June 29, 2001

MILWAUKEE -- Three teams that made the NCAA Tournament a year ago, including 13th-ranked Vanderbilt, highlight the UWM women's basketball schedule released today by head coach Sandy Botham.

Vanderbilt, which advanced to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national-champion Notre Dame, will make its first trip to the Klotsche Center in late November. Also facing off with the Panthers from the field of 64 are No. 25 Wisconsin and Saint Mary's (Calif.).

"It's great that we have a challenging non-conference schedule because they will challenge us early and prepare us for our league schedule," Botham said. "We play three top-25 teams, including two at home. The opportunity to play those caliber of teams at home is exciting for our team and for our fans, especially after the year we just had."

The Panther women open their season on the road at Northern Illinois, which UWM defeated 58-52 last season in Milwaukee. After a home meeting with Illinois State, and a trip to the Montana State tournament, the Panthers will play host to cross-town rival Marquette for the 35th time.

UWM will play its first Horizon League game when Loyola crosses state lines on Jan. 3. The Panthers will open the league season at home for the second consecutive year, and will shoot for their 17th-straight league home win. UWM's Horizon League schedule features a home-and-home series with each league foe, including league newcomer Youngstown State. The Panthers and Penguins last met in 1994 as members of the Mid-Continent Conference, and split the series at three games each.

In their last game before the inaugural Horizon League Tournament, the Panthers will host UW-Green Bay in a rematch after last season's MCC Championship game. The Panthers downed the Phoenix, 77-62, to advance to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament.

A loss to No. 5 Duke in last year's NCAA Tournament ended the team's most successful season to date. UWM finished last season with a school-record 12 conference wins, while its 19 wins overall were the most since the program went to Division I. The Panthers entered the NCAA Tournament last season on the strength of a school record-tying nine game winning streak.