Coaches Pick UW No. 2

For the second straight season, Pac-10 coaches chose the University of Washington women's basketball to finish second in the conference. Last year, the coaches proved clairvoyant.

Coaches Chose Huskies 2nd in Pac-10

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. ­- The Washington women's basketball team was picked by the league's coaches to finish second in the Pac-10 Conference for the 2002-2003 season.

The Huskies, picked to finish runner-up in the Pac-10 Preseason Coaches Poll for the second-straight season, return five starters and 11 letterwinners from last year's squad that tied for second in the conference and advanced to the third round of the WNIT.

Stanford, who claimed the conference title last season with a perfect 18-0 record, was tabbed to win this year¹s Pac-10 title. The Cardinal received nine first place votes, while third-place pick Oregon received the remaining vote. USC and Arizona were picked to finish fourth and fifth, respectively, to round out the top five.

Stanford finished 32-3 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen last year, its 15th straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Ducks captured the second NIT title in school history and first since 1982 last season.

This is the third year in a row and the third time overall that Stanford has been tabbed by the coaches as the conference preseason favorite since the poll¹s inception in 1998-99.

Washington opens its 29th season of women's basketball with an exhibition game vs. Bay Area Pro-Am, Sunday, Nov. 10, at 1 p.m. at Bank of America Arena. The Huskies will make their regular season debut at Boise State, Friday, Nov. 22, with a 7 p.m. (MT) tip-off.

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PAC-10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
2002-03 PRESEASON COACHES POLL
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Stanford (9), 90
2. Washington, 77
3. Oregon (1), 71
4. USC, 67
5. Arizona, 61
6. Arizona State, 51
7. Oregon State, 40
8. UCLA, 36
9. California, 26
10. Washington State, 21

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UW Women Begin Preparations