Also: SI For Women's Trisha Blackmar - Inside College Basketball Archive

Top Teams

1. Connecticut

Player of the Year Connecticut's silky senior forward, Svetlana Abrosimova , gained valuable experience this summer, averaging 8.3 points per game for the Russian Olympic team in Sydney. She has also improved her defense and mental toughness.

The victory parade in Hartford last April kicked off with a band playing Frosty the Snowman. It was an appropriate tune, considering the spring snowstorm that had blanketed the East Coast and the song's closing lyrics, "I'll be back again someday."

At the end of the 1 1/2-mile procession, Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma, the grand marshal of the Huskies' 36-1 championship season, issued a promise to the 30,000 or so fans in attendance. "We'll be back next year with a third one," said Auriemma, referring to UConn's 1995 championship as well.

"I said that to motivate my players," Auriemma recalled in August while relaxing at his rented beach house on the Jersey shore. "We have the potential this season to be the best women's college basketball squad ever assembled. Anything less than a championship will be a disappointment."

A squad that fricasseed Tennessee in the final by 19 points brings back its top eight players. The roll call includes Kodak All-Americas Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph, both seniors; point guard Sue Bird; forwards Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams, all juniors; and 6'5" center and one-woman SWAT team Kelly Schumacher, whose nine blocked shots set the tone for the Huskies rout of the Lady Vols. For stockpiling purposes, Auriemma and his inveterate deputy, Chris Dailey, also landed the most-sought-after high school player in the nation, guard Diana Taurasi of Chino, Calif.

Yes, the rich have gotten richer and that includes Auriemma, who in August signed a five-year contract extension that will nearly double his annual income to $590,000. Relaxing seaside, the 46-year-old Huskies coach mentioned his new deal, smiled and whistled. What was that tune? It sounded a lot like Meet Me in St. Louis, site of the 2001 Final Four.

2. Tennessee

Preseason All-Americas Selected by SI For WOMEN Pos. Player Class School F Tamika Catchings Sr. Tennessee F Svetlana Abrosimova Sr. Connecticut C Ruth Riley Sr. Notre Dame G Katie Douglas Sr. Purdue G Kelly Miller Sr. Georgia

Before she could embark on the season ahead, Tennessee coach Pat Summitt needed to bury the past. So on the second Saturday in September, five months after UConn's rout of the Lady Vols in the national championship game, Summitt pulled out the film from the final and relived one of the worst 24-hour stretches of her coaching career -- a day that began with shooting guard Kristen Clement's spraining her right ankle in practice and that ended with Tennessee's worst postseason loss in 14 years.

"When [Kristen] went down and I heard her scream, I got physically sick," Summitt says. "But I don't want to take anything away from the performance of Connecticut because it was spectacular. Their depth was just overwhelming for us."

To combat UConn's relentless wave of players -- especially in the post—Summitt is counting on 6'5" freshman center Ashley Robinson to make an immediate impact. Robinson, one of the nation's best post prospects, joins senior forward and 1999 Player of the Year Tamika Catchings, junior center Michelle Snow and senior swingman Semeka Randall in a formidable frontcourt. A big year from Randall is a must if Tennessee is going to make it five Final Fours in six years. Normally a fiery, high-energy defensive ace, she played most of last season at Edsel speed. ("She really had a subpar year for us," says Summitt.) Also back at full speed is Clement, who returns in the backcourt alongside mature-beyond-her-years sophomore point guard Kara Lawson. "We have the individual talent, but we have to become a better team," says Summitt, whose team is 164-21 over the last five seasons, but is only 5-6 against the Huskies during that same stretch. "But player for player, I wouldn't trade my team for any other one in the country."

3. Notre Dame
The Irish have one of the best inside-outside tandems in the country with All-America senior center Ruth Riley stalking the paint and sharpshooting sophomore Alicia Ratay roaming the arc. Riley averaged 16.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks last season, while Ratay hit a school-record 48% of her three-pointers. They'll get help from senior point guard Niele Ivey (11.2 points, 6.0 assists).

4. Duke
Last season was supposed to be a down year, but the Blue Devils finished with a 28-6 mark and won their first ACC tournament. Four returning starters—including senior guard Georgia Schweitzer, the ACC Player of the Year and Duke's top scorer (15.6)—will build on that success. A freshman class considered to be the Blue Devils' strongest ever provides plenty of depth.

5. Purdue
All-America senior swingman Katie Douglas led the Big Ten in scoring (20.4) and Purdue in assists (4.7) and steals (2.4) last season. She's back along with her favorite target, 6'4" senior center Camille Cooper. Keep an eye on 5'7" freshman guard Cherrise Graham, whom coach Kristy Curry calls a clone of former Boilermaker star Ukari Figgs (who's now starring for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks).

6. Georgia
The Lady Bulldogs will be solid on the perimeter with senior guards Kelly and Coco Miller and Deanna Nolan, a trio that combined to average 42.6 points and 11.2 assists in 1999-00. However, 6'4" junior Tawana McDonald is the only proven post player. Promising backup forward Shala Crawford was declared academically ineligible over the summer, so coach Andy Landers hopes freshman 6'5" center Christi Thomas gets up to speed quickly.

7. Louisiana Tech
Even though four starters have graduated, don't dis or dismiss the Lady Techsters. Junior Brooke Lassiter played 21 minutes per game last year and is capable of running the point. The frontcourt took a hit when versatile 6'1" sophomore forward Catrina Frierson tore her left anterior cruciate ligament in September, but a trio of 6'2" centers—juniors Ayana Walker and Takeisha Lewis, and sophomore Cheryl Ford—will pick up the slack.

8. Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights will have two Olympians playing in the paint this season—senior 6'4" center Tammy Sutton-Brown, who competed for Canada, and junior 6'2" forward Fatime Ndiaye, who played for Senegal. Senior point guard Tasha Pointer appears to have fully recovered from an eye injury she suffered after being shot by a stray BB in July.

9. LSU
Katrina Hibbert is in the WNBA (playing guard for the Seattle Storm), but the Lady Tigers bring back explosive players like senior guard Marie Ferdinand, who led the team in points (17.5) and assists (5.3) last year, and junior forward DeTrina White, who averaged 8.8 rebounds despite being only 5'11". Depth down low remains a problem, as only two players are taller than six feet. Twin freshmen guards Roneeka and Doneeka Hodges should make an immediate impact.

10. Old Dominion
Senior forward/center Lucienne Berthieiu ranked first in the Colonial Athletic Association in points (17.8), rebounds (8.9) and field goal percentage (60.7) last season. Sophomore guard Alli Spence was named CAA Rookie of the Year and senior swingman Hamchetou Maiga (14.0 ppg) is a tough defender. New to Norfolk are three freshmen who each averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds as high school seniors.

11. Texas Tech
The Lady Raiders' hopes depend largely on 5'7" point guard Candi White, who averaged 10.2 points and 10.8 assists for Seward County (Kans.) Community College last season.

12. Stanford
Four talented returning starters, including 6'6" center Carolyn Moos, and five fab freshmen make for a formidable Cardinal.

13. Iowa State
Center Angie Welle led the nation in field goal percentage (64.7) as a sophomore last year.

14. Oklahoma
Junior guards LaNeishea Caufield and Stacey Dales make the Sooners dangerous. Sophomore forward Caton Hill is a rising star.

15. Penn State
The losses of Helen Darling and Andrea Garner hurt, but senior forward Maren Walseth (13.8 ppg) will keep the Lady Lions in the Top 20.

16. Mississippi State
Center LaToya Thomas led the SEC in scoring (21.0) and was a Kodak All-America as a freshman in 1999-00.

17. Virginia
Last year's ACC Rookie of the Year, Schuye LaRue (14.4 ppg), will star again along with senior forward Svetlana Volnaya and junior guard Telisha Quarles.

18. N.C. State
Two-time All-ACC guard Tynesha Lewis is back to lead the Wolfpack's perimeter attack.

19. Wisconsin
The defending WNIT champs will challenge for the Big Ten title, thanks to a returning cast that totaled 80% of the team's scoring in 1999-00.

20. Vanderbilt
Sophomore center Chantelle Anderson (15.8 ppg) and junior forward Zuza Klimesova (14.0 ppg) anchor the squad.

Division II

Defending national champ Northern Kentucky's top nine scorers are back, including junior forward Michelle Cottrell (17.3 ppg).

Division III

Seniors Tasha Rodgers and Sara Ettner will lead Washington University (St. Louis) to a fourth straight NCAA championship.

Hot Dates

Nov. 12
Old Dominion vs. Penn State and Georgia vs. UConn, State Farm Tipoff, Hartford, ESPN, ESPN2

Dec. 3
Rutgers vs. Georgia, Honda Elite 4 Classic, Orlando, ESPN

Dec. 9
Purdue at Notre Dame

Dec. 30
Tennessee at UConn, CBS

Feb. 1
UConn at Tennessee, ESPN

March 30, April 1
Final Four, St. Louis, ESPN

Cybersources

dmoz.org/Sports/Basketball/Women/
Women's hoops-specific search engine provides many useful links.

Also: SI For Women's Trisha Blackmar: Inside College Basketball | Oct.31, Nov. 3

Copyright © 2001 CNN/Sports Illustrated An AOL Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines.