If you missed Mowins' chat, check out the edited transcript below.

Beth Mowins: Hard to believe it's time to start a new season already again. Obviously the big story this year is what's going to happen in the post-Chamique Holdsclaw era and it looks like the game is in good hands.

The regulars like Tennessee and Connecticut will be the teams to beat, but there is a lot of parity from three to fifteen, which should make for an exciting tournament.

Let's get started.

Eli B.: Beth, who do you think is going to win between the games of Louisiana Tech - Tennessee and N.C. State - Rutgers? Which game will be the biggest matchup?

Beth Mowins: Probably Tennessee-La. Tech is the bigger matchup, simply because of the rich tradition that these two have had and the importance of their games in the history of the sport. No. 2 vs. No. 6 leads me to believe that coaches around the country think this is a big early-season battle as well.

Gotta go with Tennessee and Rutgers as the favorites due to their experience. Tech and State have newcomers playing key roles. How quickly they adjust will determine their success, not only Sunday, but throughout the season.

STORK: Hi Beth - I enjoy your work on women's hoops. The game benefits from smart voices like yours, so please keep up the excellent work. While exhibitions are usually just that, should the rest of Division I be concerned that post-Holdsclaw Tennessee beat the National Team last week? I know, tough travel and all for the U.S., but is it possible that Pat Summitt has an even scarier monster in Knoxville this season...? Also, what do you think of Oregon's chances in the Pac-10?

Beth Mowins: It's always big to upset the best team in the world, but at this stage, I wouldn't read too much into it other than to say that Summitt's monster is scary indeed. As for Oregon, co-champs last year with the nucleus back this year, look for them to battle it out with UCLA again and probably deep into the tournament.

Bob: What do you think of Illinois chance to win the Big Ten?

MOWINS' FILE

Mowins, a native of Syracuse, N.Y., joined ESPN in 1994 as a play-by-play announcer for various events including NCAA women's basketball, NCAA softball, and the Houston Kennel Club dog show. In addition, she has covered NFA Professional softball games for ESPN2. She has also served as a play-by-play announcer for CPTV's coverage of women's basketball, Prime Network's coverage of the 1994 Kodak Girl's High School All-America Classic, Big East women's basketball Game of the Week (1994), and NCAA women's Division I softball Final Four and soccer semifinals (1994).

JOHN GROSSMAN: HI. I AM FROM WESTERN PA AND HAVE BEEN WATCHING SHEANA MOSCH FROM DUBOIS C.C. HIGH SCHOOL..SHE IS IN HER FRESHMAN YEAR AT DUKE AND WAS SELECTED PRESEASON A.C.C. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR...KEEP AN EYE ON HER...SHE IS SPECIAL...HAVE YOU SEEN HER PLAY YET? IF YOU HAVE, WHAT IS YOUR FEELING ON IMMEDIATE IMPACT FOR DUKE.

Beth Mowins: I have not seen her yet but have heard good things about her. And there is certainly an opportunity at Duke for her to make an immediate impact. Coach G will get the most out of her and with the other freshmen as well as next year's killer recruiting class, she could be a dominate force for the next four years.

ShotDoctor: Beth: You are doing a great job as the sideline reporter for the Mountain West Conference football package. Any chance you will move up into the booth soon?

Beth Mowins: Thanks for those encouraging words. The Mountain West has been a lot of fun, including a game in the blizzard in Fort Collins a few weeks ago. It's fun to do something a little different on the sideline and I really am a huge college football fan -- I'm from Syracuse so I'm partial to the Orange -- but my Irish heritage also tugs my heartstrings to South Bend. So as you might guess it's been a tough year for me. But I would love to someday make it into the booth and I hope to have that opportunity like Suzyn Waldman with the Yankees.

L Black: Hi Beth. I was wondering, what do you think of the Wisconsin Badgers chances in the Big Ten this year? Also, are they NCAA Tourney bound?

Beth Mowins: Barring any catastrophes, Badger ball should have a terrific season. Coach Jane gets her troops ready as well as anyone in the country and watch for a sensational front line of Sims, Stomski and Smith.

Rowan: I've seen your top 10 rankings. Where do you see defending national champion Purdue and runner-up Duke fitting in? And are people making a mistake by overlooking these two programs?

Beth Mowins: I don't think too many people will be overlooking them when it comes time to play them. But in the preseason, both teams have so many unknowns and both teams have so much personnel to replace that it's hard to predict them to be among the top 10. That doesn't mean that a Purdue team with Katie Douglas and Camille Cooper, or a Duke team with Peppi Browne and Georgia Schweitzer won't be competing for conference championships in March. Being a former point guard, I know how difficult it is to replace that position on the collegiate level. So if the two new point guards for Purdue and Duke are steady, they should be fine.

BonnieBaller: How do you think Virginia Tech will fare this season under third year coach Bonnie Henrickson? Do the Hokies have a chance against Georgia in the second round of the Preseason NIT?

Beth Mowins: Virginia Tech should follow up last year's terrific season with another good one in 2000. Tere Williams is a name we'll hear a lot more from this season, and their lineup is solid throughout. They definitely have a shot against Georgia. The big question is, 'Can they handle the guard pressure of the Millers?' Look for the Hokies, Oregon, Boston College and Florida State to make some noise if they're key players stay healthy.

got game: Beth, who are your top college prospects for the WNBA draft?

Beth Mowins: Expansion next year should help some more collegians make WNBA rosters. Last year was slim pickings because of all the competition for only a few roster spots. From Sunday's games, the Techsters' Tamicha Jackson and Betty Lennox have the offensive weaponry. Summer Erb's size from NC State will be hard to overlook. Beyond that, Maylana Martin from UCLA and Edwina Brown from Texas. Conswella Sparrow at Auburn has goo d size and skills, while Penn State's Andrea Garner has good versatility.

RUKnight: What do you think the odds of Rutgers going all the way this year are? Given the fact that everyone stays healthy. How about next year also. We're only going to lose 1 starting senior after this season.

Beth Mowins: Rutgers has a very good shot to win it all just down the Jersey Turnpike in Philly. They have solid guard play. They are good in transition and they play very good pressure defense. All key ingredients to win the title. They will have to get the job done on the glass in order to go all the way. A critical ingredient will be Tasha Pointer's decision-making skills because one area of concern for Vivian Stringer has been and will be the Knights' shot selection.

sam: how far has the big east come in the past 3 years?

Beth Mowins: The Big East has made tremendous strides with Rutgers leading the way. For many years, it was a one- or two-team conference with Miami or Connecticut the dominant team. Beth Morgan and Katryna Gaither's Notre Dame Final Four team really opened the door for blue-chip recruits to look closer at Big East schools. The result has been good programs at Notre Dame and Rutgers, not just a one-hit wonder. Boston College stepped up into the mix last year and should be solid this year. With those three putting pressure on Connecticut, Big East teams will be well-tested come Tournament time.

Mike: What do you think of the Lady Lions of Penn State this year? Have you heard anything about their sophomore Katrena Carr?

Beth Mowins: She'll have an opportunity to play because depth will be critical because they only have 10 or 11 bodies. Their chances are very good, however, because Helen Darling has made big improvements in her game in the past two years. One interesting note for the Lady Lions is that they may play three post players all at the same time and move Garner out to the wing.

sam: beth, what is the best rivalry in women's college basketball?

Beth Mowins: This one is sure to spark debate because most folks think their local teams' rivalry is probably the best.

It's hard though to top Tennessee and Louisiana Tech because on several occasions that rivalry has also determined the national championship, including their game two years ago in Kansas City. Just to ponder the players that have been a part of their battles for the last two decades is staggering.

Holdsclaw, Weatherspoon, Gordon, Venus Lacy, the list goes on and on. But it's also special because of the coaches involved and what they're commitment to the women's game has meant. Summitt and Barmore are arguably the two best coaches ever, so it's always special when they match wits on the court. It doesn't hurt when there are usually 15,000 to 20,000 people watching live, either.

sam: beth, what do you think of mimi and rebecca lobo's "friendly" rivalry?

Beth Mowins: Mimi and Rebecca are always enjoyable to watch because of their spontaneity and because you never know what they're going to say. It's great to see them bridge the generation gap between the 20-something Lobo and the late-20-something Griffin. My favorite was when Mimi demonstrated DeLisha Milton's eight-foot wing span several years ago, and bopped Rebecca on the side of the head.

It's just been a joy to work with the both of them and I can't imagine two better voices for the NCAA Tournament then those two.

GWbutter: Who do you see as some mid range teams (i.e. ranked 20-30) that might come up and surprise some people. Gotta love Stanford and George Washington...two perennial 20 win teams that have a lot of up side.

Beth Mowins:I really look for several teams to make a splash this year, including the aforementioned Florida State, Kentucky and Ohio State. The Seminoles are well-stocked with talent. Brooke Wyckoff has been with USA Basketball the last couple summers, Latavia Coleman is back from a knee injury and guard April Traylor was a solid rookie. Ohio State coach Beth Burns has started to re-stock this once-mighty program with good young talent, and they should pull off some surprises, despite a demanding Big Ten schedule. Kentucky coach Mattox has Laura Meadows leading a stellar core that started to ascend the ACC standings last year and should follow that up this season.

Also, look for Florida to make a move after Christmas when Brandi McCain returns to a lineup that includes transition wizards Tiffany Travis and Tonya Washington.

Rowan: Who is the most exciting player to watch in the women's game today at the college level? In the WNBA?

Beth Mowins: My favorite player to watch for the past several years has been Dominique Canty, who I first saw early in her freshman year in Alabama, and thought she had an athleticism that broke new ground for the women's game. She made a smooth transition into the WNBA, and I look for her to produce great things in the coming years.

Collegiately, my starting five all-excitement team would be Shaquala Williams from Oregon, Semeka Randall of Tennessee, Brandi McCain of Florida, Tynesha Lewis of NC State and freshman Kelly Morrone at South Carolina.

Kelly broke all my records at CNS High in Syracuse and is now playing at South Carolina. So she's always fun to watch.

That's all for now. Thanks for all the questions. It's great to see such a healthy interest in the women's game. And it's great to see the ratings on ESPN's telecasts continuing to rise. Stay tuned in to ESPN and to ESPN.com all year long for your exclusive home of the NCAA Tournament in the spring.