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Women's basketball: Florida, Florida State highlight FGCU's 2008-09 schedule
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Things have changed dramatically for the women's basketball program of Florida Gulf Coast University.
Seventh-year coach Karl Smesko has grown out his hair, going for a dramatically different look than the close-cropped style of his previous six seasons.
But the on-court changes are even more dramatic. Gone are senior starters Chelsea Dermyer (point guard), Delia De La Torre (forward), Ashley Haegele and Amanda Pierce (guard), who led the Eagles to a stunning WNIT appearance, 22-9 overall record and second-place regular season finish (12-2) in the Atlantic Sun in the Eagles' first Division I campaign last year. That's four of FGCU's top-five scorers from the team that almost beat the Gators at Florida before falling, 60-55, in the WNIT second-rounder that ended the Eagles' season.
However, the 2008-2009 schedule released Wednesday, is pretty similar. It's highlighted by the Nov. 14 home opener against Florida (which gunned the Eagles down, 78-52, during last year's regular season game in Gainesville) and the return trip to Florida State less than two days later. Last season, FGCU opened at home with a 93-53 loss against the Seminoles.
“I think it's exciting,” Smesko said. “There are so many Southwest Florida fans of the Gators and we're trying to get more and more Southwest Florida fans at FGCU. Hopefully, we'll have a great crowd for a big event. I know Florida's going to be very strong this year; they've got a lot of their team back. We're going to have a new team getting their feet wet, but to have the opportunity to have a game like that here is definitely exciting for our program. (The Gators) will definitely take us seriously. I know they'll be ready, and hopefully we'll be ready.”
Steffi Sorensen will return to Alico Arena for that 7 p.m. Friday game. As a freshman, Sorensen was a starter who helped lead FGCU to a second-place Division II finish in 2007. She is now a preferred walk-on at Florida. No hard feelings, Smesko said.
“That's always been a dream for her, to play there,” said Smesko of the Jacksonville native. “I'm glad that she has that opportunity.”
The Eagles, who will be led by All-A-Sun junior forward Adrianne McNally, then face a tall order at FSU less than 45 hours later (that game time has yet to be determined).
“We get one day in between Florida and Florida State,” Smesko said. “That was the only day (FSU) had for us to play, so there's not going to be a lot of prep time, a lot of bounce back from the Florida game. Hopefully, we're be in better condition (than last season) and we'll be ready to compete better than we were a year ago because Florida State's going to be really good.”
Other highlights for FGCU's women, who will begin individual drills in earnest next week: home matchups against UC-Santa Clara (Nov. 26), UCF (Dec. 7) and Cornell (Dec. 3) and the A-Sun opener at Lipscomb on Jan. 3.
But around FGCU, the talk is of Florida and Florida State.
“Our players get excited for all games, but when it's a big-name school, it always gets the juices flowing,” Smesko said. “And when you're opening with a team that ended your season last year, that's another thing to get excited about.”
2008-09 FGCU Women’s Basketball Schedule
Day Opponent Location Time
November
14 Florida, Alico Arena, 7 p.m.
16 Florida State, Tallahassee, TBA
26 UC-Santa Clara, Alico Arena, 3 p.m.
28 North Carolina Greensboro%, Greensboro, N.C., 3 p.m.
29 Winston Salem State%, Greensboro, N.C., 1 p.m.
December
4 Stetson*, DeLand, TBA
7 Central Florida, Alico Arena, 2 p.m.
13 Campbell*, Alico Arena, 1 p.m.
19 Bethune Cookman, Daytona, 5 p.m.
30 Cornell, Alico Arena, 5 p.m.
January
3 Lipscomb*, Nashville, Tenn., 7 p.m.
5 Belmont*, Nashville, Tenn., 5 p.m.
8 ETSU*, Alico Arena, 5 p.m.
10 USC Upstate*, Alico Arena, 4:15 p.m.
15 Mercer*, Macon, Ga., TBA
17 Kennesaw State*, Kennesaw, Ga., 2 p.m.
22 Jacksonville*, Alico Arena, 7 p.m.
24 North Florida*, Alico Arena, 7 p.m.
26 Stetson*, Alico Arena, 7 p.m.
29 Lipscomb*, Alico Arena, 7 p.m.
31 Belmont*, Alico Arena, 1 p.m.
February
5 USC Upstate*, Spartansburg, S.C., 7 p.m.
7 ETSU*, Johnson City, Tenn., 1:30 p.m.
12 Kennesaw State*, Alico Arena, 7 p.m.
14 Mercer*, Alico Arena, 1 p.m.
19 North Florida*, Jacksonville, 5:30 p.m.
21 Jacksonville*, Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
26 Campbell*, Buies Creek, N.C., TBA
28 Johnson & Wales, Alico Arena, 7 p.m.
% UNCG Marriott Classic (University of North Carolina-Greensboro)
* Atlantic Sun Conference Game
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