Aug. 13, 2004

LOS ANGELES, Calif.

Seniors Shyra Ely and Loree Moore were selected to the John R. Wooden Women's Award Preseason All-America Team by the National Advisory Board on Friday, Aug. 13, 2004. This marks the second consecutive season that the duo has been named to the team. The heralded Lady Vols join 28 of the nation's top players who are expected to vie for the prestigious honor.

Ely returns for her senior season after an extremely successful 2003-04 campaign. En route to helping Tennessee to the NCAA National Championship Game for the second straight year, the Indianapolis, Ind., native was tabbed as a Kodak All-American, becoming the 18th Lady Vol to be honored as such. Extremely talented at both ends of the floor, she led the team in scoring (14.5 ppg), rebounding (8.0 rpg) and double-doubles (10) and was second on the squad in steals (44). In doing so, she was a unanimous selection to the All-SEC First Team and was named to the All-America Third Team by the Associated Press.

After having last season cut short due to a torn ACL suffered on Jan. 24 at Duke, Moore will return to the hardwood as Tennessee's point guard and top playmaker. Prior to the injury, the Lakewood, Calif., product started all 17 games and led the team in steals (48) and assists (48), while her 2.82 spg ranked her third in the conference. Additionally, she registered double-figure point totals in six contests and earned her first career double-double with an 11-point, 10-rebound performance in the overtime victory at DePaul. Moore will enter the upcoming season in 10th place on UT's all-time steals list with 225.

While only returning players were considered for the Preseason Team, transfers, freshmen and other players that excel throughout the season will be eligible for the Midseason Top 20 List to be released in mid-January before the final ballot is finalized in March. The 2005 award ceremony will be held at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on April 9 and will be broadcast live on a national CBS telecast.

Joining Ely and Moore on the All-America Team are three fellow Southeastern Conference players: Seimone Augustus (LSU), Temeka Johnson (LSU) and Tan White (Mississippi State). Only the Big 12 had more representatives (six) than the SEC.

John R. Wooden Award Preseason All-America Team

Seimone Augustus (LSU)
Jacqueline Batteast (Notre Dame)
Steffanie Blackmon (Baylor)
Nikki Blue (UCLA)
Jamie Carey (Texas)
Monique Currie (Duke)
Shyra Ely (Tennessee)
Emily Faurholt (Idaho State)
Katie Feenstra (Liberty)
Katie Gearlds (Purdue)
Sandora Irvin (TCU)
Dionnah Jackson (Oklahoma)
Tiffany Jackson (Texas)
Temeka Johnson (LSU)
Camille Little (North Carolina)
Kristen Mann (UC Santa Barbara)
Janel McCarville (Minnesota)
Loree Moore (Tennessee)
Shawntinice Polk (Arizona)
Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers)
Noelle Quinn (UCLA)
Heather Schreiber (Texas)
Khara Smith (DePaul)
Kim Smith (Utah)
Ann Strother (Connecticut)
Kelley Suminski (Stanford)
Barbara Turner (Connecticut)
Kendra Wecker (Kansas State)
Tan White (Mississippi State)
Tanisha Wright (Penn State)