University of Texas at Dallas

The 2008-09 women's basketball season may not have ended like the UT Dallas Comets wanted it to with a loss in the first round of the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament, but the dream season that got UTD to that point was well worth the ride.

UTD's women's basketball team (21-5) had its best season ever in 2008-09, eclipsing the most wins ever by five (21), setting all kinds of team and individual records, and being the talk of the ASC for most of the season.

Late in the season, the Comets were the only ASC team without a conference loss. UTD was ranked as high as 18th in the national Division III polls and ended the year with its first ASC East Division title in team history.

UTD avenged its first conference loss of the season (64-74 to Mississippi College) with a strong 61-54 showing at home, where the Comets never lost a game. UTD clinched at least a share of the East Division title with a hard-fought 90-83 overtime win over UT-Tyler, then the title outright with a 57-44 victory over LeTourneau in the final regular season game.

The Comets had an experienced group of returners to start the year, then supplemented those with a large group of talented freshmen who contributed early and often. Chief among those was guard Lyndsey Smith from tiny Gunter, Texas. Despite a late-season dip in production, Smith became UTD's leading scorer, averaging 13.1 points per game and was named first-team All-East Division as well as the ASC East Division Freshman of the Year.

Adding Smith to the returning mix of juniors Chelsea Edwards and Lauren Hale provided a formidable lineup for opposing defenses to try to stop. Edwards finished the season averaging 13.0 points per game, and became UTD's all-time leading career scorer after a 337-point season. In addition, she dished out 125 assists and was a second-team all-division selection. Hale scored 11.5 points per game, hitting 32 three-pointers and led the Comets with a 6.2 rebounding average.

Junior Rachel Addison only started twice, but had several double-doubles off the bench to finish with an 8.2 ppg and 5.0 rebounding average. Sophomore Kori Joyce and freshman Lauren Jiles also saw significant playing time, combining for 13.9 points and 9.3 rebounds. At least five other members of the freshman class saw significant playing time.

The best news, though, for UTD Coach Polly Thomason (who was named the ASC East Division Coach of the Year) is that the Comets didn't lose a single player to graduation. The oldest players on the team were the three aforementioned juniors. If the bulk of the team returns for next season, the Comets should again be a legitimate contender – if not the FAVORITE – for an ASC title.