Challenging Schedules Await Men’s & Women’s Teams

The 2006-07 men’s basketball schedule will feature the season-opening Cox Communications Classic, a Bracket Buster game and six teams that competed in last season’s NCAA tournament.

The Cox Classic, Nov. 10-12, will mark the return of ODU Hall of Famer Oliver Purnell, the coach of Clemson.

Georgetown returns to the schedule for the first time since 1979, in an away contest (the Hoyas will play at ODU in 2007-08), and the Monarchs will host Richmond Nov. 25 in what will be the Spiders’ first game in Norfolk since 2001.

“There are certainly many high-lights on our schedule,” said coach Blaine Taylor.

ODU returns three starters: senior point guard Drew Williamson, who led the CAA in the best assist/ turnover ratio the past two seasons; 6-7 senior forward Arnaud Dahi, who has ranked in the CAA’s Top 10 in both field goal and free throw percentage; and 6-4 junior guard Brian Henderson, who led ODU in 3-point field goal percentage at .395. Also returning is 6-7 senior forward Valdas Vasylius.

The Monarchs’ four recruits include Metro 4A Player of the Year Marsharee Neely, a 6-2 guard from Greensboro, N.C.; 6-8, 215-pound forward Keyon Carter, a first-team All-County selection from Palm Beach County, Fla.; 6-9, 220-pound forward Gerald Lee from Korihait, Finland, a member of the Finnish under-20 national team; and 6-8, 240-pound post player Frank Hassell, an All-Region selection from Chesapeake.

On the women’s schedule, three Top 10 opponents, five NCAA tournament teams and five WNIT participants, along with the anticipation of coach Wendy Larry’s 500th career victory and 450th win at ODU, highlight the 2006-07 season.

“With all five CAA first-team players returning from James Madison, Hofstra, Delaware, Drexel and William and Mary, our CAA schedule will be as difficult as it has ever been,” said Larry, whose Lady Monarchs were ranked 18th in one preseason poll.

The home schedule is highlighted by the return of former Lady Monarch Angela Jackson ’90 and her Chicago State team, former CAA opponent East Carolina, Big East champion Rutgers and SEC champion Tennessee.

Kentucky, which made headlines last season with an upset over Tennessee and advanced to the second round of tournament action, will be ODU’s homecoming opponent Nov. 18.

The university will honor the 1997 Final Four team during the Feb. 25 contest with JMU.

Four starters return for the Lady Monarchs, including the CAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and second-team All-CAA honoree, junior guard T.J. Jordan, and second-team All-CAA member Sherida Triggs, a senior forward.

Coach Larry enters the season holding a 497-182 overall record, needing three wins to become the 23rd active and 29th overall Division I coach to reach the half-century mark in victories.