The GW women’s basketball team begins its season Friday, facing off against a promising Vanderbilt University team in Nashville, Tenn.

In his 11th season as head coach, Joe McKeown remains confident in his team’s chances on the road.

The Colonial women will look to combine their talents against a Vanderbilt team that looks to make up for its tough season last year. The Lady Commodores are coming off a disappointing season, one in which they did not make the NCAA Tournament and suffered a losing record for the first time since 1983.

The Lady Commodores have acquired 6-6 freshman center Chantelle Anderson to strengthen the team’s play down low and Ashley McElhiney to back up junior point guard Ashley Smith.

GW will have to defend Vanderbilt’s Chavonne Hammond, a senior with the ability to penetrate, and sophomores Jillian Danker and Zuzana Klimesova, who will provide the team’s perimeter scoring.

GW’s performances in its two exhibition games this season gives McKeown good reason to feel confident. In its exhibition opener against the University of Latvia Select Team, the Colonial women whipped right past the competition with an 80-50 win.

The Colonial women ran right past Vologda Russia last Sunday, winning 95-62. Five Colonial women scored in double figures as they forced 47 Vologda turnovers.

The only concern McKeown had after looking back on his team’s two exhibition games was his team’s shooting.

We’ve got to shoot the ball better, McKeown said. We’re going to have to rely on our strength in making shots from the perimeter.

McKeown has reason to be eager and excited to start the regular season with a great deal of experience on this year’s squad and a strong freshman class. The Colonial women were picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10 Conference West Division in the preseason coaches’ poll.

Senior guard Elisa Aguilar was recently tabbed first-team preseason all-conference. Guard Kristeena Alexander and forward Petra Dubovcova received third-team preseason all-conference recognition. Freshmen Lindsey Davidson and Erica Lawrence were named to the preseason all-rookie team. GW’s freshman class of Davidson, Lawrence and Cathy Jones were named the 24th-best recruiting class by Athlon magazine.