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© St. Petersburg Times, published March 5, 2002
A 10-win improvement and a winning record (14-13) have lifted the South Florida women's basketball program from last season's 4-24 abyss, and things look even better for next season and beyond.
The Bulls went 4-10 in Conference USA and didn't qualify for the C-USA tournament as a lack of size, depth and experience caught up with them when the injury bug bit during league play. Next season, those shortcomings should be eliminated: Size: 6-foot-5 Florida transfer Jameelah Trimble will be eligible, and Santoya Campbell, a 6-1 post player from Labette (Kan.) Community College, has committed to USF.
Depth: The Bulls will add three or four players while losing just one, graduating guard Dione Smith.
Experience: The four freshmen who played extensively this season -- Allison AuBuchon, Jen Kline, Alana Tanksley and Tristen Webb -- will be veterans. USF likely will have just one freshman in 2002-03, signee Valerie de Velasco, a guard from Miami High.
Coach Jose Fernandez was forced to use players out of position because the Bulls were so small. Junior Sonia Cotton, a natural small forward, played extensively at power forward, and Sarah Lochmann, a forward, was USF's primary center. Both are under 6 feet.
"I think our perimeter kids can play with anyone in the conference, but we got destroyed in the paint," Fernandez said. "We didn't have a post presence."
Smith's manic defense will be missed, but with the rest of the squad returning (including the top eight scorers) and the size additions, the Bulls could take another big step forward next season.
It might not show in their overall record, with an upgraded non-conference schedule that includes games against No. 1-ranked Connecticut (home, Dec. 28), Indiana, and the Sunshine State's "Big Three," Florida, Florida State and Miami. However, USF could eclipse .500 in league play and be a threat to C-USA's best.
"We're right there," Fernandez said. "The future's bright, that's for sure."
IT'S SET (IN PENCIL): The oft-changing 2002 football schedule has been "finalized," deputy athletic director Corey Johnson said. But with just 11 games (the NCAA permits 12 next season) another could be added. USF has three dates available, Sept. 21, Oct. 26 and Nov. 30, but the Bulls will keep Sept. 21 -- between trips to Oklahoma and Arkansas -- open.
So can USF equal, or surpass, its 8-3 record from last season? The Bulls figure to be favored in at least five games: home against Florida Atlantic (Aug. 29 or 31), Northern Illinois (Sept. 7), Charleston Southern (Nov. 2) and Memphis (Nov. 9), and at Houston (Nov. 23). Four others are tossups: home against Bowling Green (Nov. 16) and Southern Miss (Oct. 12), at North Texas (Oct. 5) and at East Carolina (Oct. 19). USF will be an underdog at Oklahoma (Sept. 14) and at Arkansas (Sept. 28).
USF had a No. 60 final composite ranking last season, according to a Web site that computes the average of more than 70 polls and computer rankings. Oklahoma was No. 7, Arkansas 33, Bowling Green 46, East Carolina 57, Southern Miss 58, Northern Illinois 71, Memphis 80, North Texas 89 and Houston 112. FAU and Charleston Southern were not rated because they are Division I-AA teams.
BIG TIME: Another sign of football's development is the USF Bulls 12th Man Club, a non-profit group "dedicated to the growth of The University of South Florida Football Team." Information is available at www.12thmanclub.com, where visitors are encouraged to "join The Stampede."
-- Pete Young covers USF sports. He can be reached at (813) 226-3346 or via e-mail at young@sptimes.com.