UVa women volunteer to face powerful Tennessee

By Jay Jenkins

Published: July 29, 2008

Apparently, one trip to Tennessee this year was not enough for Debbie Ryan.

Just weeks after Ryan was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn., it was announced that the legendary coach will take the Virginia women’s basketball team back to the state for an early-season test this year against the two-time defending national champions.

According to a release from the University of Tennessee, the Lady Vols and coach Pat Summit will host Virginia on Nov. 17 in Thompson-Boling Arena at 7 p.m.

UVa, after opening the upcoming season against High Point on Nov. 14, could face Tennessee at the best time possible — the Lady Vols lost four of their five starters, including All-American Candace Parker. Tennessee’s roster includes seven rookies, four sophomores and one senior.

It will mark the first time the two schools have met since March 24, 2003 and should present the Cavaliers will a gauge for how their season will unfold. Virginia, expected to be ranked in preseason polls, welcomes back four of its five starters, needing only to replace point guard Sharnee Zoll.

The Lady Vols are scheduled to play at UVa during the 2009-10 season.

Sources also confirmed that Virginia will face another SEC foe during the season. Georgia, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year, will play at John Paul Jones Arena in the first contest in a two-game, home-and-home series.

As previously reported, Virginia also travels to Old Dominion, the site where the Cavs’ 2007-08 season ended in overtime in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.

Ryan, who was at an AAU tournament in Georgia, was unable to discuss the contest until the ACC office releases the schedules for its league members.