SAN FRANCISCO — Nine international players, eight newcomers – all true freshmen, seven international newcomers, five returners, two seniors, and one game to kick off the 2018-19 season, as the San Francisco women's basketball team rolls into the new season Friday at home versus South Bay foe San Jose State.
PLENTY OF FRESH FACES
The Dons welcome eight newcomers to the team this season – all true freshmen – and seven of them from outside the U.S. With newcomers outnumbering returners, and even the international newcomers outnumbering the five returning letterwinners the Dons have this year, the fresh faces will be sure to see plenty of playing time.
Kia Vaalavirta from Finland,
Marta Galic and
Lucija Kostic from Croatia,
Marianna Klavina from Latvia,
Julia Nielacna from Poland and
Abby Rathbun from Moses Lake, Wash., all figure to find themselves with a lion's share of minutes this year.
KEY VETERANS RETURN
The Dons' No. 2 and No. 3 rebounders from a year ago return this season in
Moa Lundqvist and
Shannon Powell, respectively. The duo was also among the team's top-five in scoring and assists last year. Lundqvist and Powell are also the Dons' lone returning starters from last year's team that posted a second straight top-five finish in the WCC standings and made the program's fourth consecutive appearance in the West Coast Conference Championship Tournament semifinals.
Powell and fellow guard
Veronica Preciado are USF's only seniors this season and will provide the veteran leadership to a group of nine freshmen and sophomores. Junior
Nia Alexander is also back and will figure into the Dons' lineup as an important guard. Australian sophomore
Bec Black also returns to round out the Dons' group of returners.
CHALLENGING SCHEDULE
The Dons did not go lightly on their schedule this season with all their newcomers, instead rolling out a calendar of challenging non-conference games that will roll them right into the competitive WCC season.
San Francisco has four 2017-18 postseason teams on its schedule this year, including annual powerhouse and Bay Area foe Stanford, and two-time defending Big West Conference champion UC Davis. The Dons travel to Stanford – a Sweet 16 team last year - on Nov. 15 and host the Aggies – who made a run to the quarterfinals of the WNIT – on Dec. 15. USF also hosts defending Big Sky Conference champion and NCAA Tournament participant Northern Colorado on Nov. 23. They will face two-time defending WCC champion Gonzaga on the road on Jan. 24 and host the Bulldogs – currently riding a 12-year postseason appearance streak – on Feb. 23.
