After opening the current season with a schedule ranked among the nation's softest, the San Diego State women's basketball team will start next season with a major upgrade.
The Aztecs will host perennial power Stanford on Friday, Nov. 18, opening the 2005-06 season against a likely top-five team.
"We think it's a great game for us to start with," said Aztecs coach Jim Tomey, whose team's nonconference strength of schedule will rise dramatically from this year's 319 out of 328 teams.
Assistant coach Fentriss Winn, who handles the schedule, hopes an opponent such as the Cardinal can draw 5,000 fans to Cox Arena, setting a city record for women's basketball, while showcasing new talent that includes local products Tamika Lipford (Bishop's) and Audrey Green (San Marcos).
Stanford (23-2) is ranked No. 4 in the nation behind acclaimed freshman Candice Wiggins. The status of the La Jolla Country Day grad is uncertain for the game, though, as Wiggins may be playing with the Cardinal volleyball team.
Wiggins, who was honored as the state's top basketball player and the San Diego Section's top volleyball player in 2003, redshirted the 2004 volleyball season, which ended with Stanford winning the national championship.
Bye-bye byes
The USD women are in seventh place with three West Coast Conference games left, likely meaning the Toreros will play the WCC runner-up in the conference tournament.
The WCC has eliminated first-round byes in the women's tournament, which will be played March 3-6 at Santa Clara.
SDSU promotions
The Aztecs will mark National Girls and Women in Sports Day at tonight's women's basketball game and tomorrow's softball game.
The first 600 fans at the basketball game will receive an SDSU visor. A postgame reception also will be held.
Fans showing their ticket stub from the basketball game will be admitted free to the softball game against No. 4 UCLA tomorrow.
For more information on the promotion, which also includes special group ticket rates, call (619) 594-4285.
Hurst leaves Toreros
USD junior Kristen Hurst, who played the last four years for the nationally ranked Toreros volleyball team, has left the basketball program. Hurst, who joined the team in late December, played just five games before an ankle injury sidelined her.
