News Article

GU rarin’ to go

By Dale Goodwin

(Spokane, WA – 3/13/07) -- Travel and hotel arrangements have been set, the scouting report on Middle Tennessee State is coming together and the Gonzaga women’s basketball team is just eager to get going on its first-ever trip to the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

“We’re nervous, but excited,” said senior Katie Ridenour, who has played in more Gonzaga basketball games than any female player in school history. “We’re ready. We just want to get down there and go.”

“Down there” is Palo Alto, Calif., and Maples Pavilion on the Stanford University campus, site of Gonzaga’s first-round game against 5 th-seed Middle Tennessee State (29-3). The 12th-seeded Bulldogs (24-9) are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament after having captured both the West Coast Conference regular-season and tournament titles.

Having both men’s and women’s team s in their respective tournaments has presented some staffing challenges, said Heather Gores, Gonzaga’s associate athletic director and senior women’s administrator. In the past eight years nearly every non-coach in the athletic department has been assigned tasks to get ready for the men’s tournament. Now, with two teams and two tournaments to plan for, staff have had to split their duties.

“Our marketing and promotion director is coordinating cheer squad and band for the women’s tournament,” Gores said. “Because our cheerleaders and band will be with our men’s team in Sacramento, at the women’s tournament we’ll be using our dance team as our cheer squad and we’re hiring an area high school band to play for the women. I’m doing travel and hotels, and our assistant sports information director is handling all media needs. Our compliance coordinator is helping our assistant ticket manager with ticket operations.”

Speaking of tickets, the athletic department still has “plenty of tickets available” for the women’s tournament in Palo Alto. A session ticket for Saturday’s games between Gonzaga and Middle Tennessee State, and No. 4 Ohio State (28-3) vs. No. 13 Marist (27-5), are priced at $21 and $26. For tickets, call the Gonzaga ticket office between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at 509.323.6000.

The Zags met as a team to cover travel and tournament matters, and then practiced at McCarthey Athletic Center. They will practice at home Wednesday before flying to San Jose Thursday, arriving just before dinner time. They should be to their hotel and in front of their TVs by the time the Gonzaga men’s team tips off their tournament game in Sacramento against Indiana at about 6:45 p.m.

The women will practice on their own at an undisclosed Bay Area site Friday, then hold a public practice at Maples from 4-4:50 p.m. Coach Kelly Graves and a couple of his players will be part of the NCAA’s news conference at 3:20 p.m. Friday at the host venue. The women will hold an open shoot-around at Maples Pavilion Saturday from 8:40-9 a.m.

ZagNotes: Dale Goodwin is covering the Bulldogs at the tournament in Palo Alto and welcomes contacts from alumni, parents of current students and friends of the University. While he is in Palo Alto, please contact him via e-mail at goodwin@gu.gonzaga.edu if there are alumni events or other happenings of interest to Zags fans who will be in Palo Alto for the Tournament.