March 6, 2003

SAN FRANCISCO MARCHES TO SAN DIEGO: USF women's basketball capped the 2003 regular season with an impressive sweep of Loyola Marymount and regular season champion Pepperdine to earn the fourth seed in the 2003 West Coast Conference Tournament, hosted by San Diego in the Jenny Craig Pavilion. San Francisco will face the winner of the #5 San Diego vs. #8 Saint Mary's game Friday at approximately 2:30 PM. The Lady Dons closed out the season on a hot streak, winning four of their last five contests, with their lone setback coming at San Diego. After starting league play with a 1-4 start, USF won six of their next nine to close out the season. San Francisco swept the regular season series against league-leading Pepperdine, handing the Waves their only two WCC losses of the year. The Lady Dons split the season series as each team collected road wins with USF, taking a 58-56 victory in Moraga to open the 2003 WCC schedule. Saint Mary's defeated downed San Francisco 58-52 at War Memorial Gym. San Diego swept the season series against the Lady Dons for the first time since 1999, taking a 61-57 decision in San Francisco and a 76-72 victory at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

USF LADY DONS Probable Starters - (As Of 3/2/03):
G. #2 Toni Russell, 5-3, So. (8.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.8 assists, 3.4 steals)
G. #22 Joy Hollingsworth, 5-10, Fr. (10.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.9 steals)
G. #13 Merisa Leatherman, 5-10, Jr. (4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.4 assists)
C. #5 Leeane Jensen, 6-3, So. (7.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.2 assists)
F. #42 Carey Sauer, 6-0, Jr. (15.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.3 assists)
Key Reserve:
C. #23 Mary Jane Krueger, 6-2, Jr. (8.9 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.1 blocks)

HOLLINGSWORTH NAMED FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR; SAUER ALL-WCC FIRST TEAM: Joy Hollingsworth (Seattle, WA) capped an outstanding first season at USF when she was named West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year as announced by the league office today. Junior forward Carey Sauer (Newport, WA) was named to the All-WCC First Team for the second consecutive season. On the season, Hollingsworth averaged 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds 1.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game. During WCC play, Hollingsworth was even better, averaging 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds and ranked among league leaders in scoring (eighth), rebounds (seventh), field goal percentage (eighth), steals (eighth) and 3-point field goal percentage (sixth). Sauer enjoyed a career year for San Francisco, earning first team All-WCC honors for the second time, averaging 15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and became the 15th player to reach 1,000 career points, finishing the regular season in 13th place on the scoring charts with 1,092. Sauer ranks fifth among NCAA Division I leaders in free throw percentage, converting on .903 (102-113) and is the leading 3-point shooter in the WCC, connecting on .453 (48-106) from beyond the arc. An exceptional student, Sauer was selected to the 2003 Verizon District VIII First Team All-Academic, posting a 3.872 GPA in Mathematics. Hollingsworth becomes the second consecutive USF player to earn freshman of the year accolades, following backcourt mate Toni Russell. Hollingsworth is the fifth Lady Don tabbed as the WCC's top freshman, following Russell (2002), Lindsey Huff (1998), Brittany Lindhe (1995) and Joy Boyenga (1989). Sauer becomes the eight USF player named to multiple All-WCC first team squads and the first since Lindhe earned a league record four straight selections (1994-97, 1999).

LADY DONS AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS: Two Lady Dons rank in the top-15 among NCAA Division I statistical leaders, as released Feb. 24 Junior forward Carey Sauer, who finished the 2001-2002 season ranked third in free throw percentage at .918 (90-98), currently ranks sixth at .899 (88-98). Sophomore guard Toni Russell is 15th in steals per game with 3.5 swipes per outing.

BACK-TO-BACK WCC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Freshman guard Joy Hollingsworth was named West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, averaging 10.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in her first season of college basketball. The selection marks the second straight year USF has captured top freshman accolades from the league. Sophomore guard Toni Russell earned freshman of the year honors last season and starts next to Hollingsworth in the Lady Dons' backcourt. It is the first time a league school has earned back-to-back freshman of the year selections in WCC history.

CALIFORNIA DREAMING: Despite a young roster featuring just three upperclassmen, USF built a reputation this season as a tough team on the road this season. In 2002-2003 the Lady Dons were outstanding in road games in the state of California, posting a 6-2 overall record in the Golden State. San Francisco lost their first California road trip at Fresno State (61-57), but then won six straight in-state contests. USF downed Long Beach State 67-47, UC Irvine (70-66), Saint Mary's (58-56), Pepperdine (71-61), Loyola Marymount (56-47) and Santa Clara (69-67) before dropping the final road trip of the regular season at San Diego (76-72).

TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF CHARITY: USF continues to take advantage of their opportunities and lead the West Coast Conference in free throw percentage, hitting at an impressive .762 (340-446) pace. As of 2/24/03, the Lady Dons rank 29th among Division I teams at the charity stripe. USF leads the WCC at the line in overall and WCC contests and could lead the league in the overall and WCC only categories for the third time in four years. The Lady Dons set the standard at the stripe in 2000 (.762) and 2001 (.702). San Francisco's program best overall performance at the line came in 1999-2000. USF hits at a .801 (181-226) percentage in league games. The best team in league history from the free throw line was Saint Mary's who connected at a .767 clip during the 1989-90 campaign. Gonzaga turned in the best free throw percentage in WCC games, connecting on .814 last season.

SAUER SMART, VERY SMART: Junior forward Carey Sauer was named to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-District VIII Basketball First Team after posting a 3.872 GPA in Mathematics. The award caps another impressive year for Sauer, who eclipsed 1,000 career points against Portland (2/14/03) and currently ranks 14th on the all-time scoring list with 1,058 in two-plus seasons at USF.

SMART VERY SMART PART II: Junior forward Carey Sauer and sophomore guard Toni Russell were selected to the 2003 West Coast Conference All-Academic Team, as announced by the league office. Sauer posted a sparkling 3.872 GPA in Mathematics, while Russell, the 2002 WCC Freshman of the Year turned in a 3.61 GPA in Psychology. The selection was the first for Russell and the second straight for Sauer. To be eligible for all-academic consideration, the student-athlete must have at least a 3.2 GPA and be a starter or a significant contributor.

PLAY THEM ALL ON THE ROAD: San Francisco won their fourth straight West Coast Conference road win with a 69-67 victory at Santa Clara. Combined with a 71-61 victory at Pepperdine Jan. 31 and a 56-47 win at Loyola Marymount the next night, USF now owns a sparkling 2002-2003 road record of 7-7, 4-3 during league action. The Lady Dons dropped their final road contest of the year at USD. Last season when the Lady Dons tallied a 18-12 overall record, they went 7-6 on the road, but posted a 10-5 slate at home. USF finished 5-9 at home in 2002-2003.

WCC TOURNAMENT ON THE NET: USF women's basketball begins its seventh season on the radio and in cyberspace for the 2002-2003 season. All 28 USF Lady Dons regular season games will be broadcast this year on both the air (KUSF, 90.3 FM) and the web, courtesy of YahooBroadcast on the official website of the USF Athletic Department, www.usfdons.com. George Devine, the Dean of women's basketball broadcasters in the West Coast Conference returns for his seventh season of bringing all the exciting play-by-play from his position courtside. The 2003 WCC Tournament will be aired exclusively on www.usfdons.com, courtesy of YahooBroadcast.com.

SCOUTING SAN DIEGO: The Toreros completed the 2002-2003 regular season sporting a 11-16 record and tallied a 5-9 slate in West Coast Conference play, earning the fifth seed for the 2003 WCC Tournament hosted by the Toreros. USD's only victory in their last six games came against San Francisco on senior night, where the Toreros handed USF a 76-72 loss. Senior center Erin Malich earned All-WCC First Team honors, leading the team in scoring with 14.9 per game and is the top rebounder with 6.5. Junior forward Marta Menuez earned league honorable mention selection after averaging 11.4 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Toreros. As a team, San Diego averages 62.0 points per game, while converting at a .402 (613-1523) clip from the floor, including .320 (128-400) from 3-point range. The Toreros do not take care of the basketball very well and average 20.6 turnovers a night. Head coach Kathy Marpe is in her 23rd season at Alcala Park and has amassed 276 wins at USD and has 363 in her 29 year career. During Marpe's tenure, the Toreros have captured a pair of WCC Tournament Championships (1993 & 2000) and own a 6-7 record in league tournament play. #5 San Diego will square off against #8 Saint Mary's with the winner facing USF in the second round.

SERIES RECORD/STREAK: USF leads 19-17/USD won two

USF vs. USD WCC TOURNAMENT SERIES HISTORY: First Meeting.

LAST MEETINGS: First Meeting.

TEAM COMPARISONS (AS OF 3/2/03):
Team	PPG	Margin	FG%	3-FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	TOPG	SPG	BPG
USF	60.0	-1.4	.393	.348	.762	34.8	12.0	17.1	8.6	2.1
USD	62.7	-2.4	.402	.320	.668	36.1	14.7	20.3	9.1	2.3

PROBABLE SAN DIEGO TORERO STARTERS (AS OF 3/2/03):
G. #3 Kerri Nakamoto, 5-6, Sr. (7.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.3 assists)
G. #12 Polly Dong, 5-6, Fr. (4.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 3.1 assists)
C. #34 Marta Menuez, 6-1, Jr. (11.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.7 assists)
F. #42 Erin Malich, 6-1, Sr. (14.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 0.9 assists)
F. #21 Marie Plocher, 5-9, Jr. (5.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.1 assists)

USD vs. SAINT MARY'S IN WCC TOURNAMENT: Saint Mary's and San Diego have faced off just once in the conference tournament with the Gaels holding a 1-0 advantage. The two teams met in the first round of the 1995 tournament as the #5 Gaels defeated the #4 Toreros, 76-65. In the overall series, Saint Mary's has won nine consecutive contests. The Toreros have dropped 18 of their last 20 contests to the Gaels dating back to 1994.

SCOUTING SAINT MARY'S: The Gaels have battled injuries all season and enter the 2003 West Coast Conference Tournament as the eighth seed two year removed from winning the 2001 tournament title. Saint Mary's posted an 11-16 overall record, 4-9 during league play. Sophomore center Triola Jackson earned All-WCC First Team honors and has carried the Gaels this season, leads the West Coast Conference in scoring (16.3), rebounding (9.4) and rates second in field goal percentage, hitting at a .492 pace. Senior forward Julie Morris suffered a season-ending injury in a win at San Diego when she was averaging 11.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest. Senior forward Katie Davis chips in with 7.9 points per game and 3.5 rebounds. Michelle Jacoby is in her third season at the controls for Saint Mary's and owns a sparkling 53-36 record with a 24-18 WCC record. Jacoby has guided the Gaels into the postseason in both of her seasons in Moraga. During her tenure in Moraga, Jacoby guided the Gaels to the 2001 WCC Tournament championship and into the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament. Last season Saint Mary's qualified for the 2002 Postseason WNIT. The Gaels own an 11-7 record in the WCC tournament and boast the second best winning percentage (.588) behind USF (12-6, .667). Saint Mary's captured league tournament hardware and the automatic NCAA berth in 1999 & 2001. Saint Mary's will square off against #5 San Diego with the winner facing USF in the second round. The Gaels swept the season series against USD this season and owns a commanding 25-7 advantage in the all-time series.

SERIES RECORD/STREAK: USF leads 19-17/SMC won one

USF vs. SMC WCC TOURNAMENT SERIES HISTORY: USF leads 2-1. SMC def. USF 70-62 (2/26/98); USF def. SMC 67-56 (2/28/97); USF def. SMC 64-50 (3/3/95)

LAST MEETINGS: USF 58, at SMC 56 (1/11/03)

TEAM COMPARISONS - ALL GAMES (AS OF 2/3/03):
Team	PPG	Margin	FG%	3-FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	TOPG	SPG	BPG
USF	58.3	-3.0	.379	.341	.745	34.1	11.8	16.9	9.0	2.2
SMC	62.3	-1.9	.385	.314	.660	38.5	12.6	18.3	7.9	3.4

PROBABLE SAINT MARY'S GAELS STARTERS (AS OF 3/2/03):
G. #5 Lindsay Lopez, 5-10, Jr. (5.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.8 assists)
G. #22 Evynn Van Burger, 6-0, Fr. (5.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.3 assists)
G. #00 Carey Noakes, 6-0, So. (6.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.7 assists)
C. #53 Triola Jackson, 6-2, So. (16.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 0.7 blocks)
F. #54 Erika Urnonaite, 6-1, Fr. (3.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.2 assists)

SAUER NEWEST MEMBER OF GRAND CLUB: Junior forward Carey Sauer continued her assault on the USF career scoring charts and eclipsed 1,000 career points with a 13-point night against Portland (2/14/03). Sauer passed 900 points at Portland (1/18/03). So far in two-plus seasons, Sauer has scored 1,092 points and is the 15th player in program history to surpass 1,000 points and first since Lindsey Huff (1997-2002) achieved the plateau last season. Sauer ranks 13th on the USF career scoring charts and needs 22 points to pass her former teammate Huff, who scored 1,114. Sauer has reached double-figures in scoring 55 times on the Hilltop in 86 career games. A back-to-back All-West Coast Conference First Team selection, Sauer scored an amazing 2,100 points during her prep career in Washington.

MARY JANE KRUEGER DOUBLE-DIPPING: Junior forward Mary Jane Krueger made a welcome return to the lineup against Saint Mary's, turning in her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Her contest against the Gaels was her first since Jan. 3 at UC Irvine. Since making her return against Saint Mary's Krueger posted three consecutive double-doubles for the Lady Dons, including a 15 point, 12 rebound effort in a win against Gonzaga (2/15/03). On the season, Krueger leads USF in rebounds (8.7) and blocked shots (1.1) and is third in scoring (8.9). Krueger erupted for a career-high 20 points and completed her sixth double-double of the season with 12 rebounds in a victory against Loyola Marymount (2/28/03).

LISA WHITESIDE LOST FOR THE SEASON: USF's loss at Gonzaga was especially costly. Senior guard Lisa Whiteside ruptured her Achilles tendon ending her season and career on the Hilltop. Whiteside was on her way to another career year for the Lady Dons and averaged 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds and led the team with a .485 field goal percentage. USF's lone senior and team captain scored a career-high 23 points in a loss against #19 BYU (12/5/02).

CAREY SAUER - ALL-WCC FIRST TEAM: Junior forward Carey Sauer returns for USF after posting an outstanding sophomore campaign on the Hilltop. Sauer, a 2002 All-West Coast Conference First Team selection, averaged 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season. In addition, the Newport, WA native ranked third in the nation in free throw percentage at .918 (90-98) and set a USF single-season record in free throw percentage. Sauer provided most of the offense in the Lady Dons' opener at #18 Colorado State in the 2002 Preseason WNIT, pouring in a team-high 17 points on 6-of-12 from the floor. Sauer turned in a terrific performance against #6 Stanford, scoring 16 points. In three games against the top-25, Sauer has been sweet, averaging 17.3 points on .474 (18-38) from the floor to go along with 5.0 rebounds. In USF's convincing win against Seton Hall, Sauer went 12-for-12 at the free throw line, finishing with a team-high 18 points to go along with eight boards. It was the third time in her career that Sauer went 12-of-12 from the charity stripe. Sauer exploded for 32 points at Portland to establish a new career-high and was the first Lady Don in nine years to score 30 or more in a contest. Sauer leads the team in scoring (15.9), free throw percentage .903 (102-113) and is the leading 3-point shooter, converting on .453 (48-106). Sauer ranks sixth among NCAA Division I leaders at the free throw line. An All-WCC First Team slection for the second straight year, Sauer has led the Lady Dons in scoring in 13 games and rebounding in six contests. Sauer notched her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds against Santa Clara and added another with 16 points and 12 rebounds against Saint Mary's. Sauer poured in 27 points to lead USF to a 69-67 upset win at Santa Clara for the Lady Dons' first victory in the Leavey Center since 1997.

HOLLINGSWORTH - 2003 WCC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Freshman guard Joy Hollingsworth continues to command notice this season and was recognized as the 2003 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year. Hollingsworth made a huge splash in her second start of the season against #6 Stanford, pouring in a game-high 18 points on 6-of-9 from the floor, including 5-for-6 from beyond the 3-point arc. The 2002 Washington State Player of the Year nearly sparked USF to a historic upset against the Cardinal, but gave the Lady Dons a big glimpse at the future. Hollingsworth scored 10 points and pulled down seven rebounds at Washington in front of about 100 friends and family members in Seattle. In USF's victory at UC Irvine, Hollingsworth scored 15 points and added five rebounds. Hollingsworth powered USF past Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference opener with a career-high 20 points to go along with eight rebounds. Hollingsworth turned in the first double-double of her career in a 13 point, 12 rebound effort at Gonzaga and equalled her career-high in rebounds at Portland with 12 more boards. Hollingsworth poured in 17 points in USF's win at Loyola Marymount and dished out a career-high six assists and established a career-high with 26 points last week at San Diego. On the season, Hollingsworth averages 10.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Hollingsworth has led USF in scoring in seven games and was top rebounder in four contests.

TONI RUSSELL - MASTER THIEF: Sophomore guard Toni Russell prepares for her second season of basketball on the Hilltop and looks to build off her 2002 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year campaign. Russell, a relentless defender and clutch shooter, led the WCC in steals last season (2.6) and led the team in assists (3.1). Russell scored 10 points to go along with four steals in the 2002-2003 season opener at #18 Colorado State in the 2002 Preseason WNIT. In a win against Nevada-Reno, Russell scored nine points, pulled down four rebounds and dished out five assists. Russell was equally impressive against #6 Stanford, scoring 13 points to go along with six assists, six steals, four rebounds in 37 minutes of action. Russell poured in a career-high 16 points in the loss against Montana. In a rout of Long Beach State, Russell recorded a career-high 10 steals in just 28 minutes of playing time. On the season, Russell leads the team in assists (3.8), steals (3.4) and ranks fifth in scoring (8.0). In addition, Russell leads the West Coast Conference and rates 15th among NCAA Division I leaders in steals. Already in just 28 contests, Russell owns a share of third place in the USF single-season record books with 94, tied with former USF assistant coach Tami Adkins. Current USF head coach Mary Hile is the single-season leader with 135 in 1979-80. Russell turned in the sixth highest single-season total last season with 78 swipes.

HEAD COACH MARY HILE-NEPFEL: USF women's basketball legend Mary Hile-Nepfel prepares for her 16th season as the head coach at the University of San Francisco and her third season as sole head coach of the Lady Dons. Hile-Nepfel was named sole head coach following the 1999-2000 season, taking charge of a program she directed to national prominence with her husband Bill Nepfel for 13 seasons. Last season, Hile-Nepfel guided USF to their best overall and West Coast Conference record since 1996-97 when the team qualified for their third consecutive NCAA Tournament berth, finishing with an 18-12 overall mark and a 9-5 league slate, good for a share of second place. In addition, the Lady Dons captured an appearance in the 2002 Postseason WNIT Tournament for the first time in program history. The team's accomplishments were all the more impressive after a rash of injuries at the beginning of the season cost USF their best post player, but San Francisco bounced back from an 0-3 start to win eight of their next 10 contests. The Lady Dons posted three wins against 2001 NCAA Tournament teams, including a 72-68 win against Washington (Elite-Eight) and a 65-56 victory against Utah (Sweet-16). USF captured wins against a pair of 2002 NCAA Tournament squads (Santa Clara and Syracuse). Since taking the reins as co-head coach prior to the 1987-88 campaign, Hile-Nepfel has guided her players into unparalleled success on the hardwood and in the classroom. During her tenure on the Hilltop, Hile-Nepfel has coached 13 players who have earned 24 All-West Coast Conference First Team accolades. Brittany Lindhe, the only four-time first team selection in league history, earned Preseason Honorable Mention All-American honors prior to the 1996 and 1997 campaigns. A tireless recruiter, Hile-Nepfel and her coaching staff have produced four West Coast Conference Freshmen of the Year, most recently when Toni Russell earned the honor in 2001-2002. Athletic achievement does not come at the expense of academic performance. Since Hile-Nepfel's first season at USF, 10 student-athletes have 17 selections to the WCC's All-Academic Team. In addition, two were chosen as the WCC Female Student-Athlete of the year and two more earned NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarships.