SACRAMENTO MONARCHS Monarchs coach Sonny Allen is an a familiar spot in the WNBA -- he's new. The league has struggled the past few years to find the right coaches for women's professional basketball, and Allen is one of six coaches beginning the season with new teams. Allen successfully addressed the Monarchs' shallow frontline in the draft. Sacramento drafted the ABL's 6-foot-4 Yolanda Griffith as the second overall pick and 6-2 Kate Starbird, who also played in the ABL. Allen added young talent with Iowa's 6-4 Amy Herrig. The Monarchs also drafted three-point specialist Kedra Holland-Corn. The Monarchs are built around guard Ruthie Bolton-Holifield, a member of the 1996 US Olympic team that won the gold medal in Atlanta, but Bolton-Holifield played just five games last season after injuring a knee. "If [Bolton] is eighty-five to ninety percent, she'll still be a good player and her asset is her shooting," Allen said. "With our up-tempo style you get a few more shots than you do in a halfcourt set. She is still a threat with the ball in her hands, but I don't think she'll ever be one hundred percent again." SI for Women's bottom line: With a great draft, Sacramento has the talent to make the biggest jump in the standings, particularly if G Ruthie Bolton-Holifield returns to form after her knee injury. ROSTER No.   6 42 51   27     21 50   Name Cindy Blodgett R. Bolton-Holifield Linda Burgess Latasha Byears Yolanda Griffith Lady Hardmon Amy Herrig Kedra Holland-Corn Ticha Penicheiro Tangela Smith Kate Starbird Pos. G G F G F G C G G F G HT 5-9 5-9 6-1 5-11 6-4 5-10 6-4 5-8 5-11 6-4 6-2

SCHEDULE Jun. 10 -- at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Jun. 12 -- Phoenix, 10 p.m. Jun. 14 -- at Phoenix, 10 pm Jun. 17 -- Cleveland, 10 p.m. Jun. 19 -- at Utah, 9 p.m. Jun. 22 -- Minnesota, 10 p.m. Jun. 24 -- Utah, 4 p.m. Jun. 26 -- Los Angeles, 10 p.m. Jun. 29 -- at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Jul. 2 -- at Washington, 8 p.m. Jul. 4 -- at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 5 -- at New York, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 8 -- Houston, 10 p.m. Jul. 9 -- at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Jul. 11 -- at Houston, 8 p.m. Jul. 16 -- at Cleveland, 8 p.m. Jul. 17 -- at Orlando, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 19 -- at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Jul. 22 -- New York, 10 p.m. Jul. 24 -- Orlando, 10:30 pm Jul. 27 -- Minnesota, 10 p.m. Jul. 29 -- Washington, 10 p.m. Jul. 31 -- at Utah, 9 p.m. Aug. 2 -- at Houston, 8:30 p.m. Aug. 4 -- at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6 -- Detroit, 10 p.m. Aug. 7 -- Phoenix, 10 p.m. Aug. 10 -- Los Angeles, 10 p.m. Aug. 13 -- Charlotte, 10 p.m. Aug. 14 -- Utah, 10 p.m. Aug. 17 -- at Phoenix, 10 p.m. Aug. 21 -- Houston, 10 p.m. Coach: Sonny Allen (first season with Sacramento) Top returning players: G Ticha Penicheiro (league-high 7.5 apg), G Latasha Byears (14.2 ppg) Key newcomers: F-C Yolanda Griffith (ABL's Chicago Condors), G Kedra Holland-Corn (ABL's Lasers) 1998 record and finish: 8-22, last in Western Arena: Arco Arena Average home attendance: 6,578 Colors: Black and purple