Thursday, October 26, 2006

Ten Days of A-Sun Basketball moves attention to the UNF Ospreys. After a year of learning what it takes to compete at the NCAA Division I level in the Atlantic Sun Conference, University of North Florida women's basketball coach Mary Tappmeyer felt the team needed an athletic upgrade. The team received that this offseason in the form of six new faces, five of whom are freshmen. Couple that with two redshirt freshmen from last season, and three potential sophomore starters, and it's clear to see that the Lady Ospreys will have to win with youth this season.

Coach Mary Tappmeyer on the Ospreys

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SEASON PREVIEW - (Courtesy UNF Media Relations)

"We're young and athletic," Tappmeyer said. "We've improved our athleticism in all areas. We have a strong freshman class that filled the needs we had. We've opted to go with freshmen instead of the junior college route. We like freshmen that can play in the system for four years, and we've had a lot of success with that philosophy in the past."

UNF does not have a junior on its roster this season and will start one senior -- guard Tamara Hubbard -- and feature two off the bench, guards Cecilia Woolfolk and Denisia Andrews. UNF's squad was the second-best defensive team in the conference last season, surrendering only 61.5 points a game. Tappmeyer said with so many young faces this year, the defense will have to carry the team early, allowing the offense time to catch up. The team's pure athleticism will give the Lady Ospreys a chance to be even better on the defensive end this season. Tappmeyer has the personnel and the numbers to press more than she has in recent years.

"Our athleticism gives us the ability to do some of the things we've wanted to do, but haven't had the ability to do," she said. "You can't teach speed and quickness. If you have it, you can exploit some people with it."

The team's youth will be tested early this year, with UNF facing another tough non-conference schedule. The Lady Ospreys will put their 13-1 record and 12-game winning streak in season openers on the line this year with their toughest opening-day task in school history: a visit to Gainesville to take on 2006 NCAA Tournament participant Florida on Nov 10.

Read the full season preview

10 Days of A-Sun Basketball Schedule
Oct. 16 - Belmont
Oct. 17 - Campbell
Oct. 18 - ETSU
Oct. 19 - Gardner-Webb
Oct. 20 - Jacksonville
Oct. 23 - Kennesaw State
Oct. 24 - Lipscomb
Oct. 25 - Mercer
Oct. 26 - UNF
Oct. 27 - Stetson