UT Arlington Women's Basketball Season Outlook

FB: 09/02/10 Elizabeth City State vs. Central Arkansas 7 p.m.

FB: 09/02/10 Southeastern Louisiana at Tulane 7 p.m.

VB: 09/02/10 Southeastern Louisiana at South Alabama 7 p.m.

XC: 09/02/10 at TBA

VB: 09/03/10 Alabama A&M at Southeastern Louisiana 10 a.m.

VB: 09/03/10 LSU at Central Arkansas 11 a.m.

VB: 09/03/10 UC Davis at Texas State 11 a.m.

VB: 09/03/10 Arkansas-Little Rock vs. UT Arlington 1 p.m.

WSOC: 09/03/10 Jackson State vs. Nicholls 3 p.m.

VB: 09/03/10 Tennessee Tech at Northwestern State 3 p.m.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

UT Arlington Women's Basketball Season Outlook

Courtesy: Southland.org

Release: 11/06/2009

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UT Arlington Preview

UT Arlington junior forward Shalyn Martin returns as the Mavs top defensive player, leading the team with 40 blocked shots and finishing third in rebounding with 5.5 per game.

Courtesy: Southland.org
http://www.southland.org
UT Arlington junior forward Shalyn Martin returns as the Mavs top defensive player, leading the team with 40 blocked shots and finishing third in rebounding with 5.5 per game.

After finishing the 2008-09 season with a 22-11 overall record, a Southland Conference title and a WNIT appearance, the Mavericks expectations are high heading into the new year.

The Mavs return five from the previous season in seniors Kiarra Shofner, Meghan Nelson and LaTosha Duffey and juniors Tamara Simmons and Shalyn Martin. Nelson, Simmons and Martin finished the season averaging in double-figures and collected post-season honors for UTA.

The trio will be a key factor in the Mavericks success this season due to the graduation of Southland Conference leading scorer and rebounder Candice Champion and the league's second leading rebounder Erin Dixon. Together, Champion and Dixon combined for 972 of the Mavericks 2,408 points and 656 of 941 total rebounds.

Of the three seniors, Nelson saw the most playing time appearing in all 33 games while making 24 starts in the rotation. She led the team in steals with 45, finished the season averaging 10.4 points per game, and earned Honorable Mention All-Southland Conference post-season honors.

Simmons finished third on the team in scoring behind Champion and Dixon with 11.5 points and led the team in assists with 124. Martin returns as the Mavericks top defensive player, leading the team with 40 blocked shots and finishing third in rebounding with 5.5 per game.

Compared to last season where UTA had a total of eight players on the roster, this season will be different as five newcomers and two redshirts have been added to the squad. Redshirts Ryan Green and Veronica Mergerson sat out last season and both should provide depth to the forward position.

The newcomer's lineup consists of three guards and two forwards. Guard LaNell Taylor leads the pack with the most experience coming from Seward Junior College where she finished her final season appearing in all 34 games and averaged 9.3 points per game. Sabreena DeNure and Kiara Parker come from well known high school basketball programs and complete the guard position.

A native of Houston, Texas, Donna Dike is one of five forwards that look's to fill the void of former seniors Champion and Dixon. Dike was a first team all-district honoree and finished her final season averaging 15 points and 15 rebounds per game at Westside High School.

Grapevine High School product, Erica Paskell joins Dike at the forward position. Paskell earned first team all-district honors and was named the mustang's most valuable player as a junior.