OU Picked Second in Preseason Big 12 Coaches Poll

Oct. 19, 2000

Norman, Okla. - The University of Oklahoma women's basketball team was picked to finish second in the 2001 Big 12 Conference championship in a preseason poll voted on by the league's head coaches and released by the conference office. Oklahoma point guard Stacey Dales was one of five placed on the preseason All-Big 12 first team, while junior teammate LaNeishea Caufield received votes.

The Sooners are coming off of their most successful season with a school- record 25 victories (25-8), a share of the Big 12 Conference regular season title (13-3), a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 and a final national ranking of No. 13 in the USA Today/Coaches Poll.

The top picks were close as only nine points seperated the top three teams. Iowa State is this year's favorite as the Cyclones garnered five first-place votes and had a total of 113 points, followed by OU's 109 points and three first place votes. Texas Tech ranked third with 104 points and four top votes. All three schools tied for the 2000 regular season title with 13-3 records in conference action.

Texas and Kansas rounded out the top five with the Longhorns picked to finish fourth and the Jayhawks fifth. The remainder of the preseason poll included: 6. Colorado, 7. Nebraska, 8. Missouri, 9. Kansas State, 10. Baylor, 11. Oklahoma State, and 12. Texas A&M.

Joining Dales on the preseason All-Big 12 team were: ISU's Angie Welle and Megan Taylor, Texas Tech's Plenette Pierson, and Missouri's Amanda Lassiter. Dales was a member of the 2000 All-Big 12 second team while Taylor and Lassiter were on the third team. Pierson was the 2000 Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Welle was chosen the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year. The 6-4 junior center is the league's returning leading scorer and rebounder after averaging 15.4 ppg and 8.6 rpg last season.

Oklahoma opens the season with a pair of exhibition games against Oklahoma Christian (Nov. 6) and Australia Institute (Nov. 10), followed by its annual participation in the Bertha Teague Classic in Tulsa, Okla., featuring Oklahoma State, Tulsa, OU and host Oral Roberts on Nov. 17-18.

2000-01 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll

Team Points 1. Iowa State (5) 113 2. Oklahoma (3) 109 3. Texas Tech (4) 104 4. Texas 85 5. Kansas 74 6. Colorado 69 7. Nebraska 61 8. Missouri 52 9. Kansas State 47 10. Baylor 39 11. Oklahoma State 27 12. Texas A&M 12

() Denotes first place votes

2000-01 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Team Preseason All-Big 12 Team Angie Welle, Iowa State C 6-4 Jr Fargo, N.D. Stacey Dales, Oklahoma G 6-0 Jr Brockville, Ontario, Canada Plenette Pierson, Texas Tech F/C 6-2 So Kingwood, Texas Megan Taylor, Iowa State G 5-10 Sr Roseau, Minnesota Amanda Lassiter, Missouri F 6-1 Sr San Francisco, Calif.

(Others Receiving Votes: Jenny Roulier and Linda Lappe, Colorado, Jaclyn Johnson, Kansas, Casey Leonhardt, Nebraska, LaNeishea Caufield, Oklahoma, Tracy Cook, Texas, Jaynetta Saunders, Texas A&M, Katrisa O'Neal, Texas Tech)

Player of the Year: Angie Welle, Iowa State C 6-4 Jr Fargo, N.D.

Newcomer of the Year: Sheila Lambert, Baylor G 5-7 Jr Seattle, Wash./Grayson (Texas) CC

Freshman of the Year: Laurie Koehn, Kansas State G 5-8 Fr Hestor, Kansas/Moundridge HS