Berry headlines w. hoops' class of '09

Wondering what a difference one new class of freshmen can make? Look no further than the women's basketball team's last season.

With the help of a stellar freshman class — including the Ivy League Rookie of the Year, forward Meagan Cowher — the Tigers pushed their record from 7-20 in 2003-04 to 13-14 in 2004-05. With that in mind, Princeton looks to continue its progress with the help of a new litter of Tigers in the Class of 2009, while the team loses only one senior to graduation.

There will be five freshmen on next year's squad — three guards and two forwards — including several players who head coach Richard Barron has said can be expected to make immediate contributions on the court.

Jessica Berry, at five-feet, eight-inches tall, is one of the guards Barron will look to for production next winter. Berry, from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., will graduate from her high school this spring as the all-time career points and assists leader. She was a McDonald's All-America nominee.

Caitlin O'Neill, from Ventura, Calif., is a former teammate of junior guard Katy O'Brien from Ventura High, where she started all but three games in her four years there. Standing five-feet, nine-inches tall, O'Neill will function as a versatile guard playing primarily on the wing, according to Barron. He added that O'Neill is capable of handling the ball on the point as well. Like her former teammate, O'Neill also brings three-point shooting skills to the table, something the Tigers need. Princeton was significantly outshot outside the arc by its opponents this past season.

Whitney Downs, hailing from Harpeth Hall School in Nashville, Tenn., played for the same high school as another current Tiger, junior forward and 2003-04 Princeton scoring leader Becky Brown. Downs, who is 5'11", led her team to the state championship in her senior year in high school and looks to bring the same winning attitude to Old Nassau. A lefty, she has the size and strength to be a reliable force when playing on the wing next season.

These three new guards will supplement an already strong cast. Starting most of the games this year were O'Brien and fellow junior guard Lauren Nestor, but playing time was split among several Tigers. With the additions, the Princeton backcourt will have even more depth.

At forward, already the position at which the Tigers boast the most depth with Cowher, Brown and sophomore Casey Lockwood, two new players look to provide valuable minutes — especially with the the status of sophomore forward Katy Digovich's future with the team still unknown.

Julia Berger is the only native Jersey girl in the recruiting class, having played at Chatham High School in Chatham, NJ. Berger's father, John, played for Princeton in the early 1970's. At 6'2", she will be the second-tallest player on the team, an advantage that helped her earn an average of three blocked shots per game in her high school career.

Ashley Viehauser, from Washburn High School in Minneapolis, Minn., will be another powerful force for Princeton in the frontcourt. Having played on her high school varsity team for five years, she graduated as the all-time leader in scoring and rebounding. Her rebounding abilities and strength in the paint will be appreciated by Barron, as the boards are another area in which the Tigers' opponents had the edge this season.

Between these new additions and a lack of significant losses, the prospects are looking good for Princeton to see its first winning season in seven years.