999 and nine games as a sophomore last year.

Recapping 1999-2000:
Faced with a spate of injuries to its front line and a young squad with no seniors, Washington suffered through its first losing season in school history with a record of 8-22 overall and 4-14th for a ninth place finish in the Pac-10. The season was not without its highlights though, the biggest coming back on Jan. 27 when the Huskies upset No. 24 Stanford and captured the 500th win for the women's basketball program. It was the second victory in a row over Stanford and career win No. 180 for coach June Daugherty. Washington was led by the scoring duo of Loree Payne (17.4 ppg) and Megan Franza (17.2 ppg), who combined to form the highest scoring duo from the same school in Pac-10 history. Franza was named to the All-Pac-10 First Team, continuing a tradition which has seen Washington have a player on the first team every year but two since the league began play in the 1986-87 season. Payne finished the year as one of the most prolific freshman players in UW history. She broke eight freshman records, highlighted by her scoring mark of 521 points.

Departures:
Although Washington did not lose anyone to graduation, two players did not return to the team this season. Starting point guard Julia Gray transferred to UNLV and reserve center Tiffiany Diggins left the program. Washington returns four of its starters from a year ago.