July 17, 2000

Charlottesville, Va. - Three starters and the team's top three scorers return from last year's Virginia squad that claimed the ACC regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Sophomore forward Schuye LaRue, the 2000 ACC Rookie of the Year, leads the Cavaliers into the 2001 season along with senior forward Svetlana Volnaya and junior guard Telisha Quarles. This trio accounted for over half of Virginia's scoring with 40.6 points per game and teamed up for 15.0 rebounds per game.

Rookie sensation LaRue made an immediate impact and led the team in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg), the first freshman since the 1982 season to lead the team in both categories. She was also Virginia's first freshman to be named a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American. A very smooth player, LaRue has great moves in the low post which create scoring opportunities or she can pop out and shoot the three. She is an All-America and ACC Player of the Year Candidate as a sophomore.

Volnaya, who also was named a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American last season, blossomed in December of last year. She returns for 2001 as the team's second leading scorer. Last year, she ranked seventh in the ACC in scoring, second in three-point field goal percentage and fifth in free throw shooting. Volnaya led the Cavaliers during its season defining 10-game winning streak last season by scoring 18.0 ppg during that stretch. On the defensive side, her assignment was to guard the opponents' top scorer.

Quarles is perhaps the team's best shooter. She has a smooth stroke from long range and, last season, set the school single season record for three-point field goals made in a season (63). She benefitted greatly from Renee Robinson's consistency and lack of foul trouble at the point guard spot which allowed her to play the shooting guard for the entire season. Quarles responded by averaging 12.4 points per game and had three career nights, all coming against ranked opponents--she hit her career-high of 18 points vs. #22 Duke, then she bumped up her career-high to 19 points vs. #21 Old Dominion and then pumped in 21 points vs. #6 N.C. State. Against ranked opponents, she averaged 15.8 points per game. Quarles is a solid All-ACC Candidate as she heads into her third season for the Cavaliers.

Mitchelson Looks For Starting Role
Senior Dean'na Mitchelson gained a starting role in the season opener last year, ahead of freshman Schuye LaRue, and promptly dislocated her shoulder minutes into the game. She sat out the next four weeks and never regained her starting role. But she did get to see an increase in playing time from the previous year as a back-up to LaRue.

This season, the 6-2 senior can replace Lisa Hosac in the starting line-up and play with LaRue. Mitchelson's ability to muscle her way to the boards will help replace Hosac's 5.7 boards per game last season.

Freshman Class Hopes To Make Immediate Impact
Head Coach Debbie Ryan brings a six-member freshman class to the court this season, one of the largest incoming classes during her 23-year career. The class, which consists of four guards and two forwards, is rated as the nation's 12th best by the All Star Girls Report.

One of the guards will most like take over at point guard this season and heading up the list is 5-9 guard Chelsea Whitaker from Dallas, Texas. Whitaker was averaging 18 points per game before suffering a knee injury and missing the second half of the season. For her career, she averaged 14 points and nine assists per game and looks to be the top candidate to replace point guard Renee Robinson for the Cavaliers. Whitaker is rated number 76 in the Blue Star Top 100 Senior Report.

Kristin Ambrose, a 5-11 guard, averaged 14.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game for her prep career at The Blake School in Minnetonka, Minn. She is ranked number 64 in the Blue Star Top 100 Senior Report. She was a three-time USA Today Honorable Mention All-America and a two-time Street and Smith Honorable Mention All-America. She led The Blake School to four state championship appearances, winning the title twice.

Safiya Grant, a 5-6 guard from the Bronx, N.Y., averaged 28 points and six assists as a senior for Central Park East High School. She was a three-time MVP of her team and averaged 26 points per game for her prep career.

Two post players join the team: 6-2 Brandi Teamer and 6-3 Joanna Kemp. Teamer, who attended the Berkshire School in Miami, Fla., is originally from Joliet, Ill. She is listed as the nation's No. 48 recruit in the Class of 2000 by the All Star Girls Report. Kemp, from Krum, Tex. is listed at No. 139 among prep seniors by ASGR.

Cavaliers Open Season In NIT
Virginia is one of 16 teams selected by the Women's Collegiate Sports Association to participate in the 2000 Preseason National Invitation Tournament, starting Nov. 10 and ending Nov. 20.

The Cavaliers face Mt. St. Mary's at home on Nov. 10. If Virginia advances, it will meet the winner of the George Washington-Delaware game. Other games on Virginia's side of the bracket include Louisiana Tech vs. Tennessee-Chattanooga and Rice vs. South Carolina.

Other first round match-ups include Purdue vs. Eastern Michigan, Georgetown vs. James Madison, Tulane vs. Grambling State and Texas vs. Wichita State.

This is Virginia's first appearance in the preseason NIT and the earliest start ever (Nov. 10) in its history.

The complete Cavalier schedule will be released when the ACC office completes its TV scheduling in mid- to late August.

Ryan Embarks on 24th Season
Head Coach Debbie Ryan will enter her 24th season as the head coach of the Virginia program. She enters the season with a 526-183 career record. During her illustrious career, she has averaged 22.9 wins per season.

Last year, she won ACC Coach of the Year honors for the seventh time and was also named the IKON/WBCA District III Coach of the Year for guiding the Cavaliers to a remarkable 25-9 record and a first place finish in the ACC regular season.

Team Strengths

Quickness and athleticisim. A usual Virginia staple, Virginia has a great variety of athleticism on the roster. Schuye LaRue has great quickness and power at the low post. Svetlana Volnaya is the best conditioned athlete on the team. Her superior endurance makes her a great defender and scorer in late game situations. Senior Dean'na Mitchelson is a powerful forward who can muscle her way to the board and score on a putback. Senior forward Chalois Lias plays much bigger than her 6-1 frame because of her great leaping ability. Telisha Quarles can slash her way through the lane with her great quickness.

Long-range shooting. The Cavalier roster has two of the league's top three-point shooters in Quarles and Volnaya. Almost everyone got into the act from the perimeter last year as 6-10 Elena Kravchenko hit a trey and 6-2 forward Marcie Dickson also hit from beyond the arc. LaRue also can hit from long-range.

Return top three scorers and leadership. The Cavaliers return its leading scorer, Schuye LaRue, as well as it second and third leading scorers, Svetlana Volnaya and Telisha Quarles. LaRue and Volnaya are All-America and ACC honors candidates while Quarles should be considered for ACC honors. LaRue and Quarles are true leaders and provide a deadly inside-outside combination.

Team Question Marks

Point guard. The Cavaliers graduated All-ACC second teamer Renee Robinson at point guard and will search from its freshman ranks for her replacement. Quarles can play the point, but she had a fantastic year in 2000 as the shooting guard. Freshman Chelsea Whitaker from Skyline High School in Dallas could be Robinson's replacement as could Anna Prillaman from Midlothian High School in Richmond, Va. Whitaker only played half a season last year due to a knee injury. The last freshman to start at point guard for Virginia was Tora Suber in 1994 and she won ACC Rookie of the Year honors. Don't look for Ryan to name a point guard prior to the season opener on Nov. 10.

Coaching Staff. Virginia lost long-time assistant Shawn Campbell to Temple over the summer. He was known for his development of such players are Dawn Staley, Tonya Cardoza, Tammi Reiss and Wendy Palmer as well as for X's and O's and ability to scout the opponent. Ryan made a great hire in Furman's Tim Taylor who is also known as a good recruiter and motivator. Taylor, along with fellow assistants Nikki Caldwell and Audra Smith will combine talents to fill the void left by Campbell.