DATE: Tuesday, April 1, 1997                TAG: 9704010426

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: CINCINNATI                        LENGTH:   77 lines

SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE LADY MONARCHS? LARRY SAYS IT'S UP TO THE UNDERCLASSMEN TO NOW STEP UP AND TAKE THE CHALLENGE.

All season, at least until Sunday, Old Dominion was able to come up with the perfect ending.

Now the Lady Monarchs must think about beginning again. ``Next year'' is next on the agenda.

A year ago, disappointed by a loss in the Sweet 16 to Virginia, the Lady Monarchs sat in the Charlottesville locker room and made plans about their upcoming season.

``I have never seen a basketball team have such a tremendous conversation about setting goals in the locker room post-defeat,'' ODU coach Wendy Larry said. ``Just hearing that kind of discussion and the emotions that were spilled out in that locker room. . . . I believed anything would be possible.''

The dream of a national championship in 1997 is gone after Tennessee won its fifth title Sunday night with a 68-59 victory over the Lady Monarchs. After notching two overtime tournament victories, ODU ran out of gas against a Lady Vols squad that was fresher and determined to return the trophy to Knoxville for the second consecutive year.

ODU ends the '97 season with a foundation for the future. ODU jumped back into the national forefront with regular-season victories over Stanford and Tennessee, a postseason win over Stanford, a No. 2 ranking since December and a No. 1 regional seed for the first time in 12 years.

And nearly all ODU's tournament games were nationally televised, affording the program the kind of exposure it craves.

``The value of this Final Four is immeasurable,'' said ODU assistant coach Allison Greene.

But will Larry be part of the future? She became a free agent when her contract expired at midnight Monday. She and athletic director Jim Jarrett are talking, but no agreement has been reached. With two pro leagues in existence and ODU coming off its most successful season in Larry's 10-year term, she is an attractive candidate.

Ticha Penicheiro also is a question mark. Because of a new NCAA rule affecting partial qualifiers, the All-American point guard could gain an extra year of eligibility if she completes 12 credits for her degree this summer. Penicheiro had said she would make a decision after the Final Four, but Sunday night she still had not decided.

``If we had won I probably wouldn't come back,'' she said. ``But since we lost, I have to wait and see what's best.''

If Penicheiro departs, that leaves only Mery Andrade remaining from the Portuguese connection that is largely responsible for putting ODU back on the map nationally.

With forward Clarisse Machanguana departing, defenses will be able to focus more heavily on center Nyree Roberts. Roberts could find a new partner in 6-foot-5 center Emmora Keenan, one of four recruits to sign early. Keenan, from Wellington, New Zealand, is a transfer from Casper Junior College in Wyoming.

Another recruit, 5-8 guard Amanda Levins, is a two-time all-state player from Belvidare, Ill., and could make an immediate impact as a ballhandler and shooter.

Meanwhile, this year's role players likely will find larger roles to fill next year. Amber Eller, LaToya Small and Kelly Bradley, all defensive specialists off the bench, will be part of the senior class along with Roberts and Andrade.

Sophomore Aubrey Eblin, a dangerous scorer who improved her all-around game throughout the year, could step into a starting role next season.

Point guard Natalie Diaz spent her freshman year learning from Penicheiro. After having no serious impact on close games in the regular season - in five games against ranked teams she played a total of 15 minutes and scored just two points - Diaz emerged as a clutch ballhandler and effective scorer in critical NCAA games against Florida and Stanford.

Late Sunday night in Cincinnati, the Lady Monarchs discussed the season behind them and the season ahead, just as they did a year ago after the loss in Charlottesville. Larry hopes the postgame talk will have another profound impact on her players.

``We talked about being proud of what they accomplished,'' Larry said. ``We challenged the junior class. This year we had a tremendous class of seniors who have led this team a very long way, and now we challenged our junior class to take this and decide what they wanted to do with it.''

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