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From the UGA Sports Communications Office:

NEW YORK, NY — Andy Landers, Hall of Fame coach of the Georgia Lady Bulldogs, will be among the featured guests at the 2008 Jimmy V Basketball Classic New York Dinner Auction on October 14.

The V Foundation for Cancer Research, one of the nation’s leading cancer research fundraising organizations, will conduct its annual dinner auction on October 14, 2008 at PIER SIXTY at New York City’s Chelsea Piers. The event, which is presented in partnership with Madison Square Garden and Team ESPN, will be hosted by ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning” team of Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. The evening will also feature “Friend of V” speaker, broadcaster, author and brother of the late Coach Jim Valvano, Bob Valvano.

The dinner’s traditional special guests of the evening are the head coaches of the Jimmy V Basketball Classics teams. The 2008 Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic includes head coaches Landers and C. Vivian Stringer from Rutgers University. Representing the 2008 Jimmy V Basketball Classic men’s teams, will be Rick Barnes, from the University of Texas, Jay Wright from Villanova University, Bob Huggins from West Virginia University and Bob McKillop from Davidson College.

“We are honored to have these great coaches come to preview the 2008 Classics,” said CEO of The V Foundation Nick Valvano. “This is the 14th Annual Classic and every year the Dinner Auction provides a traditional tip off for New York basketball that is so reminiscent of my brother Jim’s love for his hometown and the game that meant so much throughout his entire life.”

One hundred percent of the proceeds from this event will fund cancer research projects through The V Foundation. Sponsorship opportunities as well as tickets for the event are available. For information about the 2008 Jimmy V Basketball Classic New York Dinner Auction, please contact The V Foundation for Cancer Research at 1-800-4JimmyV or log onto www.jimmyv.org.

The V Foundation for Cancer Research

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, The Foundation has raised more than $70 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all new direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs. The Foundation, which has received five consecutive top 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, awards grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Review Committee. For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.

(Photo courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications)

From the UGA Sports Communications Office:

ATHENS, GA. — Legendary Georgia Lady Bulldog basketball coach Andy Landers has been elected to be inducted into the State of Georgia’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2009, the Hall of Fame announced on Thursday.

“It’s flattering because Georgia is a state that has such a storied tradition of people with outstanding athletic accomplishments,” Landers said. “It’s an honor just to be considered, and obviously I’m thrilled to be chosen.”

Landers is a four-time National Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. He became the State of Georgia’s winningest college basketball coach with the Lady Bulldogs’ victory over Georgia Tech on Dec. 3, 2006, his 664th at UGA. On Jan. 24, 2008, he recorded his 700th win with the Lady Bulldogs, an 82-55 decision over Florida.

“As I’ve said many times, coaches often get recognition because of the success of their players and teams and certainly I understand where this recognition come from,” Landers said. “I appreciate all the people who have contributed to making this possible. I particularly appreciate that the University of Georgia, 30 years ago, gave a no-name coach with very little experience the opportunity to be a part of something as special as the University of Georgia.”

Landers is the first – and still only – full-time women’s basketball coach in the University of Georgia’s history and ranks among the sport’s most successful coaches ever. He was a relatively unknown 26-year-old with four seasons experience as a junior college head coach when he was named the Lady Bulldogs’ head coach in April 1979. Soon thereafter, Landers transformed a program that might not have been one of the top five in the state of Georgia into one of the nation’s premier teams…and he’s kept UGA there for three decades.

In his second season in Athens, Landers led Georgia to the 1981 WNIT Championship. Two years later, the Lady Bulldogs advanced to the 1983 NCAA Final Four and captured their first SEC Championship. In 1985, Georgia advanced to the NCAA Championship game. Such success has become synonymous with Georgia Basketball. The Lady Bulldogs have earned bids to 25 of 27 editions of the NCAA Tournament, which ranks second nationally. Georgia has made the most of those opportunities, reaching 17 Sweet 16s, 10 Elite Eights and five Final Fours.

Landers’ players have excelled as well. Three Lady Bulldogs have earned National Player of the Year honors – Katrina McClain in 1987, Saudia Roundtree in 1996 and Kelly Miller in 2000.

McClain and former Georgia teammate Teresa Edwards helped put Lady Bulldog Basketball on the map in the mid-80s and were then the backbone of the U.S. National Team for every major international competition from 1988-96. Those efforts were highlighted at the 1996 Centennial Olympics when Edwards was the one athlete from all sports chosen to recite the Athlete’s Oath at the Opening Ceremony and McClain was one of eight U.S. athletes selected to bring the Olympic flag into that Ceremony. Edwards and McClain also are members of the State Sports Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2001 and 2005, respectively.

Lady Bulldogs also have played a major role in the formative years of professional basketball in the U.S. All told, 19 former Georgia standouts have gone on the play in the WNBA, including eight first-round draft picks in the last eight years alone.

For all the basketball successes of his players, Landers is perhaps proudest of their achievements in the classroom. All told, 51 of 53 four-year letterwinners have received their degrees from UGA, a success rate of 96.2 percent.

Landers was one of three UGA representatives in the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009. Former men’s basketball coach Hugh Durham and Terry Hoage, an All-America and Academic All-America rover for the football team from 1980-83.

“It’s really neat that Hugh Durham, one of the people who has been one of the most significant influences during my coach career, is going into the Hall of Fame at the same time,” Landers said. “I look forward to rejoining him – after having coached with him for 17 years at Georgia – in something as great as this.”

Other inductees include: former state high school football star Milton A. Byard; former world renowned boxing referee Mills Lane; former Macon and Mississippi State basketball standout Jeff Malone; former college and professional football players George Rose and Shannon Sharpe; and former college and pro basketball player Roman Turmon.

“Once again our selection committees have made very good choices,” said GSHF Executive Director Jacquelyn Decell. “The talent represented in the class of 2009 is overwhelming. Right now, I have the best job around as I call each of our new inductees to inform them of their selection.”

(Photo courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications)

From the UGA Sports Communications Office:

ATHENS, GA. — Junior Lindsey Moss has decided not to return to the Georgia Lady Bulldogs this season to pursue career opportunities in the modeling and real estate industries.

“It was a choice that Lindsey made to pursue an interest other than basketball,” head coach Andy Landers said. “An opportunity arose and that’s what she’s chosen to do. We respect her decision. Certainly she’ll be missed. Her absence will contribute to an already short roster for the upcoming season but our coaches and players all are committed to moving forward and achieving the goals we have set for ourselves.”

Moss informed Landers of her decision just prior to the beginning of UGA’s Fall Semester.
Moss played in 17 games during the 2007-08 season, including a start against Mercer when Megan Darrah was injured. Moss averaged 1.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 8.2 minutes of action per game. She scored a career-high 15 points against Georgia Southern in the third game of the season but later missed 10 games due to a bone bruise to her right knee.

Moss was a prep All-American at Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta, Ga., and played at Tennessee during the 2005-06 campaign. She then transferred to Georgia in the summer of 2006 and sat out the subsequent season per NCAA rules.

The Lady Bulldogs return three starters — guards Ashley Houts and Angela Puleo and forward Angel Robinson — and four additional letterwinners from last year’s squad which finished 23-10 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Georgia will welcome three newcomers seeing their first action with the Lady Bulldogs this season: true freshman Meredith Mitchell; sophomore Porsha Phillips, who practiced but could not compete a year ago after transferring to UGA from LSU; and redshirt freshman Nicole Stroud.

(Photo courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications)

Invitations were mailed out yesterday for the annual Fastbreak Club Pre-Season Party. As ever, this is your first chance to rub elbows with the 2008-09 Lady Bulldogs and to get caught up with all of your Fastbreaking friends. It’s also the first big “photo-op” of the season…so don’t forget your camera! Here are the details:

WHAT: The 2008 Fastbreak Club Pre-Season Party.

WHERE: Flinchum’s Phoenix (Located at the end of South Milledge Avenue. Milledge will fork when it comes to Whitehead Road. Take the right fork, cross Whitehead Road, and enter Whitehall Forest. Look for the sign just to the left of the entrance. Stay on the main road for 1.5 miles until it dead-ends at Flinchum’s Phoenix.)

WHEN: Tuesday, October 7th, at 6:00 PM.

So that an accurate head count can be given to the party caterers, the Club asks that invitation RSVPs be postmarked by Tuesday, September 30th.

PLEASE NOTE: Though invitations have been mailed to all current members of the Fastbreak Club, the Pre-Season Party is an event open to members and non-members alike. If you’re interested in attending the party and you haven’t received an invitation in the mail, use the link below to print one up.

Click here for a downloadable, printable .PDF file of the Pre-Season Party invitation form.

To learn more about the Fastbreak Club, (including how to join) click here for the current membership brochure/application.

Here’s hoping that your summer was better than that of the Atlanta Dream. I mean, we all knew that expansion teams struggle…but 3-and-27? Yikes. Back here in Athens, the turning of the calendar to September always means football Between the Hedges…but, believe it or not, we are only a month away from the annual Fastbreak Club Pre-Season Party.

With Fastbreak Club activities (and, eventually, Lady Bulldog basketball) just around the bend, your official Fastbreak Club weblog will be getting cranked back up with regular updates…starting with the formal announcement of the date and details for the Pre-Season Party. In the weeks leading up to the season, we’ll bring you up to speed on Lady Bulldog off-season activities, player signings, updates on our WNBA alumni, and much, much more.

So check back here early and often. The fun’s just getting started.