Union Lyon are back and have ambition

Bressant’s team went unbeaten last season as they won their group. Then they went on to win the NF2 play-offs to become champions of France. They also won the French amateur cup, the "Trophée Coupe de France féminine".

Bressant started planning for the return to NF1 early last season. He made contact with Candice Cellar who played for High Point University in the NCAA and brought her to France in December of 2008.

She did not play with the first team but was the first signing for the this season.

He then picked up Géraldine Bertal (Montpellier), who last played in Germany before having a baby, and 2:03m Kristina Cesnaviciuté from Colomier.

Mélanie Arnaud who played with Challes-les-Eaux is another top recruit.

The recruiting did not stop because Marion Arfélis from Tarbes comes on loan for a season and Ketty Jolo will also wear the colours of Lyon.

Lyon’s new arena will finally see NF1 basketball. If recruiting tables were to determine championships then Lyon will be certainly one of the top ones for the season.

They have managed to keep their strongest players from last season and should finish in the top half of the table.

Lyon’s 2009-2010 roster is as follows:

Charlotte Ducos, Candice Cellar, Barbara Matray, Julie Legoupil, Mélanie Arnaud, Géraldine Bertal, Marion Arfélis, Ramata Diakho, Kristina Cesnaviciute.

Their head coach is Pierre Bressant.

Not much to say about Charnay-lès-Mâcon

Melissa Washington continues her NF1 basketball education with this newly promoted club. She will team up with 1.97m Florence Genier in the center.

Another new recruit is Marine Reynaud who is a very ambitious player.

She had spent two seasons at the COB Calais basketball academy before heading for Roquebrune Cap-Martin in NF2 last season.

The other two new players are Kaouthar Rhennam, making her return after missing last season due to the birth of her first child, and Laure Belleville.

It is difficult to assess the club’s chances this season as they do not have many players with previous NF1 basketball experience.

Their roster is:

Cristel Dumas, Elodie Decker, Marine Reynaud, Charlotte Sanchez, Marie Sangouard, Kaouthar Rhennam, Laure Belleville, Margot Léty, Emilie Laurent, Cécilie Nicolas, Florence Genier, Mélissa Washington.

The head coach is Olivier Christophe.

CSP Rezé are the second club in Nantes

Nantes Rezé and CSP Rezé share the same facilities.

So it comes as no surprise that Marie Vicente Santa Cruz and Sandrine Ronot find themselves playing for this club after a disappointing last season with Nantes Rezé in the LFB.

The club has made many changes since their promotion and are expected to find the going tough this season.

The roster of CSP Rezé is as follows:

Juliette Gomez, Marie Vicente Santa Cruz, Charlotte Michalak, Majda Ghariani, Caroline Trottin, Fatou Diop, Ellen Ménard, Sandrine Ronot, Audrey Alvès, Judith Manuté-Larissa, and their head coach Rodolphe Manhe.

Basket Val-de-Loire Union 37 make it at last

Basket Val-de-Loire Union 37 are finally in NF1 and have added five players to the roster for the coming season.

The club has also changed it name from this season: Tours Val-de-Loire Basket (TVL)

For Clarisse M’Paka, this will be her fifth club in five seasons.

Patricia Da Silva and Delphine Lecoultre played at Voiron last season and are bringing NF1 basketball experience with them.

The club is based in Tours. The team is not expected to set the division on fire with fighting against relegation in this season.

Their roster is:

Dessislava Anguelova, Agnès Razanaka, Babette M'Bah-Nerrière, Juliette Delauné, Johanna Boutet, Clarisse M'Paka, Delphine Lecoultre, Patricia Da Silva and head coach Sébastien Nivet.