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10/12/2006 Preparations for the start of the 2006-07 Vanderbilt men’s and women’s basketball season begin Friday with the start of preseason practice at 7 p.m. The women’s team will practice on the main floor while the men’s session will be conducted on the practice floor. Both practices are closed to the public. Each of the teams advanced to postseason play last year with the men’s unit participating in the National Invitation Tournament and the women’s squad advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Women’s Head Coach Melanie Balcomb begins her fifth season in Nashville, coming off the school’s seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. She welcomes six newcomers to the 2006-07 squad, including five true freshmen and redshirt-freshman Amy Malo, who missed the 2005-06 campaign with a knee injury. Vanderbilt’s six new arrivals have the advantage of learning from a strong senior class of Dee Davis, Carla Thomas and Caroline Williams — who have advanced to the NCAA Tournament every season and won the Southeastern Conference Tournament in 2004. “We’ve had a lot of success, and I’m looking for this senior class to be leaders,” Balcomb said. “We’re excited about the upcoming season and looking forward to seeing how the new talent can mesh with our established players. Our expectations are high, and we have players who are fully prepared to meet them.” The women’s team begins the regular season at Big-12 foe Colorado on Nov. 12 at Noon. The Commodores will play host to a pair of exhibition match-ups against DT3 (Nov. 2, 7 p.m.) and EA Sports (Nov. 6, 7 p.m.). The men’s squad returns three starters and seven lettermen, including First Team All-SEC honoree junior Shan Foster and fellow wing player senior Derrick Byars. One of the top scoring wing duos in the conference last season, Foster and Byars both ranked among the league’s best 3-point shooters. Freshman newcomers include guard Jermaine Beal and forward JeJuan Brown. Other players seeing their first action will be redshirt-freshman George Drake at guard and junior transfer Ross Neltner at forward. “This team has done an outstanding job of working hard during the offseason,” eighth-year head coach Kevin Stallings said. “Shan has gotten better from a year ago and Dan Cage and Derrick Byars have had great summers. Our wing play obviously will be our strength, but players at the other positions have prepared well leading up to the first practice.” The men’s team opens the regular season by playing host to Big East power Georgetown on Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. The Commodores’ lone preseason exhibition game against Northern State (S.D.) takes place Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. Season tickets to Commodore basketball games start at $75 for the men and $25 for the women. Fans can purchase tickets online at vucommodores.com or by phone at 615-322-GOLD. |
