Nov. 10, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER
Friday, Nov. 14
Arizona vs. Toledo 3 p.m. HT
Cleveland State at Arizona State 6 p.m. MT
Albany at California 1 p.m. PT
Minnesota at Stanford 7 p.m. PT

Saturday, Nov. 15
Arizona vs. Loyola Marymount Noon HT
Oregon at San Jose State 7 p.m. PT
USC vs. Charlotte TBA

Sunday, Nov. 16
Arizona at Hawai'i 2 p.m. HT
Arizona State vs. Preseason WNIT TBA
Nevada at California 1 p.m. PT
Sacramento State at Oregon State 5:30 p.m. PT
Stanford at Baylor 2 p.m. CT
Cal State Fullerton at UCLA 2 p.m. PT
USC at NC State/UW-Milwaukee 12/2:30 p.m. ET
Gonzaga at Washington 2 p.m. PT
Washington State at Texas Tech 2 p.m. CT

Monday, Nov. 17
Arizona State vs. Preseason WNIT TBA

Tuesday, Nov. 18
Arizona State vs. Preseason WNIT TBA
Pacific at Oregon 7 p.m. PT
Pepperdine at UCLA 7 p.m. PT

Wednesday, Nov. 19
Arizona State vs. Preseason WNIT TBA
Houston at Oregon State 7 p.m. PT
Washington at Weber State 7 p.m. MT

Thursday, Nov. 20
Arizona State vs. Preseason WNIT TBA
New Mexico at Stanford 7 p.m. PT
Washington State at Boise State 7 p.m. MT

Friday, Nov. 21
Arizona State vs. Preseason WNIT TBA
Rutgers at California (CSN) 8 p.m. PT
Oregon at BYU 3:30 p.m. MT

CONFERENCE SEASON NOTES
PRESEASON WATCH: A total of four Pac-10 women's basketball players were named to two national player of the year watch lists. Stanford's Jayne Appel and Kayla Pedersen, and Devanei Hampton and Ashley Walker from California were among the 25 selected to the WBCA's Wade Trophy watch list, while all but Pedersen were among the top 30 players selected to the John R. Wooden Award preseason candidates list.

PRESEASON WADE WATCH
Jayne Appel, Stanford
Devanei Hampton, California
Kayla Pedersen, Stanford
Ashley Walker, California

PRESEASON WOODEN WATCH
Jayne Appel, Stanford
Devanei Hampton, California
Ashley Walker, California

SENIORITIS: The Pac-10 boasts a plethora of talent in 2008-09 with 11 of the 15 players who were selected All-Pac-10 last year returning, including eight seniors. Of the 10 tabbed honorable mention, seven are back for their respective teams.

In all, 18 total players who received Conference nods come back to lead their squads, 11 of which are seniors. Among those returning are Player of the Year honorees Arizona State's Briann January (Defensive) and Stanford's Kayla Pedersen (Freshman).

OFFENSIVE RETURNS: Half of the Conference teams return its leading scorer from a year ago, while eight squads welcome back its top rebounder, including the Pac-10's leading boarder in Ashley Walker from California.

The Pac-10 returns 15 of last year's top 20 leading scorers, as well as, 14 of the top 20 rebounders, including the league's top seven from a year ago.

NEW FACES & FAMILIAR FACES: Heading into the 2008-09 campaign, the Conference welcomes two new head coaches in Niya Butts from Arizona and UCLA's Nikki Caldwell. Not only is the pair new to their respective teams, but it is their first head coaching jobs, as well.

The Pac-10 has a mix of veteran and young coaches. Leading the way is 2008 Pac-10 Coach of the Year Tara VanDerveer who embarks on her 23rd year at Stanford and 30th overall. Pac-10 coaches average 5.6 years of experience in the Pac-10 and nine years overall.

2009 SATE FARM PAC-10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: The State Farm Pac-10 Women's Basketball Tournament moves to Los Angeles to the Galen Center on USC's campus, March 12-15.

The Tournament made its debut in 2002 and was held on at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. The Conference's premier women's sporting event moved to the HP Pavilion at San Jose in 2003 and remained there through 2008.

The winner of the 10-team tournament receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship. The tournament seeds and Conference regular season Champion are determined by the 18-game regular-season Pac-10 schedule.

ROAD TO ST. LOUIS GOES THROUGH THE PAC-10: For teams looking to get to St. Louis for the NCAA Final Four, they may have to go through Pac-10 country. League schools hosting the first and second rounds are USC at the Galen Center and Washington at the Bank of America Arena. Dates for both those sites are March 21 and 23. California's Haas Pavilion was selected one of four sites for the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight on March 28 and 30.

The Final Four is slated to be held on April 5 and 7 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.