June 7, 2007
Seattle, Washington -- The ten Division I women’s basketball teams competing in the 2007 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam basketball tournaments comprise the best field, from top to bottom, ever assembled in the eight-year history of the tournament. Duke, Connecticut, Purdue, Stanford, Old Dominion, Texas A&M, Indiana, Temple, Wake Forest and Wichita State will travel to St. Thomas to play at the University of the Virgin Islands Sport & Fitness Center from Nov. 22-26, 2007.

Seven of the ten tournament participants ended the 2006-07 season ranked in the final AP poll for 2006. Duke and UConn finished #1 and #2, respectively, followed closely by Stanford (#6), Purdue (#12), Texas A&M (#13), Old Dominion (#28) and Temple (#31). All seven teams earned NCAA tournament berths, with UConn and Purdue advancing to the Elite Eight. Indiana joined these seven teams in post season play with a berth in the WNIT.

The Paradise Jam consists of two separate tournaments. One is a four-team, three-game round robin event called the "St. John" tournament. The other is a six-team, three-game event called the "St. Thomas" tournament. Both are Multiple Team Event (MTE) tournaments. An MTE tournament counts as only two games against a team’s annual maximum of 29 games, despite playing three games at the tournament.

All six teams in the Paradise Jam “St. Thomas” tournament competed in the 2007 NCAA tournament. The St. Thomas event is split into two brackets of three teams each, the Reef division and the Island division. In the 2007 Reef division, Duke, Purdue and Temple will be pitted against one another. The Island division includes UConn, Stanford and Old Dominion. The tournament begins with three days of pool play within the two divisions on November 22-24, with each team playing two games. The order of finish within the divisions determines the placement for the final day of games on Sunday, November 25.

St. Thomas tournament competition opens on Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd at 7:00 PM, with Purdue playing Duke in the Reef division, followed by a 9:30 PM match-up between Stanford and UConn in the Island division. Games continue on November 23rd with a Reef division match-up between Duke and Temple at 7:00 PM and an Island division game between UConn and Old Dominion at 9:30 PM. Pool play concludes on November 24th when Temple and Purdue meet in the Reef division at 7:00 PM and Old Dominion and Stanford meet in the Island division at 9:30 PM. The order of finish within the two divisions determines the placement for the final day of games on Sunday, November 25. Play will tip off at 4:30 PM with a game between the 3rd place teams from each division. The 2nd place teams will square off at 7:00 PM and the championship game is set to begin at 9:30 PM. All game times are listed in Atlantic Standard Time, which is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Games will be played at the U.V.I. Sports and Fitness Center, the Caribbean’s premier basketball facility.

Duke returns to the U.S. Virgin Islands with brand new head coach, Joanne P. McCallie, at the helm. McCallie, who replaces legendary Duke coach Gail Goestenkors, was formerly the head coach at Michigan State. At MSU, she led the Spartans to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances, four straight 20-win seasons and an appearance in the NCAA Championship game in 2005. Duke will be looking to fill the shoes of former standout Lindsey Harding, who was drafted as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA and is now starting for the Minnesota Lynx. Alison Bales (11.9 ppg), who will also be sorely missed, was taken in the first round as the No. 9 pick by the Indiana Fever. The Duke program will rely on three returning starters, as well as a bevy of talented newcomers. Junior guard Abby Waner averaged 14.1 points per game last season and played on the USA U21 World Championship Team over the summer that won the gold medal and was coached by McCallie. Senior guard Wanisha Smith averaged 9.4 points per game, and junior forward Carrem Gay, averaged 8.8 points per game this past season, are also returning starters. Junior center Chante Black, a 6-5 versatile player and tenacious rebounder and shot-blocker, will make her return after missing last season due to an injury. Duke’s 2006-07 women’s basketball season came to an abrupt close with a heart-breaking 53-52 loss to Rutgers in the Sweet 16, bringing their final record to 32-2. The Blue Devils, ranked No. 1 in the final AP poll, finished off one of the most successful seasons in NCAA history, including compiling a perfect 29-0 record prior to the ACC Tournament. The 2007-08 Duke program looks capable of another hugely successful season, in addition to the defense of their 2002 Paradise Jam title. Coach Joanne P. McCallie also returns to the islands, where she coached MSU to a third place finish in the 2005 Paradise Jam tournament.

UConn returns their entire roster from the 2006-07 season, which saw the Huskies post a 32-4 record, win the Big East Conference regular season championship and receive a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. UConn earned a trip to the Elite Eight, where they succumbed to Louisiana State in the Regional Final. UConn returnees include seniors Charde Houston and Mel Thomas, who were both on the Pan American Games Team and won gold medals; sophomore Tina Charles, who was the 2007 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year; and junior Renee Montgomery, who was honored on the 2007 All-BIG EAST First Team. The Huskies will add consensus National High School Player of the Year, Maya Moore, who won a gold medal and was the leading scorer for the U19 National Team. UConn is coached by Geno Auriemma, who has coached the Huskies to five national championships, eight Final Fours and 28 BIG EAST titles since his arrival in 1985.

Stanford enters the Paradise Jam after claiming their sixth straight 25-win season. The Cardinal posted a 29-5 record, won the Pac-10 Conference Title with a 17-1 record, won the Pac-10 Conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament as a #2 seed, defeating Idaho State before falling to Florida State in the second round. The Cardinal lost a pair of starters and WNBA draftees to graduation, Brooke Smith and Kristen Newlin, but the Cardinal return a very deep roster of nine players, including three-time WBCA Kodak All-American and All Pac-10 Team selection, senior Candice Wiggins. Wiggins averaged 16.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. The Cardinal will also look to Pac-10 Freshman of the Year Jayne Appel, who also garnered Honorable Mention All- Pac-10 Honors, and averaged 13.2 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Cardinal. Other Stanford returnees include starter Jillian Harmon and All- Pac-10 Freshman Team selection, JJ Hones. The Cardinal will add freshman Kayla Pedersen, who was a finalist for the USA U19 World Championship Team. Stanford is led by Head Coach Tara VanDerveer, who enters her 28th year. VanDerveer’s tenure at Stanford boasts two national championships, 20 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and 16 Pac-10 titles.

Purdue comes to the island riding the momentum of a very successful 2006-07 season in which they posted a 31-6 record, and won the Big Ten Tournament Championship. Their efforts earned them a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament, where they advanced to the Elite Eight, losing to top-seeded North Carolina in the regional final. Purdue will have to replace WNBA rookie Katie Gearlds (19.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game) and teammate Erin Lawless (10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game). To do so, they had hoped to look to Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, Jodi Howell and FahKara Malone. Wisdom-Hylton, who averaged 14.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, was one of fourteen athletes selected as finalists for the 2007 USA U21 World Championship Team but during which injured her knee and will be redshirting this season and Howell should be back in 3 months due to recent shoulder surgery. Malone, a 5’3” guard, averaged 8.4 points and dished out 148 assists. The Boilermakers are led by second year coach Sharon Versyp, who was named the Russell Athletic/WBCA Region VI Coach of the Year in 2006-07.

Old Dominion is coming off a successful season in which the Big Blue compiled a 24-9 overall record, and a 17-1 mark in Colonial Athletic Association games. Wendy Larry, who is entering her 20th year at the helm, coaches the Monarchs. Larry and the Monarchs have won an NCAA record 16 straight CAA tournaments. Larry recorded her 500th win as a head coach on December 9, 2006 with a win over Chicago State. Old Dominion returns nine players from its 2006-07 roster, including leading scorer, T.J. Jordan, who averaged 14.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. The Monarchs will also look to junior forward Tiffany Green, who averaged 8.4 rebounds and 6.0 points for the Big Blue in 2006-07. This will be Old Dominion’s second trip to the Paradise Jam. The Monarchs finished third in the 2002 Paradise Jam.

Temple rounds out the St. Thomas tournament bracket. Three-time Olympic Gold Medal winner Dawn Staley, who is in her eighth year at the helm, coaches the Owls. Temple finished the season with a 25-8 record and are coming off their 4th straight NCAA tournament appearance. Temple edged Nebraska in the first round of the 2007 NCAA tournament, before suffering a season-ending loss to top-ranked Duke. The team returns nine players, including three starters. The Owls will try to fill the gap left by the graduation of AP All-American Honorable Mention selection and team MVP, Kamesha Hairston. Hairston led the Owls in both scoring (18.9 points per game) and rebounding (8.6 points per game). Coach Staley will look to senior center Lady Comfort, who averaged 12.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and Big 5 Rookie of the Year, Lakeisha Eaddy (6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds), to provide leadership in the early season.

The Paradise Jam “St. John” tournament is a three-game, four-team round robin competition that includes one NCAA tournament participant in Texas A&M and one Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) participant in Indiana. The 2007 tournament field is rounded out by Wake Forest and Wichita State. Competition begins on Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd at 2:00 PM with Wake Forest playing Indiana, followed by the 4:30 PM game where Wichita State will battle Texas A&M. Games continue on November 23rd with Indiana vs. Wichita State at 2:00 PM and Texas A&M vs. Wake Forest at 4:30 PM. The remaining match ups will conclude on November 24th at 2:00 PM (Wichita State vs. Wake Forest) and 4:30 PM (Indiana vs. Texas A&M). All game times are listed in Atlantic Standard Time, which is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Games will be played at the U.V.I. Sports and Fitness Center, the Caribbean’s premier basketball facility.

Texas A&M arrives in the US Virgin Islands with post-season momentum after their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Aggies, who finished with a 25-7 record, beat Texas-Arlington in the opening round before falling to George Washington in the second round. The Aggies return 11 players from their 2006-07 campaign, including all five starters and a trio of players who were among 45 elite women’s collegiate basketball players to be invited to the USA Basketball Women’s National Team trials: Takia Starks, Morenike Atunrase and A’Quonesia Franklin. Starks, an All-Big 12 First Team selection a year ago, led the team in scoring averaging 14.2 points per game. Franklin, a senior who stands only 5’3”, averaged 9.9 points per game and dished out a team-best 149 assists on the season. Texas A&M is coached by fifth-year head coach Gary Blair. Blair returns to the Paradise Jam for a second time after coaching then 10th-ranked Arkansas to a second place finish in the 2002 tournament.

Indiana finished the 2006-07 campaign with a 19-14 record an advanced to the third round of the WNIT. Second-year head coach Felisha Legette-Jack returns three starters in Nikki Smith, who led the Hoosiers in scoring with 12.0 points per game, and Whitney Thomas, who pulled down a team leading 8.5 rebounds per game, and Kim Roberson, who averaged 10.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Legette-Jack will also benefit in the return of sophomore guard Jamie Braun, who was named the Big Ten Conference Sixth Player of the Year. The 5-8 Braun made an immediate impact for the Hoosiers in her rookie season, averaging 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Indiana loses two starters, including All-Big Ten Third Team honoree Sarah McKay (11.8 points, 5.8 rebounds per game). Indiana returns for a second time to Paradise Jam. They finished fourth in the 2003 event.

Wake Forest arrives on the island with a roster that returns all 10 players from a squad that posted a 9-20 record a year ago. The returnees include junior guard Yolanda Lavender, who was named honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference. Lavender finished the regular season as the ACC’s third-leading scorer at 17 points per game. Lavender also finished among the league leaders in three-point field goals, three-point field goal percentage, minutes played and free throw percentage. Fourth year head coach Mike Petersen will also look to juniors Alex Tchangoue, who averaged 11.9 points and 7 rebounds per game, and Corinne Groves, the team’s leading rebounder, who averaged 10.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, as well All-Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman Mekia Valentine, to lead the Demon Deacons in their 2007-08 campaign.

Wichita State rounds out the St. Thomas Division. The Shockers return ten players, including three starters, from their 2006-07 campaign in which they posted a 9-20 record. Coach Jane Albright, who is entering her fifth year at the helm, will look to a trio of seniors to provide early season leadership. Forward Kiki Stephens, the team’s leading scorer in 2006-07, averaged 13.0 points and 5.4 rebounds a game. Stephens will be aided in the backcourt by guards Taylor Steven, who averaged 6.6 points and dished out 80 assists, and Kyrie Kinder, who averaged 7.0 points a game. Wichita State loses two starters, including Antoinette Wells, who averaged 13 points and 10.4 rebounds for the Shockers in their 2006-07 season. This will be Coach Albright’s second trip to the Paradise Jam. Albright coached Wisconsin to a 3rd Place finish in the 2001 Paradise Jam.

Since its inception eight years ago, the Paradise Jam has always been one of the most competitive early season collegiate basketball tournaments in the nation. Tournament champions have never failed to earn berths to the NCAA post-season tournament, with several teams making it as far as the Final Four. The most notable accomplishment was the Maryland Terrapins winning the 2006 NCAA National Championship, becoming the first Paradise Jam participant to claim the title of national champion in the same season. Ironically Maryland did not earn the Paradise Jam championship, narrowly losing to the Tennessee Lady Vols in the game’s final seconds.

In 2006 Paradise Jam action, Marquette defeated Xavier 73-53 to take home the Paradise Jam St. John tournament crown. In the consolation game, Auburn overcame a large 2nd half deficit to defeat Western Michigan 96-85 for third place. The St. Thomas tournament championship game between Rutgers and Arizona State was cancelled due to an Arizona State team family tragedy that occurred in St. Thomas just prior to the game. Ironically, the two teams squared off in a rematch at the Greensboro Regional Championship game to determine who would advance to the NCAA Final Four. In the St. Thomas consolation game, Western Kentucky finished ahead of Penn State with a 74-64 win to earn to place third.

Read the 2006 Team Overview.
Read the 2005 Team Overview.
Read the 2004 Team Overview.
Read the 2003 Team Overview.