Cardoza's contract had not been signed as of early last night, but Temple was preparing to introduce her as the replacement for Dawn Staley, who left May 7 for the coaching job at South Carolina.

The 39-year-old Cardoza will be introduced in the same room at the Liacouras Center where eight years ago she watched Staley, her friend and former Virginia teammate, become head coach.

Staley coached the Owls to four Atlantic Ten Conference titles, six NCAA appearances and domination of the Big Five.

By the time Staley departed, she was earning $500,000 at Temple. She agreed to a $650,000 salary with the Gamecocks.

When Cardoza attended Staley's introduction at Temple in spring 2000, Connecticut had won a second NCAA title at the Wachovia Center weeks before.

At the time, Cardoza, a native of Roxbury, Mass., brushed off suggestions that Staley was trying to lure her away from the Huskies to be an assistant with the Owls.

Now it will be Cardoza's job to build on Staley's success at Temple.