Oct. 16, 2008

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State women's basketball will officially start practice for the 2008-09 season on Friday, Oct. 17 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The Aggie women will practice from 4-6:30 p.m.

Utah State was picked sixth in the Western Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll and seventh in the preseason media poll. The No. 6 ranking by the coaches is the highest for the Aggies since joining the WAC for the 2005-06 season. Utah State ended last season 9-20 overall and 5-11 in the WAC which was good for a seventh-place finish.

For the second-straight season, the Aggies had a player named on the WAC preseason all-WAC team when senior guard Danyelle Snelgro was named to the second-team. Last season, senior Taylor Richards was also named to the second-team.

USU returns nine letterwinners from last year's team, including two starters, Danyelle Snelgro and senior center Ndoumbe Diop. Snelgro averaged 9.2 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game. She also led the team in steals with 68 and assists with 82.

Diop is part of the corps of post players that will give the Aggies some much needed height. There are five different players who are 6-0 or taller on the Utah State roster this season, including Banna Diop who stands at an impressive 6-6.

The Aggies begin the 2008-09 season on Monday, Nov. 3 with an exhibition against Montana Tech at 7 p.m. at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.