November 2006

GW Basketball Teams Set Sights on
New Season

GW junior Kimberly Beck will lead the women's basketball team in its quest for a sixth straight regular season Atlantic 10 title.

By Frank Broomell

GW’s hoops season tips off this month with both the men’s and women’s teams looking to defend their regular season Atlantic 10 titles. For the men, it will mean harnessing the skills of a young team, while the women hope their breadth of experience will help propel them through a difficult schedule.

The men’s team, which had the highest percentage of wins in the nation in 2005-06, faces the season without four of last year’s starters in a conference that’s more competitive than ever, says Men’s Basketball Coach Karl Hobbs. Hobbs points to the play of senior Carl Elliott—the one returning starter—and junior Maureece Rice as keys to the team’s success this season, while seniors Regis Koundjia and Dokun Akingbade will need to be “impact players.”

The team, GW’s youngest since 2002, will begin the season Nov. 10 against Boston University and within the A-10 on Jan. 3 against Fordham University. The team will also play Virginia Tech in the BB&T Classic Dec. 3 and make two trips to the west coast.

The GW women’s basketball team is in search of its sixth straight regular season A-10 title. And after a young Colonials team advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament last season, expectations are high.

The Colonials are returning 13 players, and Coach Joe McKeown expects their experience to help them this season. McKeown will look to junior Kimberly Beck
to lead the team, while he predicts that sophomore Jessica Adair could have a breakout season.

The Colonial women’s schedule includes 2006 NCAA champions University of Maryland and perennial powerhouse Tennessee along with four other teams from last year’s NCAA tournament. The season starts with the BTI Classic, Nov. 17-19. A-10 play will begin Jan. 9 against the University
of Richmond.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu