The 2003-04 basketball season will begin to unfold this week as the Nebraska-Omaha men's and women's teams open practice on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The teams will hold a media day on Thursday, Oct. 16 in Sapp Fieldhouse (women at 2:45, men at 3:00).
Coach Lisa Carlsen's women's team, 12-16 a year ago, will return two starters, Lindsey Petersen (6-0, junior, forward) and Shannon Eggers (6-0, sophomore guard) among the youth-dominated eight returning letterwinners. There are no seniors on the team, Carlsen's fourth UNO squad.
The women's team begins play with a pair of exhibition games against NCAA Division I teams. The Mavs will play at Bradley on Nov. 1 and at Nebraska on Nov. 9 before the regular season starts against Wayne State in the University of South Dakota Invitational Nov. 21.
Coach Kevin McKenna, who has guided teams to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in school history (24-9, 20-10), will have seven returning lettermen, including two starters. North Central Conference Freshman of the Year Ryan Curtis (6-7, sophomore forward) and Calvin Kapels (6-4, sophomore guard) are the starters back.
The Maverick men's team will open competition with an exhibtion game against Creighton in the Qwest Center on Nov. 9. The regular season begins Nov. 15 at Winona State.