Oct. 28, 2008

2008-09 Preseason All-Conference Teams

PHILADELPHIA - 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.