WOMEN'S HOOPS RELEASES 2005-06 SLATE
6-30-05
2005-06 VCU Women's Basketball Schedule

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Commonwealth University women’s basketball third-year head coach Beth Cunningham has announced the Rams’ 2005-06 schedule, which includes an action-packed blend of tough in-state competitors as well as a challenging Colonial Athletic Association slate.  A date with cross-town rival Richmond and first-ever meetings with new league opponent Northeastern and Toledo highlight this year’s line-up.

The Rams will go head-to-head with eight other formidable foes in the Commonwealth, including four from the CAA.  Coach Cunningham’s squad will take on Virginia Union, Richmond, James Madison, Norfolk State, Radford, Old Dominion, William & Mary, and George Mason.

VCU will open its preseason exhibition games with Richmond-city Division II foe Virginia Union for the fifth-consecutive year.  The two teams will meet Nov. 10 at the ALLTEL Pavilion at the Stuart C. Siegel Center as part of a doubleheader with the men’s squads.  The Rams are an undefeated 4-0 against the Panthers, outscoring VUU by an average of 14.5 points each time out.

After opening regular-season competition at Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 18, the Rams will return to the city to host Toledo, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m.  Another road match at Howard precedes VCU’s much-anticipated contest with Richmond.  The Rams nearly defeated the Spiders last season at home and will look to give the 2005 NCAA participant another tough battle this year, Nov. 30 at the ALLTEL Pavilion.  The women’s squads will square-off at 5:30 p.m., before the VCU men’s team goes up against Elon at 7:30 p.m.

VCU will open league play nearly a month sooner this season, as the Rams will make the journey to Harrisonburg Dec. 4, for a match-up at James Madison, yet they will not face another conference opponent until after the holiday season.  VCU will open the new year with a three-game league home stand, as the Rams will host CAA-rival Old Dominion, Jan. 6, George Mason, Jan. 8, and Georgia State, Jan. 13 at the ALLTEL Pavilion.

In addition to the earlier start, more changes are in store for VCU in the CAA, as teams will now meet on Fridays and Sundays, leaving little preparation time between games.  Also with Georgia State and Northeastern joining the conference this season, league members will not play each other twice.  VCU will play seven CAA contenders – UNC Wilmington, James Madison, Old Dominion, George Mason, William & Mary, Towson and Georgia State – both home and away, but will only face league champion Delaware, Drexel, Hofstra, and first-time opponent Northeastern once. Georgia State reached the Atlantic Sun Conference championship game last spring after posting a 16-14 ledger, including a 11-2 record at home.  Northeastern, meanwhile, went 14-15 last season as part of the America East Conference.