Mechelle Voepel Archive

Mechelle Voepel

espnW.com

Mechelle Voepel joined ESPN.com in 1996 and covers women's college hoops, the WNBA and additional collegiate sports for espnW. Born in Los Angeles, she grew up 40 miles north of St. Louis and is a lifelong Cardinals fan still basking in amazement over their 2011 World Series title.

Voepel: Baylor seeks repeat as NCAA champ
With all five starters back, Baylor has been labeled the 2013 favorite almost since hoisting last year's championship trophy. And minus one small hiccup, the Lady Bears are seemingly invincible.
Mar 22 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Familiar bracket could have same ending
Baylor and Tennessee are together again. If chalk holds, the Final Four could be a repeat of 2012. And of course, Baylor could again be doing the last dance in New Orleans. Yes, this year's bracket looks awfully familiar.
Mar 18 | By Mechelle Voepel
Total Access: How has Warlick's first season gone?
With most of 2012-13 completed, save the NCAA tournament, how has Holly Warlick fared in her first season as Tennessee's head coach?
Mar 13 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Ford to return to WNBA, but Bird to miss 2013 season
On the same day one former WNBA champion officially signed to return to the league, it was announced that another will sit out this season to recover from knee surgery.
Mar 12 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Baylor's ready for the Big Dance
Despite few challenges, Baylor has played at a high level all season. And when they have been challenged, the Lady Bears have responded. Bring on the Big Dance. They're ready.
Mar 11 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Aggies wait their turn, lead Texas A&M to SEC crown
When Texas A&M won the 2011 NCAA championship, Aggies like Kelsey Bone and Kristi Bellock were sitting out or on the bench. Sunday was their time to hoist a trophy.
Mar 10 4:00 AM ET | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Texas A&M, Kentucky to play for SEC title
For the first time since 2003, the SEC tournament champ will come from someplace other than the state of Tennessee. Texas A&M and Kentucky meet for the title Sunday.
Mar 9 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Texas A&M knocks off top-seeded Tennessee
Tennessee was going for a fourth straight SEC tournament title. Instead, Texas A&M used two Lady Vols' staples -- defense and rebounding -- to upset the No. 1 seed and advance to the championship game.
Mar 9 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Timing is everything for red-hot LSU
A month ago, LSU didn't look to be an NCAA tournament team. But after six consecutive victories, not many teams are hotter heading into championship week.
Mar 6 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Griner's 50 points just another spectacular performance
As thousands turned out to watch Brittney Griner on senior night, the Baylor star gave them a spectacular show, scoring a career-high 50 points in a victory over Kansas State.
Mar 4 | By Mechelle Voepel
Youngstown State's Brown named espnW player of the week
After scoring 42 points and grabbing 21 rebounds Saturday, Brandi Brown nabbed our weekly honor.
Mar 4 2:02 AM ET | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Laimbeer puts personal touch on Liberty
New York coach Bill Laimbeer, who led Detroit to three WNBA titles, has three former Shock players on his roster -- and he's expected to add a fourth next week.
Mar 1 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Texas Tech draws inspiration from 1993 championship team
After missing last season's NCAA tournament, Texas Tech looks headed back to the Big Dance -- and is using the program's 20-year-old championship season as added motivation.
Feb 27 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: UConn-Tennessee rivalry missed
Pat Summitt's third book chronicles the end of the Tennessee-UConn rivalry. Will the two programs ever play again? Do we need them to?
Feb 26 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Stringer passes all tests on way to 900
Highs and lows. Tragedies and triumphs. C. Vivian Stringer is no stranger to them all. But as Rutgers slugs through a 15-12 season, the coach added another milestone: her 900th career victory.
Feb 26 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Defending champ relies on Madden as defensive stopper
Though her defense was "awful" at one point, Baylor's Jordan Madden -- who might help decide Monday's showdown with UConn -- has grown into the Lady Bears' defensive stopper.
Feb 18 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Griner gets best of Dolson, UConn
Brittney Griner has grown up a lot since the last time she played in Hartford. And though the one-on-one battle inside between Griner and UConn's Stefanie Dolson didn't disappoint, a more mature Griner and Baylor got the best of the Huskies.
Feb 18 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Kansas scores crucial win for NCAA résumé
Led by two seniors who desperately want to return to the Big Dance, Kansas knocked off No. 22 Oklahoma on Sunday to earn another crucial win for their NCAA résumé.
Feb 17 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: For Oklahoma, Play 4Kay game is personal
A strong support system helps Oklahoma assistant coach Jan Ross through breast cancer -- coach Sherri Coale and Sooners players past and present.
Feb 14 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Rutgers' Stringer on verge of 900th win
C. Vivian Stringer, in her 42nd year as a head coach, has been through countless highs and lows during successful runs at Cheyney State, Iowa and Rutgers. She's on the brink of becoming just the fourth women's coach to win 900 games.
Feb 12 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: UNC's Hatchell joins 900-win club
North Carolina's Sylvia Hatchell on Thursday became just the third Division I women's coach to win 900 career games.
Feb 7 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: While league gears up, LJ will sit
No one wants to see one of the league's top players miss an entire season. But sitting out 2013 -- even if it leaves Seattle scrambling right now for what appears to be a very competitive Western Conference race -- just might be exactly what Lauren Jackson needs.
Feb 6 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Hatchell savors spot on sideline
Whether she's running summer camps or on the verge of becoming just the third Division I women's coach to win 900 career games, UNC's Sylvia Hatchell simply loves being on the sideline.
Feb 6 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: Missouri tops Tennessee, makes statement
Sharp-shooting Missouri's big second half lifted the Tigers past No. 9 Tennessee, marking the Lady Vols' first SEC loss of the season.
Feb 3 | By Mechelle Voepel
Voepel: UNC's Hatchell on verge of 900th victory
North Carolina plays archrival Duke on Sunday as Sylvia Hatchell takes aim at becoming just the third Division I women's coach to win 900 career games.
Feb 1 | By Mechelle Voepel

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