PAGE 1- NORTH PANTHER GAME NOTES - GAME 1

FIU Maegan Azpiazu, Assistant SID • Women’s WOMEN’S U.S. Century Bank Arena, 11200 SW 8th St., Room 211, , FL 33199 Offi ce (305) 348-0261 • Cell (786) 422-4066 • Fax (305) 348-2963 BASKETBALL mazpiazu@fi u.edu • www.FIUSports.com 2012-13 @FIUAthletics • www.Facebook.com/FIUSPORTS

2012-13 SCHEDULE/RESULTS NORTH FLORIDA (0-1, 0-0 ATLANTIC SUN) 0-0 (0-0 SBC) AT FIU (0-0, 0-0 SUN BELT)

November SUNDAY, NOV. 11, 2012 • 6:00 P.M. (ET) 11 NORTH FLORIDA 6:00 P.M. U.S. CENTURY BANK ARENA • MIAMI, FLA. 14 at Florida Gulf Coast 7:05 p.m. 19 at WKU * 8:00 p.m. FIU PANTHERS TALE OF THE TAPE UNF OSPREY Cindy Russo (ODU, ‘75) ...... Head Coach...... Mary Tappmeyer (SUNY-Cortland, ‘81) FIU Thanksgiving Classic 630-329, 34th Season ...... Record at School ...... 284-292, 21st Season 23 IOWA 6:00 P.M. 670-351. 36th Season ...... Career Record...... 379-375, 28th Season 25 LSU/WEST VIRGINIA 3:00 P.M. FIU leads, 1-0 ...... All-Time Series ...... UNF trails, 0-1 11/24/06 - FIU 86 (W) ...... Last Meeting ...... 11/24/06 - UNF 46 (L) 29 ARKANSAS STATE * 5:30 P.M. QUICK HITS • For her career, Head Coach Cindy Russo has amassed a career record of 670-351 in 35 DECEMBER seasons, and comes into the 2012-13 campaign with a record of 630-329 across 33 seasons 1 SOUTH ALABAMA * 5:30 P.M. at FIU. Her 670 career victories rank ninth among active Division I coaches and 16th on the 13 UCF 6:00 P.M. all-time winningest coaches list. 15 DARTMOUTH 6:00 P.M. • FIU Head Coach Cindy Russo returns for her 34th season at the helm of the Panther women’s 20 at Middle Tennessee * 8:00 p.m. basketball squad in 2012-13. Her 33 years at FIU are the fi fth-most across all NCAA institutions, regardless of division, for number of seasons spent with one program. FIU Sun & Fun Classic 29 NORTHEASTERN 6:00 P.M. • FIU’s 2012-13 schedule includes contests against nine teams that advanced to NCAA 30 GEORGIA /QUINNIPIAC 6:00 P.M. Tournament or Postseason WNIT play in 2011-12.

• FIU owns an overall record of 302-105 (.742) when playing in the friendly confi nes of the U.S. JANUARY Century Bank Arena. The Panthers are coming off a 2011-12 season in which FIU went 14-4 2 at Florida A&M 2:00 p.m. (.778) on its home fl oor. 5 LOUISIANA * 5:30 P.M. 9 at Arkansas State * 8:05 p.m. • Standout guard Jerica Coley returns for her junior season in 2012-13, after becoming FIU women’s basketball’s fi rst-ever Player of the Year selection and the 12 at UALR * 2:00 p.m. program’s fi rst AP All-American since 1999 as a sophomore. 17 NORTH TEXAS * 5:30 P.M. 19 TROY * 5:30 P.M. • FIU is coming off a 2011-12 season in which the Panthers compiled a record of 23-11 and 23 at Louisiana * 8:00 p.m. posted their second-straight, 10-win Sun Belt Conference season with a ledger of 10-6. FIU 27 at South Alabama * 3:05 p.m. advanced to its second-consecutive SBC Championship semifi nal and earned an at-large bid to the Postseason WNIT. 31 MIDDLE TENNESSEE * 5:30 P.M.

FEBRUARY 2012-13 FIU Women’s Basketball Roster 2 ULM * 5:30 P.M. # Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown/Previous School 6 FLORIDA ATLANTIC * 6:00 P.M. 2 Aleksandra Bodlovic G 5-5 So. Novi Sad, Serbia/Adelphi Christian Acad. 3 Zsofi a Labady G 5-9 So. Pecs, Hungary/Koch Valeria Koze Piskola 9 at North Texas * 6:00 p.m. 5 Taylor Shade G 5-6 Fr. Boynton Beach, Fla./Boynton Beach Comm. HS 14 at Troy * 6:15 p.m. 10 Katrina Epnere G/F 5-9 Fr. Riga, Latvia/Riga State Gymnasium No. 1 16 WKU * 5:30 P.M. 12 Marita Davydova C 6-3 Jr. Moscow, Russia/Russian Agrarian Univ. 13 Diamond Ashmore F 6-3 Sr. Oklahoma City, Okla./Tallahassee Comm.College 21 UALR * 5:30 P.M. 14 Kamika Idom G 5-9 So. St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg HS 28 at ULM * 6:15 p.m. 21 Timeyin Oritsesan F 5-10 Jr. London, England/Langley Park School for Girls 22 Jerica Coley G 5-7 Jr. St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg Catholic MARCH 23 Finda Mansare F 6-1 Sr. Budapest, Hungary/Kolcsey Ferenc Gym. 24 Carmen Miloglav G 5-7 Sr. Dubrovnik, Croatia/Gimnazija Dubrovnik 2 at Florida Atlantic * 3:15 p.m. 25 Arielle Durant F 5-7 Jr. Lakeland, Fla./Tenoroc HS 32 Tynia McKinzie F 6-0 So. Oviedo, Fla./Lake Howell HS 8-11 at Sun Belt Conference Championship 33 Brianna Wright C/F 6-2 RS-Fr. Titusville, Fla./Titusville HS Hot Springs, Ark. TBD PANTHER COACHING STAFF Head Coach: Cindy Russo, 34th Season (Old Dominion, 1975) * Sun Belt Conference game Associate Head Coach: Inge Nissen, 24th Season (Old Dominion, 1990) Home matches in BOLD CAPS Assistant Coach: Desma Thomas Bateast, 7th Season (University of Miami (FL), 1997) Assistant Coach: Cristal Randolph, 1st Season (Florida Atlantic, 2007) All times Eastern and subject to change Director of Operations: Shannon McFarland, 1st Season (Clark Atlanta University, 2009)

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QUICK FACTS KEEPING UP WITH THE PANTHERS 2012-13 SBC PRESEASON Fans can visit www.FIUSports.com, follow @ HONORS Name ...... FIU FIUWBasketball on Twitter, and “Like” FIU Location ...... Modesto A. Maidique Campus women’s basketball on Facebook (Facebook. All-SBC First Team Miami, FL 33199 com/FIUWBasketball for the latest Panther Taylor Gault (UALR, So., Guard) Founded/Opened...... 1965/1972 hoops news. Follow all of FIU’s 18 athletic Jerica Coley (FIU, Jr., Guard) Enrollment ...... 50,000 teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@ Icelyn Elie (Middle Tenn., Sr., Forward) Nickname...... Panthers FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/ Kortni Jones (Middle Tenn., Sr., Guard) Colors ...... Blue and Gold FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Ebony Rowe (Middle Tenn., Jr., Forward) Affiliation ...... NCAA Division I Instagram (FIUathletics). Conference ...... Sun Belt All-SBC Second Team Home Court U.S. Century Bank Arena (5,000) SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA Taylor Ford (UALR, Jr., Guard) School President ...... Dr. Mark B. Rosenberg North Florida kicked off its 2012-13 campaign Jane Morrill (Arkansas State, Jr., Forward) Exec. Dir. of Sports/Entertainment ... on Friday night, as the Osprey dropped a 77- Chenise Miller (FAU, RS-Jr., Forward) NCAA Faculty Rep...... Dr. Stephen M. Fain 24 decision to No. 23/24 Miami (FL). UNF Finda Mansare (FIU, Sr., Forward) Senior Associate AD/SWA ...... Julie Berg is under the direction of Head Coach Mary Mansa El (South Alabama, Sr., Guard) Athletic Department Phone ....(305) 348-2756 Tappmeyer (SUNY-Cortland, 1981) for the Ticket Office Phone ...... (866) FIU-GAME 21st season, and the Osprey return nine All-SBC Third Team letterwinners, including three starters, from a Janette Merriex (UALR, Sr., Guard/Forward) MEDIA INFORMATION 2011-12 squad that went 13-17 (10-8 Atlantic Jasmine Shaw (ULM, Jr., Guard) Assistant SID/WBB ...... Maegan Azpiazu Sun). Mary Nixon (South Alabama, Sr., Guard) Office Phone ...... (305) 348-0261 Chastity Gooch (WKU, So., Forward) Email...... [email protected] SERIES HISTORY VS. UNF Alexis Govan (WKU, So., Guard) Assistant AD/Media Relations ....Paul Dodson FIU holds a 1-0 advantage over North Florida Office Phone ...... (305) 348-3164 in the all-time series between the two schools. Preseason Player of the Year Website...... www.fiusports.com The two teams fi rst met on the hardwood on Jerica Coley (FIU, Jr., Guard) Fax...... (305) 348-2963 Nov. 24, 2006, with the Panthers coming away with an 86-46 win in Miami. Press Row Phone...... (305) 348-3702 2012-13 SBC PRESEASON Mailing Address .FIU Athletic Media Relations 11200 S.W. 8th St. TEAM COMPARISON COACHES POLL U.S. Century Bank Arena, Room 211 FIU ...... Category ...... UNF EAST DIVISION (First Place Votes) Miami, FL 33199 - ...... Scoring ...... 24 1. MT - 65 pts (10) - ...... PPG ...... 24.0 2. FIU - 54 pts (1) TEAM INFORMATION - ...... Scoring Margin ...... -53.0 3. USA - 45 pts HHeadead CoachCoach ...... CCindyindy RussoRusso (Old(Old Dominion,Dominion, ‘75)‘75) - ...... FG% ...... 140 4. FAU - 29 pts RRecordecord atat FIUFIU (years)(years) ...... 6630-32930-329 (33)(33) - ...... 3-pt FG% ...... 053 5. WKU - 26 pts CCareerareer RecordRecord (years)(years)...... 6670-35170-351 (35)(35) - ...... FT% ...... 643 6. Troy - 12 pts Assoc. Head Coach...... Inge Nissen - ...... Rebounds (RPG) .....37 (37.0) Alma Mater ...... Old Dominion, ‘90 - ...... Assists (APG) ...... 2 (2.0) WEST DIVISION (First Place Votes) Asst. Coach ...... Desma Thomas Bateast - ...... Assist/TO Ratio ...... 0.1 1. UALR - 54 pts (10) Alma Mater ...... Miami (FL), ‘97 - ...... Steals (SPG) ...... 12 (12.0) 2. ASU - 39 pts (1) Asst. Coach ...... Cristal Randolph - ...... Blocks (BPG) ...... 0 (0.0) 3. UNT - 33 pts Alma Mater: ...... Florida Atlantic, ‘07 4. ULM - 24 pts Director of Operations ....Shannon McFarland 5. ULL - 15 pts Team Manager ...... Sabina Salas PRESEASON HONORS Team Trainer ...... Jennifer Loewe Junior Jerica Coley was named 2012-13 Training Room Phone ...... (305) 348-1072 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball FIU women’s basketball history to join the Strength & Conditioning Coach .....Mick Smith Preseason Player of the Year, also earning 1,000-Point Club following a career-high-tying Academic Advisor ...... Ayssa Roza Preseason All-SBC First Team honors, while 36-point performance against WKU (1/28/12). Equipment Manager ...... Wayne Rustad senior Finda Mansare was tabbed Preseason Previously, only fi ve players in program history All-SBC Second Team. Also released by had scored 1,000 points in two seasons - 2011-12 SEASON REVIEW conference offi cials on Oct. 23, 2012, was the Karen Turnquest (1263 - 1981-83), Albena Overall Record ...... 23-11 SBC Preseason Coaches Poll, as FIU was Branzova (1252 - 1991-93), Tidra Hardy Sun Belt Conference Record ...... 10-6 picked to fi nish second in the East Division (1048 - 1990-92), Debra Bullock (1020 - SBC Regular Season Finish ... 3rd - East Div. behind Middle Tennessee. 1986-88), and Shelia Reynolds (1003 - 1988- SBC Tournament Finish ...... Semifinals 90). Postseason .....Postseason WNIT, 2nd Round DEFENDING “THE BANK” Including winning the fi rst three games at the #HOLYCOLEY 2012-13 SEASON OUTLOOK U.S. Century Bank Arena to close out the Junior Jerica Coley is coming off a Starters Returning/Lost ...... 4/1 1985-86 season, the FIU women’s basketball sophomore campaign in which she became Letterwinners Returning/Lost ...... 10/3 team has amassed an impressive 302-105 the fourth player in program history to earn Newcomers...... 3 record at home, for a .742 winning percentage. AP All-America recognition, also becoming the The Panthers were undefeated at home in fi rst player in FIU women’s basketball history PROGRAM HISTORY 1994-95 (14-0) and in 1997-98 (18-0), and to be named SBC Player of the Year. The St. Inaugural Season ...... 1975-76 have won 10-or-more home games in all but Petersburg, Fla., native ended the season All-Time Record ...... 649-383 fi ve seasons since the arena opened its doors anked sixth in the nation in scoring (23.4 ppg) DI NCAA Tournament Appearances ...... 6 on Feb. 1, 1986. while ranking atop the SBC in scoring, blocks Last Appearance ....vs. Penn State, 2nd Round (65, 1.9 bpg) and minutes played (39.4 bpg). L, 79-96 (2002) 1,000 POINTS AND COUNTING Coley reached double-digits in scoring in all WNIT Appearances ...... 6 In just 66 career games, junior Jerica Coley but one game, registering 24, 20-plus point Last Appearance ...... vs. Stetson, 1st Round has scored 1,295 career points, a mark outings and eight 30-plus point performances, W, 74-47 / at USF, 2nd Round L, 61-77 (2012) which ranks 12th all-time at FIU. A season also notching four double-doubles. The point ago, Coley became the 22nd player in

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WINNINGEST ACTIVE 2012-13 SBC STANDINGS BY THE NUMBERS (as of games played on Nov. 9, 2012 COACHES Overall ...... 0-0 (Division I, By Wins) EAST DIVISION At home ...... 0-0 SBC W-L STREAK On the road ...... 0-0 COACH YEARS WINS FAU 0-0 1-0 W1 At neutral sites ...... 0-0 1. Vivian Stringer, Rutgers 41 885 MT 0-0 1-0 W1 In SBC play ...... 0-0 2. Sylvia Hatchell, North Carolina 37 879 USA 0-0 1-0 W1 In SBC play at home ...... 0-0 3. Tara VanDerveer, Stanford 33 861 WKU 0-0 1-0 W1 In SBC play on the road ...... 0-0 4. Geno Auriemma, Connecticut 27 804 FIU 0-0 0-0 - In overtime ...... 0-0 5. Andy Landers, Georgia 33 795 TROY 0-0 0-0 - Against ranked opponents ...... 0-0 6. Robin Selvig, Montana 34 774 In tournament play ...... 0-0 7. Jim Foster, Ohio State 34 765 WEST DIVISION In games decided by 0-5 points .... 0-0 8. Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame 30 679 SBC W-L STREAK In games decided by 6-10 points .. 0-0 9. Cindy Russo, FIU 35 670 ULL 0-0 1-0 W1 In games decided by 11+ points ... 0-0 10. Joe Foley, UALR 25 629 NT 0-0 0-0 - Scoring first ...... 0-0 UALR 0-0 0-0 - Opponent scores first ...... 0-0 ASU 0-0 0-1 L1 Leading at halftime ...... 0-0 guard joined the FIU 1,000-Point Club in just ULM 0-0 0-1 L1 Trailing at halftime ...... 0-0 her second year in a Panther uniform, and the Tied at halftime ...... 0-0 four-time SBC Player of the Week selection Leading w/ 10 minutes remaining .. 0-0 enjoyed First Team All-SBC accolades in 2012. CAREER Trailing w/ 10 minutes remaining .. 0-0 Free Throws Made Tied w/ 10 minutes remaining ...... 0-0 RUSSO IN THE RANKINGS 1. Gergana Slavtcheva ..453 .....(1998-02) When leading w/ 5 mins remaining .. 0-0 Head Coach Cindy Russo has led her squads 2. Andrea Nagy ...... 427 .....(1991-95) Trailing w/ 5 minutes remaining .... 0-0 to 670 victories over 35 years, making her the 3. Lynette Richardson ....383 .....(1982-86) Tied w/ 5 minutes remaining ...... 0-0 ninth-winningest active coach in Division I. For 4. Albena Branzova ...... 372 .....(1991-95) Shooting 40% or better ...... 0-0 her career, Russo has amassed an overall 5. Tidra Hardy ...... 320 ....(1990-92) Shooting less than 40% ...... 0-0 record of 670-351, and comes into the 2012- 6. Jerica Coley ...... 310 ..... (2011-12) Out-shooting opponent ...... 0-0 13 campaign with a record of 630-329 across Dalma Iványi ...... 310 .....(1995-99) Opponent out-shoots FIU ...... 0-0 33 seasons at FIU. Opponent shoots 40% or better .... 0-0 Free Throw Percentage (Min. 250 Att.) Opponent shoots less than 40%.... 0-0 COLEY RECORD WATCH 1. Jerica Coley ...... 818 ...... 310-379 Out-rebounding opponent ...... 0-0 Junior Jerica Coley is climbing up the FIU ...... (2010-pr.) Opponent out-rebounds FIU ...... 0-0 career charts, and comes into the 2012-13 2. Gergana Branzova .... .811 ...... 245-302 Rebounds are tied ...... 0-0 season holding three top-five spots on the ...... (1994-98) Shooting 70% or better (FT) ...... 0-0 Panther single-season charts. Coley also 3. Albena Branzova ...... 810 ...... 372-459 Shooting less than 70% (FT) ...... 0-0 ranks just outside the single-season top-five ...... (1991-95) Has more FT attempts than opp. .. 0-0 (No. 6) for free throw percentage, with a .835 4. Dalma Iványi ...... 803 ...... 310-386 Opponent has more FT attempts ... 0-0 (208-249) mark from the charity stripe in 2011- ...... (1995-99) FT attempts are equal ...... 0-0 12. 5. Gergana Slavtcheva ..789 ...... 453-574 Shooting 40% or better (3-pt) ...... 0-0 ...... (1998-02) Shooting less than 40% (3-pt)...... 0-0 SINGLE SEASON Recording less TO than opp...... 0-0 Field Goals Made MANSARE MAKES IT COUNT Recording more TO than opp...... 0-0 1. Karen Turnquest ...... 350 .....(1981-82) Junior Finda Mansare is coming off a junior Turnovers are equal ...... 0-0 2. Albena Branzova ...... 308 .....(1992-93) campaign in which she posted a team-high Scoring 80+ points ...... 0-0 3. Albena Branzova ...... 291 .....(1994-95) fi eld goal percentage of .481 (174-of-362), Scoring 70-79 points ...... 0-0 4. Lynette Richardson ....276 .....(1984-85) a mark which ranked fi fth in the Sun Belt Scoring 60-69 points ...... 0-0 5. Jerica Coley ...... 271 ..... (2011-12) Conference. The Budapest, Hungary, native Scoring 50-59 points ...... 0-0 also ranked second on the team with 52 blocks Scoring 49 points or less ...... 0-0 Free Throws Made and an average of 1.5 blocks per game, a Opponent scores 80+ points ...... 0-0 1. Jerica Coley ...... 208 ..... (2011-12) mark which ranked third in the SBC. Mansare Opponent scores 70-79 points ...... 0-0 2. Tidra Hardy ...... 182 .....(1990-91) registered six double-doubles a season ago to Opponent scores 60-69 points ...... 0-0 3. Lynette Richardson ....157 .....(1984-85) put her career total at seven, as she registered Opponent scores 50-59 points ...... 0-0 4. Giavonne Combs ...... 154 .....(1989-90) career bests of 13 rebounds, seven assists, Opponent scores 49 points or less .. 0-0 5. Gergana Slavtcheva ..149 .....(2000-01) fi ve blocks and four steals during the season. In November ...... 0-0 In December ...... 0-0 Free Throw Attempts FRESH FACES In January ...... 0-0 1. Tidra Hardy ...... 272 .....(1990-91) This season, FIU welcomes three newcomers In February ...... 0-0 2. Jerica Coley ...... 249 ..... (2011-12) to the mix, as freshman guard Taylor Shade In March ...... 0-0 3. Lynette Richardson ....233 .....(1984-85) (Boynton Beach, Fla.), freshman guard/ On Monday ...... 0-0 4. Tidra Hardy ...... 230 .....(1991-92) forward Katrina Epnere (Riga, Latvia), and On Tuesday ...... 0-0 5. Giavonne Combs ...... 203 .....(1989-90) junior center Marita Davydova (Moscow, On Wednesday ...... 0-0 Russia) join the ranks of the Panther women’s On Thursday ...... 0-0 Blocked Shots basketball squad. Additionally, Head Coach On Friday ...... 0-0 1. Lasma Jekabsone ...... 92 ..... (2006-07) Cindy Russo, Associate Head Coach Inge On Saturday ...... 0-0 2. Lasma Jekabsone ...... 91 ..... (2005-06) Nissen, and Assistant Coach Desma Thomas On Sunday...... 0-0 3. Albena Branzova ...... 77 .....(1992-93) Bateast will be joined on the sideline by Wearing Blue ...... 0-0 4. Albena Branzova ...... 75 .....(1994-95) fi rst-year assistant coach Cristal Randolph Wearing White ...... 0-0 5. Jerica Coley ...... 65 ..... (2011-12) (Florida Atlantic, 2007). Also in her fi rst season Longest Winning Streak ...... - with the FIU women’s basketball program is Longest Losing Streak ...... - Director of Operations, Shannon McFarland Current Streak ...... - (Clark Atlanta University, 2009).

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BLOCK PARTY ASSOCIATED PRESS ESPN/USA TODAY COACHES FIU returns a pair of prolific shot blockers in TOP 25 POLL - PRESEASON TOP 25 POLL - PRESEASON 2012-13, as senior Finda Mansare and junior Jerica Coley both rank among the top-10 on 1. Baylor (40 fi rst-place votes) 1. Baylor (31 fi rst-place votes) the FIU career blocked shots list, and amongst 2. Connecticut 2. Connecticut the top-10 single-season blocked shots 3. Duke 3. Duke chart. A season ago, Coley led the Sun Belt 4. Stanford 4. Stanford Conference in the category, while Mansare 5. Maryland 5. Maryland ranked third. 6. Kentucky 6. Notre Dame 7. Notre Dame 7. Kentucky CAREER BLOCKED SHOTS 8. Penn State 8. Penn State 9. Louisville 9. Louisville 1. Lasma Jekabsone ...... 251 ..... (2003-07) 10. Georgia 10. Delaware 2. Albena Branzova ...... 250 .....(1991-95) 11. Delaware 11. Georgia 3. Milena Tomova ...... 150 .....(2001-05) 12. Oklahoma 12. Texas A&M 4. Cormisha Cotton ...... 142 .....(1999-03) 13. California 13. St. John’s 5. Silvia Mesa ...... 107 .....(1999-03) 14. St. John’s 14. Oklahoma 6. Finda Mansare ...... 102 .... (2009-pr.) 15. Texas A&M 15. California 7. Elisa Carey ...... 101 .....(2006-10) 16. Vanderbilt 16. Tennessee Marquita Adley ...... 101 .....(2005-10) 17. West Virginia 17. Vanderbilt Teresa Reker ...... 101 .....(1986-90) 18. Nebraska 18. Purdue 10. Jerica Coley ...... 92 .... (2010-pr.) 19. Ohio State 19. Nebraska 20. Tennessee 20. Georgia Tech SINGLE SEASON BLOCKED SHOTS 21. Purdue 21. Ohio State 1. Lasma Jekabsone ...... 92 ..... (2006-07) 22. Georgia Tech 22. West Virginia 2. Lasma Jekabsone ...... 91 ..... (2005-06) 23. Oklahoma State 23. Miami (FL) 3. Albena Branzova ...... 77 .....(1992-93) 24. Miami (FL) 24. Oklahoma State 25. DePaul 25. Green Bay 4. Albena Branzova ...... 75 .....(1994-95) 25. Kansas 5. Jerica Coley ...... 65 ..... (2011-12) Others Receiving Votes and appearing on 6. Lasma Jekabsone ...... 60 ..... (2004-05) two or more ballots: Kansas 90, Middle Others Receiving Votes and appearing on Milena Tomova ...... 60 .....(2003-04) Tennessee 70, Green Bay 57, Texas 52, Iowa two or more ballots: DePaul 68, South Caro- 8. Milena Tomova ...... 57 .....(2004-05) State 51, San Diego State 48, Rutgers 41, lina 49, Gonzaga 43, Georgetown 38, Iowa 9. Albena Branzova ...... 53 .....(1993-94) Georgetown 24, LSU 14, UCLA 14, Virginia State 33, Rutgers 33, Middle Tennessee 28, 10. Finda Mansare ...... 52 ..... (2011-12) 12, Florida State 12, North Carolina 12, Michi- Texas 20, UCLA 11, LSU 11, Virginia 7, Michi- gan 9, Iowa 6, Princeton 4, UTEP 3, South gan 7, St. Bonaventure 6, Iowa 4, Arkansas A COMPETITIVE SLATE Carolina 2, Michigan State 2, Fresno State 2, 4, San Diego State 3, Syracuse 2, Brigham In 2012-13, FIU will face nine teams that Creighton 1, USC 1 Young 2, Marist 1 advanced to NCAA Tournament or Postseason WNIT play in 2011-12, as the Panthers go up Bolded teams indicate FIU 2012-13 opp. Bolded teams indicate FIU 2012-13 opp. against Florida Gulf Coast, Iowa, LSU, West Virginia, Middle Tennessee (twice), Georgia Tech, Quinnipiac, UALR (twice), and Florida Atlantic (twice). Five of those teams are ranked or receiving votes in the AP Preseason Top-25 and the ESPN/USA Today Top-25.

FINISHING STRONG The Panthers fi nished the 2011-12 regular season on a roll, winning six of eight games in the month of February. Going into Sun Belt Conference Championship action, FIU was riding a three-game win streak and extended that streak to a season-best fi ve games before falling to Middle Tennessee in the SBC Championship semifi nals. The Panthers closed out the campaign winning eight of their last 11 contests.

FLASHBACK TO 2011-12 FIU is coming off a 2011-12 season in which the Panthers compiled a record of 23-11 and posted their second-straight, 10-win Sun Belt Conference season with a ledger of 10- 6. FIU advanced to its second-consecutive SBC Championship semifi nal and earned an at-large bid to the Postseason WNIT. A pair of Panthers received All-SBC recognition (Jerica Coley, 1st Team & Finda Mansare, 2nd Team), as Coley was named SBC Player of the Year, and redshirt senior Fanni Hutlassa was tabbed to the SBC All-Tournament Team. Coley and Hutlassa both scored their 1,000th- career point last season, and Coley earned AP All-America Honorable Mention accolades.

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2 3 5 10 12

ALEKSANDRA ZSOFIA TAYLOR KATRINA MARITA BODLOVIC LABADY SHADE EPNERE DAVYDOVA So. ♦ G ♦ 5-5 So. ♦ G ♦ 5-9 Fr. ♦ G ♦ 5-6 Fr. ♦ G/F ♦ 5-9 Jr. ♦ C ♦ 6-3 Novi Sad, Serbia Pecs, Hungary Boynton Beach, Fla. Riga, Latvia Moscow, Russia 13 14 21 22 23

DIAMOND KAMIKA TIMEYIN JERICA FINDA ASHMORE IDOM ORITSESAN COLEY MANSARE Sr. ♦ F ♦ 6-3 So. ♦ G ♦ 5-9 Jr. ♦ G ♦ 5-10 Jr. ♦ G ♦ 5-7 Sr. ♦ F ♦ 6-1 Oklahoma City, Okla. St. Petersburg, Fla. London, England St. Petersburg, Fla. Budapest, Hungary 24 25 32 33

CARMEN ARIELLE TYNIA BRIANNA MILOGLAV DURANT MCKINZIE WRIGHT Sr. ♦ G ♦ 5-7 Jr. ♦ F ♦ 5-7 So. ♦ F ♦ 6-0 RS-Fr. ♦ C/F ♦ 6-2 Dubrovnik, Croatia Lakeland, Fla. Oviedo, Fla. Titusville, Fla.

CINDY INGE DESMA THOMAS CRISTAL SHANNON RUSSO NISSEN BATEAST RANDOLPH MCFARLAND Head Coach Assoc. Head Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Dir. of Operations

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HEAD COACH CINDY RUSSO

34TH SEASON / OLD DOMINION, 1975

In 37 years of women's basketball at FIU, Head Coach Cindy Russo has the Panthers made a third-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and been the driving force for 33 of them. Over that time, she has guided FIU their first as an at-large selection. to 22-consecutive winning seasons (1981-2003) and at least 20 victories on 18 occasions. Russo has led her teams to six NCAA Division I Tournament FIU had its greatest season in the program's history in 1997-98 as the berths, six postseason Women's National Invitation Tournaments (WNIT) Panthers produced a 29-2 record, advancing to the second round of the and two NCAA Division II Tournaments, in addition to winning eight regular NCAA Tournament. FIU started the season with an 11-0 record, and, season conference titles and seven tournament crowns. throughout the year, FIU defeated five NCAA Tournament teams – Purdue, Michigan, Georgia, Miami and Louisville. The Panthers, who failed to receive For her career, Russo has amassed a career record of 670-351 in 35 a vote in the preseason polls, climbed to No. 11 in the AP Poll and No. 12 seasons, and comes into the 2012-13 campaign with a record of 630-329 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. With a 59-45 victory over Marquette across 33 seasons at FIU. Russo has coached seven All-Americans during in the first round of NCAA Tournament play, Russo earned her 400th victory her tenure with the Panthers, including 2012 AP All-American Jerica Coley. at FIU.

In 2011-12, Russo led FIU to an overall record of 23-11, as the Panthers In 1993-94, Russo led her squad to a 25-4 record and the program's first posted their second-straight, 10-win Sun Belt Conference season and NCAA Division I Tournament appearance. The following season, the Panthers advanced to their second-consecutive SBC Championship semifinal. FIU continued to improve as they were picked as high as No. 16 in the preseason earned an at-large bid to the Postseason WNIT, advancing to the postseason national polls. FIU finished the campaign with a mark of 27-5, winning event for the first time since 2005-06, as the Panthers hosted their third-ever an unprecedented fourth-straight TAAC regular season and tournament postseason basketball game, defeating Stetson, 75-47, in Miami before championship, and upsetting Old Dominion, 81-76, in the first round of the falling at USF. The season also saw standout guard Jerica Coley rank as NCAA Tournament. high as No. 2 in the nation in scoring, as she became the first player in FIU women's basketball history to be named SBC Player of the Year en route The women's basketball program first garnered national attention in 1991-92 to All-America honors. Coley and teammate Fanni Hutlassa both joined the when Russo guided FIU to a 23-10 mark in the program’s first season in the 1,000-Point Club that season, becoming the third duo in program history to TAAC. That team earned a berth to the postseason WNIT. One year later, achieve 1,000-career points in the same season. she had only nine student-athletes on the roster, yet still managed a 25-6 record. FIU won the TAAC with a 12-0 record and outscored its conference The previous season, Russo earned her 600th victory at FIU with a 62-59 opponents by 29.6 points per game, while making a second trip to the WNIT. victory over Middle Tennessee on Jan. 29, 2011. Led by Coley, who became Following that season, the team received mention in both the Associated just the second freshman in school history to score 500 points in a season, Press and USA Today/CNN polls for the first time in school history. the Panthers finished second in the SBC East Division and third overall, going on to advance to the SBC Tournament semifinals for the first time since Russo has coached seven All-Americans during her tenure at FIU and 2005-06. FIU finished the 2010-11 campaign with an overall record of 16-16 has had seven players compete professionally: Andrea Nagy (Sacramento and a regular season mark of 10-6 in league play, marking the program’s first Monarchs - WNBA), Dalma Ivanyi (San Antonio Silver Stars - WNBA), 10-win conference season in nine years. Gergana Branzova (Detroit Shock -- WNBA), Albena Branzova (New York Liberty -- WNBA), Gergana Slavtcheva (Phoenix Mercury - WNBA), Jennifer In 2006-07, Russo joined elite company by becoming the 16th women's Bell (Colorado Xplosian -- ABL) and Lynette Richardson (Miami Tropics - basketball head coach to win 600 career games after her Panthers defeated USBL). Two of those players, Nagy and Albena Branzova, were selected to Central Connecticut, 73-51, on Dec. 23, 2006. Russo later received the the TAAC 25th-Anniversary Team. Babe Didrickson Zaharias Award from the Sports Society at the 24th annual Women Athletes Reach for the Stars awards banquet for her efforts. Russo began coaching at her alma mater, Old Dominion, as an assistant coach following a successful collegiate career. She spent two years assisting The 2005-06 season saw Russo guide the Panthers into the postseason, as at ODU before taking the head coaching position at FIU as a graduate FIU advanced to the semifinals of the SBC Tournament behind the firepower assistant for the 1977-78 season. of First Team All-SBC selection Lasma Jekabsone, FIU then received its fifth invitation to the WNIT and the Panthers hosted their second postseason The following fall, Russo accepted the position of head coach at Lamar basketball game, going on to earn a preliminary-round overtime victory over University in Beaumont, Texas, where she guided the Lady Cardinals to the BIG EAST's Cincinnati before falling at cross-town rival Miami. consecutive 20-11 seasons and AIAW playoff berths. She returned to FIU in 1980 and quickly turned the program around. In 1982, FIU enjoyed its first- In 2001-02, Russo picked up her 500th-career victory with a win over Stephen ever winning season, compiling 27 wins to mark a 20-win improvement from F. Austin in the Preseason WNIT. After that impressive feat, she went on to the previous year, and capturing a ninth-place finish at the AIAW Nationals. lead the Panthers to their first SBC regular season and tournament crowns, For those accomplishments, Russo was selected as Florida’s Coach of the and sixth NCAA Division I Tournament appearance. That season, Russo Year. picked up her first SBC Coach of the Year accolade and eighth overall such honor, as FIU finished the regular season ranked in the top 25 in both the A native of Portsmouth, Va., Russo received her bachelor’s degree in health Associated Press and USA Today polls. and physical education from Old Dominion in 1975. She was one of the first female student-athletes to receive athletic grant-in-aid at ODU, and garnered The Panthers began competition in the Sun Belt Conference in 1998-99 after honorable mention honors on ODU’s All-Time Lady Monarch squad, as voted spending eight years in the Trans America Athletic Conference. FIU finished on by fans on the University’s athletic website, in 2006. In 1978, she earned 23-7 overall and 9-3 in the conference, and was ranked in the top 25 for the her master’s degree in physical education from FIU. third-consecutive season. With victories over Harvard, Washington and WKU,

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