Huskers Picked Third by Coaches in Big 12 Race

Lincoln -- The Nebraska women's basketball team, which returns four starters and welcomes a talented group of newcomers, was picked to finish third in the Big 12 Conference, while senior point guard Nicole Kubik earned first-team All-Big 12 honors when the league released the results of its preseason coaches poll on Tuesday, Oct. 19.

The Huskers, a 1999 NCAA Tournament team, compiled a 21-12 overall mark last season and tied for fifth in the Big 12 with an 8-8 record. Kubik, who is the top returning scorer in the Big 12 after averaging 19.8 points per game in 1998-99, heads the list of talented Nebraska seniors that includes Brooke Schwartz, Charlie Rogers, Naciska Gilmore and Monique Whitfield. Nebraska's junior class includes Amanda Went and 6-5 center Casey Leonhardt, who will be playing her first season for the Huskers after transferring from the University of Illinois. Other Husker newcomers include 1999 consensus high school All-American Stephanie Jones from Omaha Benson, Kansas Player-of-the-Year Shahidrah Roberts, Nevada all-stater Paige Sutton and Nebraska all-staters Isha Kelley and Amanda Buchholz.

The Iowa State Cyclones were picked to win their first Big 12 Conference women's basketball title and ISU senior Stacy Frese was tabbed as player of the year. The Cyclones received 10 of 11 first-place votes as head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or players. The team finished second in the Big 12 last season with a 12-4 conference mark and 25-8 overall record. ISU advanced to the finals of the Big 12 Conference Tournament, marking its first appearance in a conference tournament championship game and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament "Elite Eight."Iowa State returns its entire starting lineup, including senior Stacy Frese who was picked by the coaches as Big 12 Conference Preseason Player of the Year. The 5-8 guard averaged 17.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg and 4.3 apg in 1998-99, and was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, the All-Big 12 Tournament Team and the NCAA Mideast Regional All-Tournament Team.

Kansas was picked to place second in the Big 12 after finishing 23-10 overall last season and third in the Big 12 with an 11-5 record. The Jayhawks return four starters from last year's NCAA Tournament squad including senior guard/forward Lynn Pride, a preseason all-conference and 1999 first team all-conference selection. In addition the Jayhawks welcome back Suzi Raymant, a starter who was forced to redshirt last season after a knee injury.

Texas was picked to finish fourth, while defending conference champion Texas Tech was picked to finish fifth by the coaches. Senior forward Edwina Brown headlines Texas' four returning starters. Brown is a preseason all-conference pick and was named to the All-Big 12 First Team last season. In addition she and Pride played on the United States Pan American Games Team over the summer. The Longhorns finished fourth in the Big 12 in 1999 with a 10-6 mark and 16-12 overall record, including an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Texas Tech, winner of the 1998 and 1999 Big 12 regular season and tournament titles, lost three starters off last year's team, including Big 12 Player of the Year Angie Braziel. The Lady Raiders won the 1999 crown with a 14-2 conference record and finished 30-4 overall after advancing to the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals.

Oklahoma is picked to finish sixth in the conference race, followed by Kansas State in seventh, Colorado eighth, Missouri ninth, Oklahoma State 10th, Baylor 11th, and Texas A&M 12th. OU returns all five starters, including preseason and 1999 All-Big 12 first team performer Phylesha Whaley, a senior forward.

Three players tied for preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors: Iowa State's Gintare Cipinyte (Seward County (Kan.) Community College), Oklahoma State's Tari Cummings (Westark (Ark.) College) and Texas A&M's Jaynetta Saunders (Belleville (Ill.) Area College). Cipinyte and Saunders were both NJCAA First Team All-Americans last season while Cummings was fourth in the nation in scoring average.Colorado's Sabrina Scott was named preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year. The Lake Oswego, N.Y., native was a WBCA and Parade All-American at Lakeridge High School.

1999-2000 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll

1. Iowa State (10)	121
2. Kansas	102
3. Nebraska	92
4. Texas (1)	90
5. Texas Tech	83
6. Oklahoma	74
7. Kansas State	59
8. Colorado	54
9. Missouri	49
10. Oklahoma State	31
11. Baylor	19
12. Texas A&M	18

1999-2000 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Team
Preseason First-Team All-Big 12 Team

Stacy Frese, Iowa State	G	5-8	Sr.	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Lynn Pride, Kansas	G/F	6-2	Sr.	Arlington, Texas
Edwina Brown, Texas	F	5-10	Sr.	Lockhart, Texas
Nicole Kubik, Nebraska	G	5-10	Sr	Cambridge, Neb.
Phylesha Whaley, Oklahoma	F	5-10	Sr	Slaton, Texas

(Others Receiving Votes: Megan Taylor, Iowa State; Julie Helm, Missouri; Nicky Ramage, Kansas State; Prissy Sharpe, Texas A&M)

Player of the Year
Stacy Frese, Iowa State G 5-8 Sr. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
(Others Receiving Votes: Lynn Pride, Kansas; Edwina Brown, Texas)

Newcomer of the Year (three-way tie)
Gintare Cipinyte, Iowa State C 6-5 Jr. Kaunas, Lithuania/Seward County (Kan.) CC Tari Cummings, Oklahoma State F 5-10 Jr. Pocola, Okla./Westark (Ark.) CC Jaynetta Saunders, Texas A&M F 5-11 Jr. Louisville, Ky./Belleville (Ill.) Area College (Others Receiving Votes: Amanda Lassiter, Missouri; Casey Leonhardt, Nebraska)

Freshman of the Year
Sabrina Scott, Colorado F 6-2 Fr. Lake Oswego, NY/Lakeridge HS (Others Receiving Votes: Plenette Pierson, Texas Tech; Holly Bordewyk, Iowa State; Stephanie Jones, Nebraska)