Table of Contents Team Information Lacie Barnes...... 31 All-Time Wildcat Honors...... 92 2009-10 Schedule...... Back Cover Sarah Conner...... 33 Dee Events Center Records...... 97 WSU Quick Facts...... 2 Lauren Deane...... 34 Career Records...... 99 Radio Information...... 3 Caela Mohre...... 35 Single Season Individual Records...... 101 Media Information...... 3 Joey O’Neill...... 36 Single Season Team Records...... 105 2009-10 Season Preview...... 5 Michelle Roberson...... 37 Individual Game Records...... 107 Tonya Schnibbe...... 38 Team Game Records...... 111 Coaching Staff Jessica Smith...... 41 WSU 2,000 and 1,000 Points Clubs...... 119 Carla Taylor...... 7 Emily Thatcher...... 44 Big Sky Tournament History...... 121 Rachelle Gardner-Sayers...... 14 Abby Thorderson...... 47 NCAA Tournament History...... 123 Eliot Reynolds...... 16 Ali Thorderson...... 48 Year-by-Year Game Results...... 125 Stephanie Stanger-Hale...... 18 Karlee Weight...... 51 Trainer and Team Dietician...... 20 Mikell Woodfield...... 53 About WSU...... 140 2009-10 Roster 2009-10 Opponents Fast Facts...... 141 2009-10 Rosters...... 22 Non-conference Opponents...... 62 Why WSU?...... 142 Roster Breakdowns...... 23 All-Time Records vs. Non-conf .Opp...... 67 Athletic Facilities...... 144 2008-09 Statistics...... 24 Big Sky Opponents...... 70 Housing...... 148 2008-09 Results...... 25 Records vs. All Opponents...... 86 Athletic Training...... 149 2009-10 Team Photo...... 26 Administration and Support Staff...... 150 History and Records The ...... 154 2009-10 Wildcats Year-by-Year Records...... 89 Ogden...... 157 Caitlin Anderson...... 28 All-Time Wildcat Roster...... 90 ...... 158

Quick facts General information Email...... [email protected] coaching staff Name of School...... Weber State University Asst. A.D. for Media Relations...... Brad Larsen Head coach...... Carla Taylor Location...... Ogden, Utah Phone...... (801) 626-6010 Alma Mater...... Weber State ‘84 Founded...... 1889 (Four-year 1962) Email...... [email protected] Record at WSU / Years...... 282-281 (.501) / 20 Enrollment...... 18,000 SID Fax...... (801) 626-6490 Career record / Years...... Same Nickname...... Wildcats Press Row Phone...... (801) 626-6588 Big Sky record at WSU...... 169-133 (.560) School colors...... Purple and White Press Room Fax...... (801) 626-8794 Phone...... (801) 626-6496 Affiliation...... NCAA Division I SID Mailing Address...... Assistant Coaches...... Conference...... Big Sky ...... 2701 University Circle ...... Rachelle Gardner-Sayers, Weber State ‘96 Home Court...... Dee Events Center Weber State University, Ogden, UT 84408 Ashley Elliott, Wyoming ‘05 Capacity...... 11,500 Heath Alexander, Oregon ‘98 TEAM history President...... Dr. F. Ann Millner First year...... 1974-1975 Athletic Director...... Jerry Graybeal team INFORMATION All-time record...... 466-472 (.497) S.W.A...... Carla Taylor 2008-09 Record...... 10-19 All-time conference record...... 268-214 (.556) Website...... WeberStateSports.com 2007-08 Big Sky Record / Finish...... 5-11 / t7th All-time Big Sky record...... 169-133 (.560) Letterwinners Returning / Lost...... 11/3 Big Sky Titles...... 2 / (2002, 2003) MEDIA RELATIONS Starters Returning / Lost...... 5/0 NCAA Tournament Appearances...... 2 Women’s Basketball Contact...... Darin Hogge ...... (2002, 2003) Phone...... (801) 626-6012

CREDITS The 2008-09 Weber State Women’s Basketball Media Guide was designed, written and edited by Darin Hogge and Paul Grua, Assistant Media Rela- tions Directors. Cover art work by Darin Hogge.

Head shots and action photos by Robert Casey.. Printing by Weber State University Printing Services.

WeberStateSports.com Wildcat Basketball -- 1 media information KWCR 88.1 FM -- The Home for Wildcat Basketball

Once again Weber State’s University station KWCR 88.1 FM will serve as the flagship station for the Weber State women’s basketball team. KWCR will broadcats all home games as well as all Big Sky Conference road games and in-state road games. In addition, all games can also be heard live on the internet on Weber State’s athletic home page: WeberStateSports.com

Big Sky TV

The Big Sky Conference and Broadcast International team up to provide FREE Live Video Streams featuring Football, Men’s and Women’s Basketball and Volleyball. All Wildcat Women’s Basketball home matches as well as road conference matches will be broadcast. All fans will need to do in 2008-09 is log-on to www.bigskytv.org, and register with a username and password.

Weber State Athletics Media Relations Department THEY COVER THE ‘CATS

BRAD LARSEN NEWSPAPERS Dave Fox, Sportscaster Assistant Athletic Director/Media Relations Standard-Examiner Dan Sheldon, Sportscaster Chris Miller, Sports Editor 299 S. Main Street, Suite 150 Sports: Football, Men’s Basketball, , UT 84111 Cross Country, Track and Field. Justin Johnson, WSU Beatwriter 332 Standard Way (801) 973-3000 Office: 801-626-6010 P.O. Box 12790 KTVX-TV CH.4 (ABC) Cell: 801-698-9548 Ogden, UT 84412-2790 Wesley Ruff, Sports Director Email: [email protected] (801) 625-4261 FAX: (801) 625-4299 Kent Rupe, Sportscaster Dana Greene, Sportscaster Weber State Signpost 2175 West 1700 South Jon McBride, Sports Editor Salt Lake City, UT 84119 DARIN HOGGE Weber State University (801) 975-4444 Assistant Media Relations Director / Website Ogden, UT 84408-2110 Coordinator (801) 626-7983 KSTU-TV CH. 13 (FOX) FAX: (801) 626-7401 Mike Runge, Sportscaster Sports: Soccer, Women’s Basketball, Rick Aaron, Sportscaster Golf, Tennis, Softball. Deseret Morning News 5020 W. Amelia Earhart Dr. Salt Lake City, UT Office: 801-626-6012 Dave Schneider, Sports Editor (801) 536-1371 Cell: 801-725-8868 30 E. 100 S. Email: [email protected] Salt Lake City, UT 84110 (801) 237-2161 RADIO FAX: (801) 237-2543 KWCR FM 88.1 PAUL GRUA Jon McBride, Sports Director Salt Lake Tribune Weber State University Marketing and Promotions Director Michael Anastasi, Sports Editor Ogden, UT 84408-1906 /Media Relations Director 90 S. 400 W., Suite 700 (801) 626-6941 Salt Lake City, UT 84101 Sports: Volleyball. (801) 257-8900 KLO 1430 FAX: (801) 257-8950 Dan Jessop, Sports Director Office: 801-626-7414 4155 Harrison Blvd., Suite 206 Cell: 801-452-3811 Ogden, UT 84403 Email: [email protected] TELEVISION KSL-TV CH. 5 (NBC) (801) 627-1430 Tom Kirkland, Sportscaster Rod Zundel, Sportscaster KFNZ 1320 “KFAN” Kathy Aiken, Sportscaster Scott Girrard, Program Director Jeremiah Jensen, Sportscaster 434 Bearcat Drive Broadcast House Salt Lake City, UT 84115 5 Triad Center (801) 670-1320 Salt Lake City, UT 84180 (801) 575-5535 KZNS 1280 “THE ZONE” Kevin Graham, Program Director KUTV-TV CH. 2 (CBS) 515 S. 700 E. David James, Sportscaster Salt Lake City, UT 84102 (801) 670-1280

2 -- Wildcat Basketball WeberStateSports.com 2008-09 SEASON PREVIEW

Following a pair of seasons in which the Wildcats failed to qualify for the conference tournament, the 2009-10 Wildcats will look to a large group of returning players to put the program back into the elite of the Big Sky. Prior to the last two seasons, the Wildcats had qualified for postseason play 12-consecutive times.

“We are looking for great things out of this group,” said WSU head coach Carla Taylor, who enters her 22nd season at the helm of the Wildcats. “The big difference we are expecting this year is that the players are all committed to buying into the defensive end of the floor. The talent is there and the expe- rience is there. The key is to get after our opponents on the defensive end and make everything difficult for them. When we do that, we are a very good basketball team, and we feel like we are going to get that night after night this season.”

The Wildcats return all five starters from a season ago, and 11 of 14 letterwinners overall, providing a wealth of experience for the upcoming season. The returning group accounted for 96.3 percent of the team’s scoring in 2008-09 as the top-10 scorers from last year are back. The group also accounted for 89.4 percent of the team’s rebounding.

Running the show for the Wildcats again this season will be starting point guard Tonya Schnibbe. The senior from Spokane, Wash. led the team in assists and steals for the second-straight season in 2008-09, and stepped up to lead the team in scoring as well with a 12.9 points per game average.

Schnibbe’s 6.7 assists per game average was second in the Big Sky and ranked fifth in the nation. Her 194 assists last season set a WSU single season record, shattering the previous mark of 168 set by Karsen Muller in 2002-03. The 194 dishes was only four short of her previous two seasons combined (198). She currently has 392 career assists, which ranks sixth all-time at WSU. She needs only 77 assists to break Karleen Peart’s (1981-84) career record of 468. Tonya ranked fourth in the Big Sky in steals (1.83 spg) and was eighth in scoring.

Starting in the backcourt alongside Schnibbe will be the 2008-09 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year in senior Sarah Conner. Sarah, who transferred in to Weber State from Northeastern Junior College in Wyoming prior to last season, averaged 9.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Sarah was sixth in the Big Sky and led the Wildcats in Free Throw Percentage at 78.0%. She ranked 13th in the league in assists and 15th in steals (1.25 spg).

Ali Thorderson, the third and final senior on the squad, is the starter at the small forward position, giving the Wildcats senior leadership all the way around the perimeter. Thorderson is the Big Sky’s deadliest shooter, having led the conference with 2.17 three-point field goals per game in 2008-09. Ali averaged 10.3 points per game, a career-high and third-best on the team. She more than doubled her previous career-high with 110 rebounds and set career-high’s in assists (36), blocks (2), steals (13), field goals (97), 3-point field goals (63) and free-throws (43).

Joining Thorderson in the starting frontcourt for the Wildcats will again be junior forward Caitlin Anderson and sophomore center Joey O’Neill. Ander- son is a tenacious rebounder and defender, who can also light up the scoreboard both inside and outside.

Caitlin led the Big Sky in rebounding with 8.8 boards per game and posted eight double-double’s, which led the team and was second in the Big Sky. She grabbed at least 10 rebounds ten different times last season, including games of 17 (three times) and 19 (vs. Idaho State on Jan. 31). She had a four- game stretch from Jan. 24 to Feb. 5 in which she scored 62 points (15.5 ppg) and grabbed 65 rebounds (16.3 ppg).

O’Neill made an impact as a freshman last year, playing in all 29 games and starting the final 28 games of the season. She averaged 21.7 minutes per game and scored 124 points for an average of 4.3 points per game, while also averaging 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Her .448 field goal per- centage ranked second on the team. She was the Big Sky Conference’s top rebounder among freshmen and ranked 11th overall. She also ranked third in the conference in blocked shots per game at 1.1 blocks per game.

The top players off the bench for the Wildcats will be sophomores Michelle Roberson, Abby Thorderson and Mikell Woodfield.

Roberson is an athletic guard/forward who averaged 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds as a freshman last season. Thorderson, sister of senior Ali Thorderson, was a part-time starter at shooting guard last year as a freshman, averaging 2.4 ppg.

Junior Karlee Weight was the team’s top reserve post player last season and was again expected to play a big role for the Wildcats, but a knee injury early in fall camp will sideline her for the season.

6-3 freshman center Nicke Parke, from Joseph, Oregon, will see increased minutes in the absence of Weight, and could provide a similar impact that the Wildcats got from O’Neill a year ago.

Also joining the team as freshmen are 5-10 guard Megan Patterson from Columbus, Mont. and 5-11 guard Amanda Hughes from Aurora, Colo.

Following a single exhibition game on Nov. 9 against Northwest Nazarene, the Wildcats open up the season at home on Friday, Nov. 13 against Dixie State. The season-opener will tip off at 5:00 p.m. MDT as part of a men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader at the Dee Events Center.

WeberStateSports.com Wildcat Basketball -- 3