Sept. 18, 2008
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara women's basketball head coach Jennifer Mountain announced the team's 2008-09 schedule this week. The Broncos will battle five teams - Minnesota, Utah, West Virginia, UC Santa Barbara and San Diego - that advanced to the 2008 NCAA Tournament and will host 12 contests in the recently upgraded Leavey Center.
"I feel good about our schedule," said Mountain. "Our opening home game is against Minnesota, who is a very good program. We're trying to bump up our schedule as much as we can and as quickly as we can without putting ourselves in a hole. We have a good balance this year. The WCC is going to be strong this year as well. Anybody can beat anybody on any given night."
The newly enhanced Leavey Center received offseason upgrades that include the addition of almost 150 chairback seats in the upper-level West side of the arena (sections 209-213). Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (408) 554-4660, emailing BroncoTickets@scu.edu or visiting www.SantaClaraBroncos.com.
The season begins with an exhibition game against the Melbourne Roos of Australia on Nov. 11 and then the first regular-season game of the year at Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 14. The Broncos officially open their home schedule on Nov. 16 against the Golden Gophers of Minnesota at 2 p.m. Santa Clara remains home to host Sacramento State on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. before taking off for a seven-game road swing.
SCU will face Northern Arizona on Nov. 24 and then battles Florida Gulf Coast on Nov. 26 in Fort Myers, Fla. The Broncos remain in the Sunshine State for the UM Thanksgiving Tournament hosted by the University of Miami. In the opening round, Santa Clara will take on Chicago State at 2 p.m. PT on Nov. 28, and will then face Austin Peay or Miami on Nov. 29.
The Broncos return to the West Coast, but remain on the road for three more contests to open the month of December - UC Davis on Dec. 1, Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 6 and Utah on Dec. 13. On Dec. 18, Santa Clara will host Nevada at 7 p.m., and then its rival Broncos of Boise State on Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. Before breaking for the winter holidays, SCU will host BIG EAST power West Virginia on Dec. 22 at 5 p.m. The Broncos return to action on Dec. 28 against the Gauchos of UC Santa Barbara and then bring their non-conference schedule to a close on Jan. 3 against local foe San Jose State.
The West Coast Conference schedule opens on Jan. 8 at the Leavey Center against long-time rival Saint Mary's. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Seniors Elizabeth Doran, Sara Majors and Claire Goins will play in their last regular-season home contest on Feb. 21 against the Dons of San Francisco. The Broncos then end the 2008-09 regular-season on the road against Gonzaga on Feb. 26 and Portland on Feb. 28.
The 2009 WCC Basketball Championships will be held on March 6-9, 2009 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., while a possible postseason will be announced on Monday, March 16, 2009.