THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506040148
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
The Old Dominion women's basketball team has long clamored for opportunities to earn national recognition. A quick glance at the Lady Monarchs' opponents for the upcoming season suggests there will be plenty of chances for ODU to stake a claim among the nation's elite.
The 1995-96 schedule boasts three of the 1995 NCAA Final Four participants - including a home date with the University of Georgia - as well as an exhibition game against the U.S. National Team. ODU will also face two other teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament.
``This schedule will afford us the opportunity to gain and maintain national respect from November until March,'' head coach Wendy Larry said.
The Lady Monarchs will open the season with their own Dial Classic tournament, Nov. 25 and 26. The lineup features Georgia (with former Phoebus star LaKeshia Frett), Southern Methodist (coached by former Lady Monarch Rhonda Rompola), and Radford (coached by one-time ODU assistant Lubomyr Lichonczak).
The Lady Monarchs also host Texas, South Florida and Miami, and the team will travel to NCAA finalist Tennessee, Rutgers, Cal-Berkeley, N.C. State, and Final Four participant Stanford.
Stanford is led by ODU Hall of Fame coach Marianne Stanley on an interim basis this year as Tara VanDerveer takes time off to coach the U.S. National Team, which makes an appearance at the ODU Field House on Dec. 6.
The Lady Monarchs, winners of the last four Colonial Athletic Association titles, will open their conference season Jan. 2 at Richmond. The team's first CAA home game is Jan. 9 against American. ODU plays 16 conference games this year with the addition of Virginia Commonwealth to the league. by CNB