Full complement returns

This year, everybody will be coming back for more.\nReturning all five starters from last season as well as a total of 12 letter winners, IU coach Kathi Bennett and her Hoosier women's basketball squad will hit the floor Friday night to tip off the season with the annual Midnight Madness festivities at Assembly Hall. Bennett, in her fifth year at the helm of women's basketball, is ready to kick off the 2004-05 campaign after a long and productive offseason. \n"I'm excited to get the season rolling," Bennett said. "It's always great to start off the year with Midnight Madness in front of an incredible crowd, and it will give us a big lift going into the season."\nThe events will begin with members of the Student Athletic Board selecting four male and four female fans to compete in a three-point shooting contest. Each contestant will have 45 seconds to make as many shots from five designated spots around the arc. The top male and female shooter will then have 30 seconds to compete head-to-head until an overall champion is crowned.\nAt the stroke of midnight, Bennett and her team will be introduced to the crowd and officially begin the 2004-05 season. Alongside the Hoosier women will be the men's team, as it too gets set to kick off its respective season. \nFollowing the men's slam dunk contest, eight three-person teams, consisting of one women's player, one men's player and a fan, will have the chance to score as many points as possible in 45 seconds in the spot shot contest from one-point, two-point and three-point spots designated on the court. The top two teams with the highest point total will square off to determine a winner.\nRepresenting the women in the spot shot will be senior Jamie Gathing, juniors Brigett Branson, Angela Hawkins and April Williams, sophomores Jamey Chapman, Sarah McKay and Carrie Smith, and freshman Kelli Agness. \nThe events for the Hoosier women will conclude with the much-anticipated three-point shootout. Junior Cyndi Valentin is the two-time defending champion in the event and hopes to win her third consecutive victory. The contest will also feature senior forward Jenny DeMuth, who was recently chosen by the media to the Preseason All-Big Ten team. Senior LeeAnn Stephenson, junior Kali Kullberg, sophomores Annika Boyd and Leah Enterline, and freshman Nikki Smith will also participate in the shootout.\nAs in the first event of the night, each player will have 45 seconds to make as many three-point shots around five designated spots. The top two scorers will advance to determine the women's champion. The winner of the women's three-point contest will have the opportunity to square off against the top men's three-point shooter to determine an overall winner. \n"I'm really looking forward to Friday night," DeMuth said. "It is going to be a fun atmosphere out there, and it should be a great time being out there competing in the three-point contest."\nValentin, a member of the Puerto Rican National Team this past summer, believes the team is in store for a successful season.\n"We have all been working really hard this offseason," Valentin said. "I think we have all gotten much better and being able to play with the same group as last season will make us a stronger team."\nMidnight Madness will begin at approximately 11:15 p.m. Doors open to the public at 11 p.m. and the cost of admission will be one canned food item. All admission proceeds will benefit the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. \n-- Contact staff writer Matt Ostrega at mostrega@indiana.edu.