Oct. 18, 2003

WACO, Texas - The Baylor Lady Bear basketball team began the 2003-04 campaign with their first practice of the season on Saturday morning. Ten of the team's 14 players suited out for the session.

The Lady Bears, under fourth-year head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson, return all but one player, including four starters, off the highly successful 24-11 team of last season. Baylor welcomes back 92.5 percent of last year's scoring and 90.6 percent of the team's rebounding. Returning starters include guards Ebony Jackson and Jessika Stratton, post Steffanie Blackmon and forward Sophia Young. Last season the Lady Bears' inside game was one of the most dominating paint presences in the nation. The tandem of Blackmon and Young combined to average 31.8 points, 18.0 rebounds and 2.94 blocks a game.

Four players were on the sidelines for the first practice. Juniors Chanelle Fox and Steffanie Blackmon are both rehabilitating knee injuries, junior Tiffanie Blackmon is nursing a broken toe and junior Jordan Davis is recovering from a recent hospitalization.

"I thought we had a good first practice. I give a lot of the credit to Shawn McPherson, our strength and conditioning coach, for getting them into such good shape," said Mulkey-Robertson. "Also, the freshmen caught on to the drills quickly, I was pleased with that."

Baylor will play their first game on Thursday, Nov. 13 when they host an exhibition game with the Houston Jaguars in the Ferrell Center at 7:00 p.m.