UConn's Moore, Charles to Preseason All-America Team

By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Sports Writer
     Preseason or postseason, Maya Moore is making a habit of racking
up honors.
     The UConn junior became just the seventh unanimous choice on The
Associated Press' preseason All-America team Tuesday, garnering all
40 votes from a national media panel. It's the third straight year
a player has been a unanimous choice in the preseason.
     ``It's a great honor to be mentioned with them,'' said Moore,
who was one vote short of being an unanimous choice last preseason.
``I've been truly blessed to have such great teammates.''
     Moore was joined on the preseason squad by teammate Tina
Charles, Stanford's Jayne Appel, Ohio State's Jantel Lavender, and
Virginia's Monica Wright. It was the fifth time two players from
the same team made the All-America squad.
     UConn also had two of the four other pairs of teammates on a
preseason team _ Jen Rizzotti and Kara Wolters in 1995-96 and Shea
Ralph and Svetlana Abrosimova in 2000-01.
     Moore has already made the All-America team in her first two
years and was the AP's player of the year last season. She averaged
19.3 points and 8.9 rebounds last season in helping UConn to a 39-0
record. The Huskies are a unanimous No. 1 in the preseason poll
this year
     Charles stepped up her game in the NCAA tournament, earning most
outstanding player honors. The senior center is on pace to set the
school career scoring record.
     ``Tina really has made huge strides in consistency over the last
few months starting with the NCAA tournament and going through the
summer playing with USA basketball,'' Connecticut coach Geno
Auriemma said. ``She saw what she can do and now just needs to do
it every game.''
     Appel also made a splash in the NCAA tournament. She scored 46
points in the regional finals against Iowa State and followed up
with a 26-point effort in the national semifinals loss to UConn.
     ``It's a thrill to be an All-American,'' the Stanford senior
said.
     Moore, Charles, and Appel were among the 23 invitees to USA
basketball's national team training camp that took place at the end
of September.
     ``It really is flattering to be considered among the best of the
best,'' Appel said.
     Lavender averaged 20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds in helping Ohio
State to a 29-6 record and a Big Ten title. She is just the second
Ohio State player, joining Jessica Davenport, to be honored as a
preseason All-America.
     Wright became the first Virginia player to earn preseason honors
since Wendy Palmer in 1995-96. Palmer is now an assistant coach
with the Cavaliers. Wright was surprised to learn she had now
joined her coach.
     ``Wow. That is quite an honor,'' Wright said. ``To be in the
same category as Wendy is truly special.''
     The senior guard led Virginia with 20.5 points and will be
called upon to provide more leadership this year with the Cavaliers
having such a young team.
     ``This is a great All-America team because everyone of these
players has earned it over what they've done through their
careers,'' said DePaul's Doug Bruno, who has coached all five
players during different stints with USA Basketball. ``It's
especially great for Monica Wright, who has flown under the
radar.''

     (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)