Vanguard plays exhibition

Vanguard women’s hoops exhibition preThe Vanguard University women’s basketball team will unveil its 2005-06 roster in an exhibition game against USC tonight at 7 at USC’s Lyon Center.

The Lions, ranked No. 1 in the preseason NAIA poll, are coming off a 32-4 season in which they reached the quarterfinals of the NAIA Division I Tournament. Coach Russ Davis’ squad is led by returning All-American Kelly Schmidt, who averaged 22.9 points as a sophomore last season, tops in NAIA Division I.

Vanguard is also keyed by 6-foot-2 junior Rachel Besse, another All-Golden State Athletic Conference performer.

The Lions will also feature sophomore transfers Jessica Richter (Syracuse) and Tiari Goold (BYU).

Richter, a 5-10 sophomore guard, was on the Big East Conference All-Freshman team last season, when she averaged 14.3 points per contest.

Goold, a 5-7 junior point guard, is expected to step in for Lisa Faulkner, who earned NAIA Co-Player of the Year honors as a senior last season.

USC, picked to finish second in the PAC 10 in a preseason coaches’ poll, comes off a 20-11 campaign. Coach Mark Trakh, a longtime friend of Davis, guided USC to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

-- Barry Faulkner