| | Associated Press
Tamika Catchings, who excelled from her first day at Tennessee,
was named to the Associated Press preseason All-America team for
the third time Wednesday -- just the second player to hold that
distinction.
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Preseason All-Americans
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Tamika Catchings, Tennessee, 6-1, senior, 15.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.7
apg, 2.5 steals (40)
Svetlana Abrosimova, Connecticut, 6-2, senior, 13.4 ppg, 6.2
rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.7 steals (29)
Kelly Miller, Georgia, 5-10, senior, 15.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.5 apg,
2.1 steals (29)
Shea Ralph, Connecticut, 6-0, senior, 14.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.9
apg, 2.6 steals, .624 fg pct (25)
Katie Douglas, Purdue, 6-1, senior, 20.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.7 apg,
2.4 steals, .828 ft pct (23)
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically): Sue Bird,
Connecticut; Marie Ferdinand, LSU; Linda Frohlich, UNLV; Schuye
LaRue, Virginia; ShaRae Mansfield, Western Kentucky; Plenette
Pierson, Texas Tech; Tasha Pointer, Rutgers; Semeka Randall,
Tennessee; Ruth Riley, Notre Dame; Georgia Schweitzer, Duke; Jackie
Stiles, Southwest Missouri State; LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State;
Angie Welle, Iowa State; Angelina Wolvert, Oregon.
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Catchings, the national player of the year last season, was the
top vote-getter on a team that also had Svetlana Abrosimova and
Shea Ralph of Connecticut, Kelly Miller of Georgia and Katie
Douglas of Purdue.
Tennessee's Chamique Holdsclaw was the first player chosen to
the preseason team three times, receiving that honor in 1996, 1997
and 1998.
On a team full of stars, Catchings stood out last season with
her determination, smarts and all-around play as Tennessee went
33-4 and reached the national championship game.
Twice a first-team All-America in the postseason, Catchings
received 40 of a possible 42 votes from a national media panel. She
also was the top vote-getter last year.
"The awards are great, but they aren't all that I'm after in my
career," Catchings said. "I want to win a national championship
this year."
Catchings helped the Lady Vols win the national title as a
freshman in 1998. They lost in the regional finals in 1999 and were
beaten by Connecticut 71-52 in last season's title game.
Miller, who teamed with her twin Coco to lead Georgia to the
West Regional final last season, was named on 29 ballots.
Abrosimova also received 29 votes, Ralph had 25 and Douglas 23.
Douglas was the only member of the team who was not a first-team
All-American at the end of last season. She edged Notre Dame's Ruth
Riley for the final spot on the preseason team. Riley was the fifth
member of the top All-America team last season.
Catchings led Tennessee in scoring (15.7), rebounding (7.9) and
steals (2.5) last season and was third in assists (2.7). She twice
scored 28 points in a game and grabbed 16 rebounds against Texas
Tech in the Mideast Regional final despite playing most of the game
with a sprained right ankle.
"I think Tamika's competitive drive and ability to run the
floor separate her from the rest of the pack," Tennessee coach Pat
Summitt said. "You can count on her not only to score points and
rebound, but to make big plays on the defensive end."
|  | | Tamika Catchings averaged 15.7 points and 7.9 rebounds last season. |
Miller, a 5-10 senior, has shown a knack for doing just what
Georgia needs at the moment, whether it's scoring, rebounding,
passing or defense.
She averaged 15.1 points last season, led the team in assists
and, as a point guard, was the Lady Bulldogs' second-leading
rebounder.
"Kelly is someone we depend on and look to for so many things -- offense, defense, direction, stability, rebounding, the list goes
on and on," Georgia coach Andy Landers said. "There really isn't
anything we don't anticipate that she's going to give us."
Abrosimova and Ralph are the fourth pair of teammates to make
the preseason team since it started in 1994, following Catchings
and Semeka Randall last season, Catchings and Holdsclaw in 1998 and
Connecticut's Jennifer Rizzotti and Kara Wolters in 1995.
Ralph led the team in scoring and steals, shot 62.4 percent and
was named the most outstanding player at the Final Four. Abrosimova
led the Huskies in rebounding, was the No. 2 scorer and was voted
the top player in the East Regional.
"They are both very talented and complement each other so well
on the floor," Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said. "Their
unique styles play off each other well and make us a better team.
They both work extremely hard at the game, but more importantly,
they work hard at winning."
Douglas became Purdue's go-to player last season following the
graduation of Stephanie White-McCarty and Ukari Figgs and handled
the role well, leading the Boilermakers in scoring (20.4), assists
(4.7) and steals (2.4).
She scored at least 30 points four times, had eight steals
against Notre Dame and played the entire game 13 times.
"It's truly a great honor to be thought of as one of the top
five players in the nation, but I still feel I have a lot to
prove," Douglas said. "Although this recognition is nice, a
greater accomplishment would be to lead Purdue to success. That's
the one I'm after."
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