USD Women's Basketball 2004-2005

r San mego Gears Up For ' 2004-05 Season

The theme for the 2004-05 season will be youth as this Torero team has no seniors on its roster. The freshman class will make an impact on the floor right away. Still, with three returning players who were in the starting lineup last year and six returners who saw significant playing time throughout the season, there is plenty of experience to balance out the youth. Certainly, this year will be full of excitement. The Toreros will be challenged to replace seniors Melissa Padgett and Marta Menuez, a First Team All-WCC performer, who carried much of the load for the Toreros last season. Ready to meet that challenge are four returning juniors: Polly Dong, Brandi Collato, Lindsay

Junior point guard Polly Dong dished out

4.4 assists per game last season. Helvey, and Tiara Harris. This crew of juniors has combined to start seventy games in their careers. Each of them has been a major player for two years and is ready and willing to step up to the plate. Dong has established herself as one of the leading playmakers in the West Coast Confer– ence. Helvey and Collato both rank among the top of the WCC in three-point shooting and Helvey was the team's second leading scorer behind Menuez's 15.3 points per game. Harris was a WCC

All-Freshman team nominee and will be a tremendous weapon for the Toreros with her speed and slashing ability. These players will be placed in leadership roles right away and will be the backbone of the Torero team. The Toreros also have two sopho– mores whose talents will be show– cased this season. Ashley Voisinet, despite missing ten games due to a knee injury, was a major contributor in her freshman campaign. Now that she is healthy, Ashley's athleticism and defensive ability will be a major boost to USD's perimeter game.

San Di-ego enjoyed some impressive wins at home last season, defeating Georgetown, Oral Roberts and Nevada.