'Too early to tell' on Hollingsworth

VCU post player Quanitra Hollingsworth is recuperating nicely from the torn Achilles' tendon that sidelined her in February, said Rams coach Beth Cunningham. But perhaps not that nicely.

Cunningham said she does not know if Hollingsworth, a 6-5 senior who earned second-team all-CAA honors in 2008, will be available for the Rams' Nov. 14 Preseason NIT opener against Liberty.

"We're pleasantly surprised," Cunningham said. "She's doing some light running and a little bit of jumping. She's progressing very well. I'd say she's well ahead of schedule."

Even so, Cunningham said, "it's too early and too tough to tell [when Hollingsworth will be able to rejoin the lineup]. We're going to be cautious. We want to make very sure that when 'Q' does come back, she's ready and able to play."

Hollingsworth averaged 13.3 points and 9.5 rebounds before being injured.

Cantley pays price for participation

Virginia Tech assistant coach Stacy Cantley acquired an unwanted souvenir during the Hokies' recent exhibition tour of Italy and Greece: a knee injury.

Cantley, a former standout at UNC Wilmington, was forced to play when the Hokies entered their May 20 game in Athens against the Greek Senior Selection team with only six available players. She shredded her right knee -- torn ACL, torn MCL, damaged meniscus -- in the third quarter of Tech's 60-39 defeat.

Reconstructive surgery was performed June 26 at the Montgomery Regional Medical Center. Cantley hopes to be walking without crutches by week's end.

Cardoza delivers a friendly needle

New Temple coach Tonya Cardoza didn't hesitate to tease former Owls coach Dawn Staley at her introductory press conference. Anything less would have been surprising. Cardoza and Staley are good friends and former U.Va. teammates.

When asked about the personality she hopes to instill in the Owls in 2008-09, Cardoza answered without hesitation: "An up-tempo style. We're going to look to score in all types of ways."

Last year's club struggled to score. It averaged only 59.6 points per game but won because it held opponents to only 38.7 percent shooting.

Said Cardoza: "Dawn was a defensive coach, which I don't understand because in college she didn't really play defense."

Lady Monarchs' roster: a work in progress

Old Dominion wing guard Vicki Collier could be sidelined until the second semester -- and perhaps beyond -- after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL in her right knee. Collier, a redshirt sophomore, was injured while working out at home in Upper Marlboro, Md. The youngster appears star-crossed. She sat out the 2007 season as a redshirt and missed 2008 after suffering a dislocated kneecap on the first day of practice.

The Lady Monarchs' post game for 2010 and beyond suddenly seems formidable. Tia Lewis, last season's Conference USA freshman of the year, has transferred from Central Florida and will become eligible after sitting out one year.

Lewis, 6-3, averaged 12 points and 11.5 rebounds as a freshman. She had 14 double-doubles.

Dribbles

Darren Guensch, George Mason's director of basketball operations for the past two seasons, has joined VCU's staff in the same capacity. . . . Radford coach Tajama Ngongba has hired former Petersburg High School and North Carolina post player Tiffany Tucker as an assistant. -- Vic Dorr Jr.