BERKELEY, Calif. -- California center Jessica Lawson will miss the entire 2005-06 women's basketball season after suffering a torn ACL in her left knee during practice last Thursday.
The 6-foot-3 sophomore is scheduled to have surgery in about three weeks.
"It's a huge loss," first-year Cal coach Joanne Boyle said. "The team needs to regroup and pick up the slack. Jessica is a great leader for us.
"Not having one of our floor leaders will test us early because we're so young."
Lawson averaged 10.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game last season to earn Pac-10 All-Freshman recognition. She led the Bears in rebounding and blocked shots (21) and ranked second on the team in scoring in 2004-05. Her 49.8 field goal percentage ranked fifth in the Pac-10 and first among all conference freshmen last year.