Around Campus

Women’s Basketball Kicks Off 2006-07 With Heavy Slate of
Home Games at the Frank Erwin Center

All-America senior Tiffany Jackson is a preseason National Player of the Year candidate for the
third year in a row

Redshirt freshman point guard Carla Cortijo will be looked upon to lead the Longhorns offense.

Bigger things are on tap for the 2006-07 Longhorns.

There is a different storyline in Austin this year than there was a year ago, with head coach Jody Conradt’s 14-player lineup
chock-full of healthy and driven young players who are led by All-America 6-3 senior frontcourt standout Tiffany Jackson.

Jackson, a preseason National Player of the Year candidate for the third consecutive season, earned Associated Press and Kodak All-America Honorable Mention honors a year ago while collecting 14.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

Conradt’s young squad has eight returning letterwinners and two redshirt freshmen – featuring several players with breakout potential.

Most notably in this group are All-Big 12 Freshman Team pick and 5-10 sophomore sharpshooter Erika Arriaran (11.5 ppg,
team-high 46 3-pointers a year ago); the redshirt freshman duo of 5-7 point guard Carla Cortijo and 6-1 forward Earnesia Williams who saw their rookie seasons derailed by knee injuries last December but who have rebounded and are ready to play once again; and versatile 6-0 true freshman guard Brittainey Raven, a consensus high school All-American and Texas’ Gatorade Player of the Year in 2006 as a senior.

This is a study in contrast to 2005-06, which was an uncommon season in Austin for Conradt’s program. Texas had a schedule ranked as the sixth-toughest nationally, yet had a roster with seven freshmen and a series of injuries to key players which derailed the Longhorns. After beginning the year with a promising 6-3 start, the Longhorns stumbled and produced a rare losing record
(13-15 overall) in 2005-06.

“All of us are anxious to move forward and we are seeing significant progress in every aspect of our program,” noted Conradt, who ranks as the nation’s second-winningest collegiate women’s or men’s basketball coach in history with her 882 victories.

“Last season was disappointing and it wasn’t to Texas standards, but what I saw immediately last spring was a really renewed commitment and re-focusing on the part of all returning players,” Conradt noted. “Now, it’s about showing all that progress and competitive drive this preseason and carrying it into the season. We are preparing to come out strong.”

SCHEDULE, NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HOSTING INFORMATION AND TICKET INFORMATION

The 2006-07 Texas schedule features nine opponents who advanced to the 2006 NCAA Championships. The schedule features two exhibitions and 30 regular season games, with 18 games played in Austin at UT’s Frank Erwin Center and 12 played on the road or at a neutral site. After two early November exhibition games, head coach Jody Conradt’s squad opens the regular season with nine of its first 11 games at home. Additionally, UT and the Erwin Center are one of the eight host sites for the eight-team first/second rounds of the 2007 NCAA Championships. The Frank Erwin Center will be the venue for first and second round competition on Saturday, March 17 and Monday, March 19.

Pairings and game times will be announced at 6 p.m. CT on Monday, March 12, 2007 when the NCAA announces the 64-team field for its 2007 Championship.

Longhorns season tickets and tickets to the NCAA Championship in Austin can be purchased in numerous ways: at www.TexasBoxOffice.com; by calling the Athletics Ticket Office (512-471-3333 or 800-982-BEVO) or via the Texas Box Office charge-by-phone (512-477-6060); and in person at the Bellmont Hall Athletics Ticket Office (lobby level, Monday-Friday 9 a.m-4 p.m. Central).

There is a group ticket plan available as well as an Arena Value Season Ticket Plan (a minimum purchase of four seats at $90 each required with seats located in the top rows of Sections 32 and 38).

Individual game tickets also can be purchased at the above outlets and may also be bought at the Frank Erwin Center Box Office (Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; on game days one hour prior to tipoff) or at Austin area H-E-B stores.

Longhorn All-Sports Package (LASP) holders who want to draw individual game tickets must present their UT ID at the north or south entrances of the Erwin Center beginning 90 minutes before tip off to receive a ticket.

Redshirt freshman Earnie Williams will provide explosive talent at both ends of the floor.