Sept. 22, 2009

SPOKANE, Wash. - The Gonzaga University women's basketball team earned a preseason Top 10 ranking by SLAM Magazine in its 2009-10 College Basketball Preview, now available at newsstands. Junior Courtney Vandersloot also was named to the Athlon Sports Magazine's 2009-10 Preseason All-America Second Team in its college preview.

SLAM, who ranked only the women's Top 10, cited "Save for the national favorite, parity has arrived, as the Zags are the third mid-major to make our Top 10. Gonzaga plays a big-time schedule early in the season, but the Zags have the big-time talent to handle it." The magazine states Vandersloot, senior Heather Bowman and junior Janelle Bekkering, who is currently playing with the Canadian National Team, are Gonzaga's key players.

SLAM's Top 10 also consists for No. 1 Connecticut, No. 2 Stanford, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Xavier, No. 6 North Carolina, No. 7 Michigan State, No. 8 Middle Tennessee, and No. 9 Vanderbilt.

Joining Vandersloot on Athlon's Preseason All-America Second Team are Alysha Clark (Middle Tennessee State), Rachele Fitz (Marist), Jantel Lavender (Ohio State), and Danielle McCray (Kansas).

This is the third preseason accolade for the point guard from Kent, Wash. Vandersloot also was named to the prestigious "Wade Watch" list for the State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award Watch List.