Mary Washington College's women's basketball team will look to return to prominence in 1997-98, as 21styear Head Coach Connie Gallahan welcomes back the entire starting lineup from last winter's 8-15 team that played one of the toughest schedules in the nation. Gallahan welcomes a veteran squad back to Goolrick Gymnasium this winter, with two seniors, two juniors, and a sophomore looking to return to the starting lineup.

 

Heading the list of returnees is senior forward Lindsay Stover (Springfield, VA),who led the team in scoring (15.7 PPG) and was among the Capital Athletic Conference leaders in rebounding (9.0 RPG) and field goal percentage (54.6%) a year ago. Stover was also among the top free-throw shooters in the CAC in 1996-97, hitting 78.7%of her chances from the charity stripe. Joining Stover in the backcourt will be fellow senior Ashley Seekford (Portsmouth, VA),who averaged 7.1 PPG and 6.4 rebounds per contest a year ago. Other frontcourt returnees include senior Marcy Michaels (3.1 PPG and six blocks in ten games before breaking her hand), juniors Erica Salmin and Mina Karousos (team-high ten blocks), and sophomore Jessica Sullins.

 

MWC's long-range bombing backcourt remains intact for 97-98, with sophomore Erika Grace (Hollidaysburg, PA) and juniors Andrea Sellers (Burke, VA) and Missy Barnes (East Syracuse, NY) leading the charge. Grace was among the nation's leaders in three-point shooting accuracy as a freshman, hitting on 46 of 96 long distance shots (47.9%) and averaged nine points per game. Sellers netted 14.4 points per game last year as a sophomore after netting 15 per game as a freshman, and led the team in steals (41) and assists (79). Barnes also netted nine points per game, and shot nearly 40% from behind the three-point arc, helping the Eagles lead the CAC in that category. Several other experienced guards will fight for playing time, including junior Summer Speidell and sophomores Nicki Ramer, Meredith Wilson, and Nicole Bendersky.