Oct. 9, 2002

WACO, Texas - The Baylor women's basketball team begins preparation for the 2002-03 season on Saturday, Oct. 12 when they hold their first practice.

Lady Bear fans are invited to Saturday's Baylor practice at the Ferrell Center from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. In fact, all Lady Bear practices, held weekdays beginning at 1:30 p.m., are open to the public.

Head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson, who is 48-15 in two seasons at Baylor, will be one player short when practice begins on Saturday. Junior college All-American Daphney Andre', a 6-0 forward who transferred to Baylor from Trinity Valley CC, has been suspended indefinitely from the team. Andre' averaged 13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals her sophomore season at TVCC. Mulkey has a policy not to discuss personnel decisions and will not comment on the Andre' situation.

With Andre' sidelined, that leaves seven returnees and six newcomers on the roster. The Lady Bears return one starter off last year's team that posted a 27-6 record and a second straight NCAA Tournament berth. Chanelle Fox, a junior guard and the team's lone returning starter, missed the last nine games last season with a season-ending knee injury. Sophomore post Steffanie Blackmon is the Lady Bears' only returning player to average double figure scoring last season. She tallied 10.0 points and 5.2 rebounds a game and led the team in blocks with 38.

Baylor opens the 2002-03 season with a pair of exhibition contests. The Lady Bears host the Houston Jaguars on Tuesday, Nov. 5 and the Basketball Travelers on Thursday, Nov. 14. Both games begin at 7 p.m. in the Ferrell Center. The Lady Bears will open the regular season when they host the Women's Sports Foundation Tournament on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22-23. Alcorn State, Princeton and Southwest Texas will join the Lady Bears in the tournament.