Maryland Women's Basketball Picked To Finish Third in the ACC
10/26/2005 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 26, 2005
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Maryland women's basketball team was picked to finish third in an ACC Preseason Poll, which was voted on by the media and head coaches. Returning stars Shay Doron and Crystal Langhorne were also named to the preseason All-ACC squad.
Maryland was selected third behind Duke and ACC Champion North Carolina. NC State was picked fourth, followed by conference newcomer Boston College, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Virginia and Wake Forest. Georgia Tech was voted to finish 10th, with Miami and Clemson rounding out the 12-team poll.
The Terps, who have been ranked as high as No. 7 in numerous preseason polls, return four starters and welcome the No. 4 recruiting class in the nation. Maryland's 12-player roster boasts six high school All-Americans, including Doron (Great Neck, N.Y./Christ the King) and Langhorne (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro).
Doron and Langhorne were All-ACC honorees last season, with Doron becoming the first Terrapin since 1994 to be named to the first team. Langhorne, who was voted the conference's Preseason Rookie of the Year, ended the season garnering ACC Rookie of the Year honors by a landslide, while also being named second team all-conference. Doron led the team in scoring with 17.6 points per game, while Langhorne was the only player in the ACC to average a double-double, averaging 17.2 ppg and a league-leading 10.6 rebounds per game.
Among the nine returnees are sophomore Laura Harper (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) and junior Kalika France (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara), both of which were also high school All-Americans. Harper returns after playing only nine games last year before being sidelined due to an Achilles injury. France, a two-year starter, was the team's third-leading scorer with 11.0 ppg.
This year's freshmen feature Marissa Coleman (Cheltenham, Md./St. John's College [D.C.]) and Kristi Toliver (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) who are expected to see significant playing time this season. Both were named McDonald's and Parade All-Americans last season, while also being name their respective home state's Gatorade Player of the Year.
The Terps open the season with an exhibition game against EA Sports on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. Maryland opens the regular season on the road at Siena on Nov. 18, then come home to face Xavier on Sunday, Nov. 20.
2005-06 ACC Preseason Poll 1. Duke (30) - 470 2. North Carolina (10) - 446 3. MARYLAND - 394 4. NC State - 352 5. Boston College - 302 6. Florida State - 256 7. Virginia Tech - 214 8. Virginia - 188 9. Wake Forest - 166 10. Georgia Tech - 152 11. Miami - 126 12. Clemson - 54-TERPS-2005-06 Preseason All-ACC Team Monique Currie, Duke Shay Doron, Maryland Tamara James, Miami Crystal Langhorne, Maryland Erlana Larkins, North Carolina Ivory Latta, North Carolina
Preseason Rookie of the Year Abby Waner, Duke
Preseason Player of the Year Monique Currie, Duke
