Oct. 26, 2009
SPOKANE, Wash. - Basketball fans will have their first opportunity to see the 2009-10 Gonzaga University women's basketball team as the Zags will play in a Blue and White Scrimmage this Friday at 6 p.m. in the McCarthey Athletic Center. The event is open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis until every seat is full. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the first 200 fans to arrive will receive a free t-shirt.
The 2009-10 Bulldog players and staff will be introduced, followed by Gonzaga head coach Kelly Graves addressing the crowd. The scrimmage will then begin and consist of two, 20-minute running clock halves.
"This is a great opportunity for the public to get their first glance at our team," said Graves. "It will be great for our players to hit the court and experience all the excitement that surrounds Gonzaga women's basketball."
Along with the scrimmage, posters, schedule cards and magnets will be given away and an autograph session with all the women's players after the scrimmage. Spike will also be in attendance.
Gonzaga is coming off arguably its best season in school history. The Bulldogs won their fifth-straight West Coast Conference regular-season title, second WCC Tournament title in three years and claimed their second NCAA Tournament berth.
The Zags return 12 letterwinners, including four starters and add four newcomers for the 2009-10 season. Returnees include reigning WCC Player of the Year Courtney Vandersloot, 2008 WCC Player of the Year Heather Bowman, first-team All-WCC Vivian Frieson and Janelle Bekkering, who helped lead the Canadian National Team to a third place finish this summer at the FIBA World Championships.
The Bulldogs open the season Nov. 6 with an exhibition contest against Warner Pacific University, then open the regular season on the road at South Dakota State University, Nov. 13. The Zags first home regular-season game in Thursday, Nov. 19 against the University of Southern California (USC).
