CELEBRATE GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORT DAY WEDNESDAY

BOULDER - This Wednesday, Feb. 4, the University of Colorado invites fans to come celebrate National Girls and Women in Sport Day at the CU vs. Nebraska women's basketball game at 7 p.m. at the Coors Events Center. All youth ages 18 and under get in for just $1, and parking, as always, is free.

The Buffaloes are currently 17-2 on the season and are 6-1 in the Big 12, the best-ever start to the Big 12 season in school history. CU is ranked No. 11 the latest Associated Press poll and No. 10 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

Colorado returns eight letterwinners and welcomes five newcomers to the roster this season. Among the eight letterwinners are three returning starters in Big 12 Player of the Year candidate Tera Bjorklund, Kate Fagan and Maria Billingsley. Bjorklund is a consensus selection for preseason watch lists for every major award, including the Wade Trophy, Wooden Award and Naismith Award, and is the second-leading scorer in the Big 12 Conference. She’s averaging a career-best 19.3 points per game and a career-best 7.5 rpg.

CU’s starting off-guard, Kate Fagan, shoots 43.7% from beyond the arc at 57-127 this season. Randie Wirt gets the nod at power forward and is CU’s leading rebounder at 7.8 per game with five double-doubles this season. The point guard spot has been split between senior Maria Billingsley (1.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and CU’s fourth-leading scorer this season, freshman Emily Waner (8.7 ppg, 25.7 mpg). Veronica Johns-Richardson rounds out the starting lineup, averaging 8.5 ppg and 3.1 rpg.

As for the Huskers, Nebraska senior guards Keasha Cannon-Johnson and Margaret Richards have been their dynamic duo in the backcourt in 2003-04. Cannon-Johnson, a 5-10 guard from Kansas City, Kan., enters the Colorado game as the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 11.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest, which ranks third in the Big 12. She has added 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game to rank second on the team in both categories.

Colorado has a few leaders in the conference statistics. Tera Bjorklund leads the Jumbo Dozen in field goal percentage at 65.0% from the floor, and she’s second in scoring at 19.3 ppg. Emily Waner leads in three point field goal shooting at 51.2%. Kate Fagan leads in free throw shooting at .886. Randie Wirt is the conference leader (in conference games only) in rebounding at 9.1 boards per game.

CU’s 17-2 record after 19 games is second only to a 18-1 open in 1992-93; it also matches one other 17-2 start (1994-95). In both 1981-82 and 1993-94 the Buffs were 16-2, but lost game No. 19. The 1994-95 team didn’t lose until game No. 33, in the Elite Eight, finishing 30-3 on the season.

NGWSD is celebrated annually in all 50 states with a variety of community-based events, award ceremonies, and activities in commemorating girls and women in sports. The day first was established by a Congressional resolution in 1986 to celebrate the achievements of girls and women in sports. NGWSD is organized jointly by the American Association of University Women, Girl Scouts of America, Girls Inc., National Association of Girls and Women in Sports (NAGWS), the Women’s Sports Foundation and YWCA, with support from the National Women's Law Center. Together these organizations reach more than 50 million girls and women nationwide.

“Play Fair” is the theme of this year’s NGWSD, which will be celebrated around the country on Feb. 4. The theme was chosen to reflect upon and acknowledge past and current sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports. NGWSD also presents a prime opportunity to communicate to others what Title IX has accomplished and how many girls and women it truly helps.

Tickets to Wednesday's game are available at the door, at all TicketsWest outlets, by calling 303-49-BUFFS or by visiting www.cubuffs.com.

Colorado University Athletics