Women's Basketball Holds First Official Practice
10/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 4, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The women's basketball team held its first official practice of the 2010-11 season on Monday with a two-hour session in Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide tips off its exhibition slate in 33 days when it hosts the University of Alabama in Huntsville on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m. CT. Alabama will play its regular-season opener on Friday, Nov. 12, against Tennessee State at 5 p.m. CT.
"Today was a great first day of practice," Alabama head coach Wendell Hudson said. "The intensity level was really high from start to finish, which is exactly what we want to see. The players were really focused and excited about learning what we were teaching them."
Alabama continued to make progressive strides during the 2009-10 season as it finished the regular season with its highest Southeastern Conference win total since 2005. In addition, several returning individuals made record-setting performances last season including seniors Tierney Jenkins and Varisia Raffington and junior Ericka Russell.
Jenkins led the SEC in double-doubles with 11, and became the 22nd member of Alabama's 1,000 Point Club on Feb. 25. She also broke the single-game rebounding record, which had been set over 30 years ago, by collecting 27 at Belmont on Nov. 21. With her 33 points against Cal State Bakersfield on Nov. 28, Raffington secured her place in the No. 7 spot on Alabama's single-game scoring leaders list. Russell also cemented her name in the annals tying the most points scored in a single game by a sophomore with 30 against Georgia on March 4.
The Tide returns an additional five letterwinners from a year ago and welcomes six newcomers. Alabama's signing class ranked ninth on the ESPN HoopGurlz 100 list, which is the highest ranking in the SEC. Among the Tide's newcomers is its first McDonald's High School All-American and No. 5 overall recruit Kaneisha Horn, the No. 65 overall signee and No. 17 guard Jasmine Robinson and No. 23 wing Khristin Lee.
"I can already tell that there is a big difference in the concentration level from the previous two seasons," Hudson added. "We have been anxious to get to work and are really excited about what is in store for the upcoming season."
Season tickets are currently on sale for $40 for the general public and $25 for University of Alabama faculty and staff. Single-game tickets will go on sale Nov. 1 at the cost of $5 for adults and $3 for youth 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here or by calling the Alabama Ticket Office at 1-877-TIDETIX (843-3849).
