Marquette University Athletics
Marquette Boasts More Preseason Recognition
10/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 22, 2008
MILWAUKEE - More preseason recognition continues to pour in the the Marquette women's basketball team as Sporting News tabbed MU No. 25 in its preseason poll. Sporting News is the third publication to recognize the Golden Eagles, as both Lindy's College Basketball and Charlie Creme of ESPN.com listed Marquette as No. 25 heading into the 2008-09 campaign.
Along with the team recognition, senior guard and two-time First Team All-BIG EAST selection Krystal Ellis was named a preseason second team All-American by the publication. Ellis averaged 19.4 points per game for the 2007-08 season, and 23.2 ppg during Marquette's march to the Women's National Invitation Tournament Championship which included a 40-point outburst in the Golden Eagles' 69-64 win at Kentucky. Ellis was named the WNIT MVP and was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American following the 2006-07 season.
The Golden Eagles are coming off a 21-14 overall record for the 2007-08 campaign that was capped by a season-high five game win streak and the WNIT Championship. Marquette, who returns 81.8 percent of its scoring from a season ago, welcomes back four starters, including Ellis and All-BIG EAST Freshman Team selection Angel Robinson and six letterwinners to the 2008-09 team. Four newcomers join the team in junior college transfers Breann Hill and Lauren Thomas-Johnson, and freshmen Georgie Jones and Jessica Pachko.
The Golden Eagles have had a successful first week of practice and will kick-off the 2008-09 season with Marquette Madness on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 6 p.m. at the Al McGuire Center. Marquette will then host a pair of exhibition games (Nov. 1 and Nov. 10) before officially opening the season Nov. 15 at the Al McGuire Center against Oral Roberts at 2 p.m.
What Joe Perez (Norwich Bulletin) of Sporting News had to say about the 2008-09 Golden Eagles.
"Marquette found itself looking in from the outside of the NCAA Tournament last year. That sour feeling served as motivation while the Golden Eagles marched to the WNIT title. With leading scorer Krystal Ellis back to lead the team, Marquette looks to keep its March hopes out of the hands of the selection committee.
Ellis is one of the BIG EAST's premier players. After a nine-point effort in the opening round of the WNIT, she rose to the occasion with an average of 26.8 points over the remaining four contests. Her backcourt mate Angel Robinson (11.4 ppg) is coming off a strong freshman showing."
