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© St. Petersburg Times, published November 9, 2001
1. CONNECTICUT: Senior Sue Bird and sophomore phenom Diana Taurasi may be the best backcourt combination in the country. Add F's Swin Cash and Ashja Jones, along with C Tamika Williams (who shot 75 percent last season) and you'll see why the path to the Final Four again will run through Storrs.
2. TENNESSEE: After being knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by upstart Xavier, Pat Summitt is on a mission. The Vols return four starters, including slam-dunk queen Michelle Snow. The new talent includes national player of the year Shyra Ely. Summitt's biggest concern is finding a consistent PG. Top returning scorer Gwen Jackson will be out several weeks with a knee injury.
3. OKLAHOMA: Two words. Stacey Dales. The Big 12 player of the year is again a preseason All-America selection after leading the Sooners in points (16) and assists (7.3) last season. The Sooners won 17 consecutive games to finish the regular season, then lost in the Sweet 16. Four other top scorers, LaNeisha Caufield, Caton Hill, Rosalind Ross and Jamie Talbert, also return.
4. DUKE: National freshman of the year Alana Beard returns from a season in which she averaged 17 points and a had a school-record 106 steals. Sophomore F/C Iciss Tillis (All-ACC freshman with 40 blocks) and junior G Sheana Mosch make up the returning starters. Replacing three seniors won't be easy. Still, it is a preseason selection to win the ACC.
5. VANDERBILT: This is the team that beat Colorado and Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament last season before being bumped off by national champion Notre Dame. All five starters return, including Chantelle Anderson, the SEC preseason player of the year. The 6-foot-6 junior C averaged 21.2 points and shot 72 percent from the field. Vanderbilt's only issue is a lack of depth.
6. LOUISIANA TECH: Tech returns 92 percent of its offense, 95 percent of its rebounds, 95 percent of its assists and 94 percent of its steals from last season. G's Brooke Lassiter, Essence Perry and Amber Obaze, who combined for 370 assists and only 238 turnovers, return, along with Ashley Antony and two prep stars. Leon Barmore took a team to the Elite Eight in what was supposed to be a rebuilding season. Imagine the possibilities with this group.
7. TEXAS TECH: Four starters return from the Sweet 16 team, including seniors Amber Tarr, Tanisha Ellison and Candi White. Junior C Plenette Pierson, the team's leading scorer, was an honorable mention All-American in several preseason polls. Tech will have its work cut out in the Big 12, where seven teams earned postseason invitations last season.
8. N.C. STATE: C Kaayla Chones has returned from an injury, with 27 points and 17 rebounds in the first preseason game. The bad news is G Terah James reinjured her left knee and will be out 2-3 weeks. Junior F Carisse Moody, a preseason All-ACC selection, returns, but the Wolfpack is in need of perimeter shooters.
9. COLORADO: Five starters and 11 letter-winners return from a team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996. All-Big 12 G Mandy Nightingale and preseason All-American Jenny Roulier comprise a formidable backcourt. Senior C Britt Hartshorn and junior Tera Bjorklund are the anchors of the frontcourt.
10. STANFORD: Sophomore F Nicole Powell, one of 30 players on the preseason Naismith list, has a year of experience after starting last season and G Susan King is expected to run the offense. C Cori Enghusen and Lindsey Yamasaki were key members of the U.S. women's team that won the gold medal at this summer's World University Games.
11. IOWA STATE: Returning seniors Angie Welle and Tracy Gahan and junior Lindsey Wilson will form the core. But sophomore G Erica Junod suffered a torn ACL in her right knee in practice Monday and is expected to miss the season. Lack of depth, especially in the frontcourt, could prove too much to overcome.
12. PURDUE: The Boilermakers made it to the national title game last season but lost Katie Douglas and Camille Cooper, two WNBA first-round draft picks. Not to worry, they have loads of talent. Senior G Kelly Komara, who has played on national championship and runner-up teams, will lead the Boilermakers. Add PG Erika Valek, G Shereka Wright and C Mary Jo Noon and the Boilermakers should be primed for another strong season.
13. FLORIDA: This is an all-new group for the Gators. Six-foot-4 sophomore Vanessa Hayden has dropped 25 pounds and is determined to avoid chronic foul trouble. Senior G Brandi McCain is healthy and expected to be the leader on and off the court. Florida needs Sherisha Hills, who has returned from a knee injury, and junior college All-American Courtney Cooper to be factors from the perimeter.
14. NOTRE DAME: The loss of player of the year Ruth Riley, third-team All-America G Nielle Ivey and three-year starter Kelley Siemon has the Irish in a rebuilding situation one year after winning their first national championship. Two starters return: senior F Ericka Haney and sophomore outside shooter Alicia Ratay. Junior Amanda Barksdale, second on the team in blocks, takes over in the middle.
15. BAYLOR: The Bears are coming off a surprising 21-9 season and return four seniors, including Danielle Crockrom and All-America G Sheila Lambert. Sophomore F Chanlle Fox also returns. Coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson might get help from six incoming freshmen.
16. GEORGIA: Kelly and Coco Miller and Deanna Nolan, the heart and soul of the Bulldogs the past four seasons, are gone. Only one starter, senior Tawana McDonald, returns, but SEC freshman of the year Christi Thomas earned significant playing time last season. That leaves seven Georgia freshmen to vie for starting jobs. The wild card could be Nicole Kaczmarski, a transfer from UCLA who becomes eligible in December. If she can run the point, the Bulldogs might be contenders.
17. OLD DOMINION: A loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament should fuel the Monarchs. ODU returns all five starters. All-America C Lucienne Berthieu missed last season with an ACL injury, but is cleared to return.
18. MICHIGAN: Four of the team's top scorers return, including LeeAnn Bies, the top scorer and rebounder. Other starters returning are PG Alayne Ingram, senior F Raina Goodlow and sophomore F Stephanie Gandy. Depth will be a key in tough Big Ten competition.
19. PENN STATE: Seniors Rashana Barnes, Katrena Carr and Katie Schumacher return. Barnes started every game last season, so her leadership, rebounding and blocking skills will be crucial. National and Big Ten freshman of the year Kelly Mazzante will try to improve on her Big Ten leading 18.2 points per game.
20. GEORGE WASHINGTON: The Colonials return four starters but only one, Elena Vishniakova, is a senior. Junior F Erica Lawrence and sophomore C Ugo Oha are preseason All-Atlantic 10 first-team selections.
21. ARIZONA STATE: A good season ended badly when the Sun Devils lost four of their last five games. First-team All-Pac-10 selections Melody Johnson and Amanda Levens, and Pac-10 All-Freshman selection Betsy Boardman are among the returning starters.
22. MARYLAND: All five starters and all 11 players return. Marche Strickland and Renneika Razor make up a solid backcourt and 6-2 Deedee Warley and 6-3 Rosita Melbourne provide size and talent in the frontcourt.
23. WASHINGTON: Three of five starters return, including Loree Payne, who averaged 17.4 points as a freshman. With five new players, coach June Dougherty said how well they grasp the system will be key to the season.
24. UTAH: Even after beating Iowa and making Notre Dame work for its Sweet 16 victory, the Utes are having a hard time getting people to take them seriously. Four seniors return to a squad that had a school-record 28 wins.
25. COLORADO STATE: The Rams return four starters. What makes their offense so strong is a balanced attack -- they can shoot the 3 or bang it inside. Junior F Ashley Augspurger is the team's top returning scorer. The biggest question is whether Colorado State can find someone to crash the boards.