Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

USC Schedule ■ Women’s soccer at Florida, Friday ■ Cross country at SEC Championships, Saturday heads into its third season by David Cloninger Assistant Sports Editor “This is the first team that I have had at South Carolina that I have felt we have the numbers and the talent to be competitive in the SEC,” USC women’s basketball head coach Susan Walvius said at a recent press conference. Considering the Lady Game cocks have managed to win only three conference games in Whlvius’ two years at the helm, her words will ideally be considered an under statement in April, when the season ic rwmr Walvius welcomed a new season of La- ifl dy Gamecock basketball to Columbia last week with the team’s annual Media Day. She * gave USC fans hope following a 1998-1999 sea son that saw the team win nine of its first 11 games but then go 0-14 in SEC play to finish the season at 11-16. “We were a team that did not lose a game, with the exception of Vanderbilt, to a team that did not go to the postseason,” Walvius said. “We were a very young team. We relied on our freshman class a little too much.” After a recruiting class last season that was ranked seventh nationally, Walvius was forced to use the freshmen extensively as part of her tiny nine-mem ber team. Playing the four freshmen more than she normally would, Whl vius saw her team reel through a season marked with devastating injuries and heart breaking losses. “I came to South Carolina because I wanted the challenge of rebuilding a team,” Walvius said. “I’m really impressed with the leadership of this team.” Walvius has several new faces on her'team this year, with four freshmen, one transfer and two as sistant coaches. Also, one player, Ines Ajanovic, is back for her sophomore season after sitting out most of her first year with injuries. Heading up the freshman class are two players from Budapest, Hungary. Post players Viki Hollosy and Petra Ujhelyi, both 6-foot-4, are coming to South Carolina after outstanding high school ca reers. Hollosy averaged 15 points and 9.5 rebounds per game at Nagy Sandor High School, winning the school’s MVP runner-up award. Ujhelyi had sim ilar numbers, averaging 22 points and 15 boards per game while winning two Hungarian Championships. Both will be expected to fill the void left by grad uated seniors Lisa Williams and Nikki Miars, who were two of USC’s highest scorers last season. Guards Andrea Plemons and Kelly Marrone will be directing the Lady Gamecock offense this sea son, as part of the improved USC offense. Plemons, a 5-9 freshman from Maryville, Tenn., was Heritage High School’s all-time leading scorer with 1,300 points in four years, winning three cham pionships and averaging 16 points per game. — She was also named as the Blount Coun ty Player of the Year while accounting for 18 double-doubles in her career. Marrone was also her team’s all-time lead ing scorer, with 1,823 points in a five-year var sity career. The North Cicero High School North Stars of Syracuse, N. Y., won 62 games in four years during Marrone’s stay, be cause of her scorching 3-point shots and a 41-point p. performance *gHll in her 1 senior year. USC received two more surprises during the recruiting f' season when it gained a trans- 1|«| fer and lost a recruit. Teresa vj|3||k|p Geter, who played for Colum bia High School but chose Ten- | ■> nessce over South Carolina, trans ferred back to USC for her final two ye.irs of eligibility. Geier will bring in iJi-ixvbedexjvnence af- AgiA.MgJ.|A ter winning a national title with M eggg J. the Lady \bhintecrs, but she A A ”, will not he .nailable this sea son because of a redshirt. ^■.||n|§b;d|bAbAAg Also, freshman Amanda v . a : Mined . letter of intent \ r'/. V »> ’ to play with USC but is not at- a e se!\.e,I A", else of pei ■ -d *’ soiud reasons. Vv.Jvmss.ud. How- . 1 , * VA, ’ ever. Stringer will not be able to -V' d |y - pliy ior.my oiliersduxd A'ciuise \ f’V ?,.*1 > *’ of the letter of intent. Dntnw.tiir hiv t A/s I . wk r C twiuiuuig uiv a \_nuiiv cocks is second-team All-SEC player Annie Lester, who was one of the bright spots for the USC of fense last season, collecting 14 points per game. Also, Shaunzin ski Gortman will be playing an in creased role at point guard. “Wfe’re going to be relying more on Shaun Gortman and her leader ship,” Walvius said. “I’ve seen her mature as a per son and a player over the summer, WALVIEBALL see page 38 D.O.B.: 12/17/80 Major: Business Favorite Music: U2 Hometown: Budapest, . Hungary SSI D.O.B.: 12/11/79 Major: Nursing Favorite Food: Fried Chicken Hometown: Dale City, Va. 1 D.O.B.: 01/04/81 1 Major: Engineering | Favorite Music: Motown Hometown: Maryville, Tenn. D.O.B.: 9/10/79 Major: Liberal Arts Favorite Food: Chicken Hometown: Norcross, Ga. D.O.B.: 2/15/78 Major: Sociology Favorite Team: L.A. Lakers Hometown: Aiken D.O.B.: 6/23/81 Major: Liberal Arts Favorite Actor: Brad Pitt Hometown: Budapest, Hungary D.O.B.: 8/13/81 Major: Sport Admin. Favorite Food: Pasta Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y. -1 D.O.B.: 3/25/80 Major: Business Favorite Athlete: Kobe Bryant Hometown: Greenville I-SSE-1 D.O.B.: 11/20/80 Major: Business Favorite Food: Mom’s Hometown: Belgrade, Yugoslavia D.O.B.: 9/29/79 Major: Sport Admin. Favorite Team: L.A. Lakers Hometown: Columbia II .Ill—Ml D.O.B.: 2/3/78 Major: Biology Favorite Athlete: Tiger Woods Hometown: Swansea D.O.B.: 10/21/77 Major: Sport Admin. Favorite Band: Outkast Hometown: Norcross, Ga.