Oct. 13, 2005

Charlotte, NC - According to the pundits, the Lady Rams of Winston-Salem State University will have their work cut out for them in the ultra-competitive CIAA Women's Basketball Western Division in 2005-06 as WSSU has been predicted to finish third overall. 

The Lady Rams, who finished the 2004-05 season with a 15-15 overall record and a CIAA Tournament semi-finals appearance, will open the season with what could be described as a loaded roster as WSSU returns four starters from last season's team, all of whom averaged eight points per game or better. 

WSSU loses only one starter from 2004-05's team in Nikki Eason (9.4 ppg/5/6 apg) as they will return a core nucleus of experienced veterans as the Lady Rams look towards their goal of earning their first-ever CIAA title.

Despite finishing the CIAA regular season with a 5-11 conference record last season, the Lady Rams finished the season with a furious push towards a title as they earned a CIAA semi-finals berth and saw a championship game appearance slip away as a last-second game-winner came up just short versus Elizabeth City State University. 

The Lady Rams benefit from five key returnees, the most important of which is undoubtedly forward Shalonda Carter (Jr./Fayetteville, NC).  Carter, a redshirt junior from Fayetteville, NC who was named to the All-CIAA Preseason Team on Thursday, will again be the backbone for WSSU.  Carter's return brings with it 13.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game as the Lady Rams will welcome back to the lineup the CIAA's 12^th leading scorer and 3^rd leading rebounder.

Joining Carter will be Janet Robinson, a senior guard from Durham, NC who averaged 11.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season.  Guards Latoya Armstrong (Jr./Rocky Mount, NC) a second-year transfer from Campbell University and Kadina Baldwin (Jr./Fayetteville, NC) will round out the WSSU backcourt, and will bring with them their 8.7 and 7.9 points per game respectively.

Tiffany Tonkins, a senior forward from Greensboro, NC returns to the lineup after a breakout season in 2004-05.  The Lady Rams' all-time leader in blocked shots and the conference's leader in blocks last season (3.0 bpg) will be an integral part of WSSU's championship bid in `05-'06.

WSSU Head Coach John Williams who enters into his fourth season with the Lady Rams issued the following statement:

"I think that the selection went as I thought that it would.  The votes turned out to be what I figured, and we are looking forward to finishing higher than what the voters have picked us to.  We have a very difficult season ahead, with a very competitive conference, and a tough task lies in wait for us if we hope to win.  In order to accomplish our goal of a CIAA title we need to play our best basketball.  We need to blossom this season.  Of course this all starts with Shalonda, and as she is a preseason All-CIAA pick, we are excited about our season with her and our other key returnees.  As a staff and an athletic department as a whole, we are looking forward to seeing how far we can take it this year."

The Lady Rams open their season on November 3^rd, 2005 versus Wake Forest University in an exhibition game at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the first half of a Rams versus Deacons "Twin City Shootout" double-header. 

For additional information on WSSU basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Sports Information at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at WSSURAMS.com

Predicted Order Of Finish:

Western Division

North Carolina Central University

Fayetteville State University

Winston-Salem State University

Johnson C. Smith University

Saint Augustine's College

Livingstone College

Eastern Division

Shaw University

Elizabeth City State University

Virginia Union University

Bowie State University

Virginia State University

Saint Paul's College

Pre-Season All-CIAA Team:

Celeste Trahan-Elizabeth City State

Deanna Price-Elizabeth City State

Tiffany Mitchell-Fayetteville State

Brittany Sumpter-Johnson C. Smith

Tiana Pope-Johnson C. Smith

Lina Love Brown-Livingstone College

Cassie King-North Carolina Central

Valicia Brown-Saint Augustine's

Natassia Boucicault-Shaw

Nikki Bowen-Saint Paul's

Erica Glasper-Virginia State

Shalonda Carter-Winston-Salem State

wssurams.com