The High Point University women's basketball team will open the 2008-2009 season with a Friday, Nov. 14 game against #15 ranked University of Virginia. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.

High Point returns the nucleus of a young squad who in 2007-2008 went 15-15 overall and 6-6 in the Big South. Returning for the Panthers this year is Big South Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-Conference selection Mackenzie Maier who led the team in scoring last season, averaging 12 points per game while pulling down 6.5 rebounds per game and tallying 2.2 blocks. All-Freshman selection Jurica Hargraves also returns after averaging 11.8 points per game. Frances Fields was the on-court leader for High Point last season and earned a spot on the All-Freshman team after posting 3.4 assists per game. She was fourth in the League in assists per game and the highest ranked freshman in the category. Also returning is HPU's third leading scorer last year, LaTeisha Dean who averaged 9.2 points per game.

The Cavaliers are being led by Monica Wright who was recently named a Wooden Award candidate and earned a spot on the preseason All-ACC team. She led the team in scoring last year, averaging 17.6 points per game. In 2006-2007 she was the ACC Rookie of the Year. During her sophomore season she earned a spot on the Associated Press honorable mention All-America team, was All-ACC second team and All-ACC defensive team.

High Point will play its home opener on Sunday, Nov. 16 when the Panthers host Emory & Henry at 2:00 p.m. in the Millis Center.

Fans can follow the action via an online radio broadcast on http://www.highpointpanthers.com/av/ as the voice of the women's basketball team, Evan Lepler, brings the call from the sideline.