The University of Tulsa women's basketball team will begin the fourth season under the direction of Head Coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson today, as practice gets underway tonight at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

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Tulsa Women's Basketball Season Gets Underway Today with First Practice

Thomas-Swinson in fourth season as head coach

Oct. 17, 2008

Tulsa, Oklahoma - The University of Tulsa women's basketball team will begin the fourth season under the direction of Head Coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson today, as practice gets underway tonight at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

Thomas-Swinson is assisted by Sharon Allen, Chandra Dorsey and Aaron Swinson. Dorsey is in her second season with the Golden Hurricane, while Allen and Swinson are new additions for the 2008-09 campaign.

With eight returning letterwinners, including all five starters from a year ago, six newcomers and a red-shirt freshman, the Tulsa women's basketball team will be "Storming Into the Future" this season.

Tatum Beer, ReShawndra Jackson, Chanel Johnson, Kara Vaughan and Larrissa Williams combined for 141 of 155 starting assignments last season, with Beer, Jackson and Williams getting the starting nod in all 31 contests. Teka Brooks, Kensey Hall, Kathleen Moroney and Adria Phillips also return to the lineup, while junior-transfer Antoinette Brown and freshmen Meoshi Bradley, Tiffani Couisnard, Virginia DeWare, Savannah Hamilton and Chanice Scott join the TU team this year.

The added depth to the Tulsa roster will be a welcome addition this season, as last season's starting five averaged over 29 minutes a game due to an already short bench that was plagued with injuries. The Golden Hurricane stressed conditioning in the offseason to help reach a higher level of endurance and intensity this year.

The Golden Hurricane will play a 28-game regular-season schedule, featuring eight 2008 postseason teams, 14 home contests, including the Holiday Inn Select Holiday Classic, a 16-game conference slate and state rivals Oklahoma and Oral Roberts.

The eight 2008 postseason teams include Arkansas-Little Rock (WNIT), Marist (NCAA), Oklahoma (NCAA), Oral Roberts (NCAA), SMU (NCAA), Southern Miss (WNIT), Texas-San Antonio (NCAA) and UTEP (NCAA).

The Backcourt

Nine student-athletes will make up TU's backcourt this season, including the returners Beer, Hall, Jackson, Moroney and Phillips. Newcomers joining the backcourt this year are Bradley, Brown, Hamilton and Scott.

Beer, a 5-8 sophomore from Sapulpa, Okla., started all 31 games as a true freshman, and averaged 8.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.8 steals. She had 12 double-figure scoring games, including a season-best 21 points against Southeast Missouri in her first collegiate contest. Beer led the team in assists (93) and steals (56) last year.

A 5-11 sophomore from Saginaw, Mich., Jackson averaged 7.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, while also starting all 31 contests as a true freshman last season. She registered a personal-best 19 points against UTEP, and scored in double digits in eight games. Jackson also pulled down seven rebounds in three games, had six steals against Memphis and five assists vs. Belmont for personal bests.

Phillips, a 5-8 junior from Fort Smith, Ark., played in 20 games, missing just one contest after becoming eligible for competition on Dec. 18th. She averaged 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds, and turned in personal bests of eight points vs. SMU, four rebounds against both Memphis and SMU, and four steals vs. UAB.

A 5-11 sophomore from Claremore, Okla., Hall earned a starting assignment in seven of 13 games played as a freshman. She averaged 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds, and turned in a season-best performance with six points, eight rebounds, six assists and one block against Sam Houston State.

Moroney, a red-shirt freshman from Allen, Texas, was a two-year letterwinner at Allen High School. She served as team captain her senior season, and picked up Texas 85A all-district honorable mention accolades.

A 6-0 junior-transfer from Detroit, Mich., Brown was a two-year letterwinner at Schoolcraft College. She led Schoolcraft to the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Eastern Conference Championship while averaging 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals as a sophomore. For her efforts, Brown earned second-team Division II NJCAA All-America accolades, and received all-conference and all-region honors. She played her prep career at Detroit Northwestern High School.

Bradley, a 5-8 freshman from Pine Bluff, Ark., was a four-year letterwinner at Dollarway High School. She averaged 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 8.0 blocks, 6.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game. Bradley concluded her prep career as her school's all-time leading scorer, assists leader and free throw shooter, and earned first-team Pine Bluff Commercial all-conference honors all four years.

A 5-11 freshman from Preston, Okla., Hamilton was a three-year letterwinner at Preston High School. She led her team to the 2006 Oklahoma Class 2A State Championship and a runner-up finish at the 2007 Oklahoma Class 2A State Championship. Hamilton earned all-state tournament team accolades as a junior and senior, and during her career received Tulsa World, Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma Coaches Association and Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association all-state honors.

Scott, a 5-10 freshman from San Antonio, Texas, was a four-year letterwinner at Sam Houston High School. She averaged 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 steals, 2.0 assists and 1.0 blocks per game, and was selected as the SHHS Female Athlete of the Year and Girls' Basketball MVP as a senior. Scott earned first-team all-district honors all four years.

The Frontcourt

Six student-athletes make up the frontcourt this season, including returners Brooks, Johnson, Vaughan and Williams, as well as newcomers Couisnard and DeWare.

Johnson, TU's lone senior on the squad, started 24 of 31 games as a junior, and averaged 10.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. She had four double-doubles, tallied 17 double-figure scoring games and four double-figure rebounding contests last year. Johnson had 85 blocks on the season, the best for a Tulsa player, the second-best in the league and the 12th-best in the NCAA. She picked up C-USA all-defensive team accolades and was named as TU's Defensive Player of the Year.

A 6-3 junior from Little Rock, Ark., Williams has started 47 of 61 career games including all 31 contests last season. She is slated to be a major scoring force for the Golden Hurricane again this year, as she has had 30 double-figure scoring games and 20 double-figure rebounding contests in her career. As a sophomore, Williams notched 14.4 points and 9.5 rebounds, leading TU in both categories. She picked up All-C-USA third team honors and was selected as TU's Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore. Williams has career highs of 27 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocks.

Vaughan, a 6-0 sophomore from Norman, Okla., started 24 of 31 games as a true freshman. She averaged 6.1 points and 4.5 rebounds, and had six double-figure scoring games. Vaughan posted personal bests of 13 points vs. East Carolina, nine rebounds against Sam Houston State and four steals vs. Memphis.

A 6-1 junior from Denton, Texas, Brooks has started 15 of 61 career games. She averaged 5.4 points and 5.6 rebounds as a sophomore, and had five double-figure scoring games and four double-figure rebounding contests. Brooks owns a career-best 18 points against UTSA, 15 rebounds vs. South Alabama and five blocks against Sam Houston State.

Couisnard, a 6-1 freshman from Houston, Texas, was a four-year letterwinner at The Kinkaid School. She scored 1,518 points, and had 1,401 rebounds, 363 steals 226 blocks and 250 assists in her prep career. Couisnard was a two-time all-SPC and three-time all-South Zone honoree.

A 6-3 freshman from Bixby, Okla., DeWare was a four-year letterwinner at Bixby High School. She averaged 16.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, and was a McDonald's All-American nominee as a senior.

With Tulsa's experience and added depth for the 2008-09 season, TU will take to the court this season with a renewed team spirit and determination to "storm into the future".