As valedictorian of her high school graduating class, Chelsea Newton never attended summer school.

   But when a future Rutgers University women's basketball teammate suggested she try it, Newton embraced the idea.

   Newton and four other players, all from very different parts of the country, are taking advantage of a new NCAA rule that allows incoming freshmen to get a jump on their academics and acclimated to college life.

   The quintet, part of a seven-player recruiting class ranked No. 1 nationally by the Women's Basketball News Service, is taking two three-credit courses and living on campus in the Campbell dormitory this summer.

   Newton, a Louisianan, is joined by Brooklyn's Rebecca Richman, Connecticut's Saona Chapman, Florida's Mariota Theodoris and Brick's Amber Petillon.

   In little more than a month, the five young women have become one, doing virtually everything together.

   They attend classes, lift weights, jog, dine at Brower Commons, practice, make trips to Washington D.C., New York City and the Jersey Shore, talk of winning a national championship, attend church services and watch more movies together than Ebert & Roeper.

   ""This is just going to give us more of an advantage compared to some of the other freshmen classes across the country,'' said Theodoris.  ""The earlier we are here, the tighter we are, and the more we can get down to playing, instead of this business of "What's your name?' and "Who are you?'‚''

   The players wish Cappie Pondexter, Parade Magazine's National Player of the Year who starred on the U.S. Junior National Team this summer, and Delvona Oliver, a JUCO transfer currently taking classes in her native Ohio, could bond with them.

   ""This is like a life-changing experience that we all wanted to make together,'' said Newton. ""This is going to make us better in the long run.''

   The NCAA rule, approved last year, is designed to improve the graduation rates of Division I men's and women's basketball players … 42 and 63 percent, respectively, graduated after entering college in 1993, according to NCAA statistics.

   ""I've been a big supporter of this concept,'' said Rutgers athletics director Bob Mulcahy. ""What it does is offers an opportunity for these student-athletes to get acclimated to college before they get thrown into a high level of competition. It gives them a chance to get some credits and to understand how college life works.''

   The players took a break from their studies and workouts last month, spending a weekend at Petillon's house in Brick, just five minutes from the Jersey beaches. Newton had never seen an ocean before and Richman had never swam in it. The girls spent their days on the beach and their nights on the boardwalks of Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant.  Petillon's mother treated the players to a variety of home-cooked meals, everything from Chinese to Mexican.

   ""When we came back (from the beach), the food was there waiting for us,'' said Theodoris. ""They made us feel right at home. We slept as late as we wanted to, which was good because we were sick of waking up early (8 a.m.) for (Intro to Psychology) class.''

   Kim Petillon, Amber's mother, was blown away by how close the players had become.

   ""I think this whole experience will help them grow together and make them stronger as a team,'' she said. ""They will have some really close friendships and some really nice memories that they will carry for the rest of their lives.''

   The quintet made a trip to George Washington University in early July to watch Pondexter play in the 2001 USA Basketball Junior International Invitational.

   Days later, Pondexter learned the NCAA deemed her a partial qualifier, barring her from competing as a freshman because her ACT score failed to meet initial eligibility requirements.

   ""We were devastated,'' said Theodoris. ""I still don't want to believe it. But she's our sister and we still love her and nothing's going to change. We're going to be there for her and help her every way we can.''

   Chapman said Pondexter's absence (she can practice but can't play in games) changes the team's complexion. 

   ""You've got to consider her in the mix to put up some big numbers,'' said Chapman. ""Knowing that we are not going to have that there any more puts more pressure on us coming in because we are such a young team.''

   Rutgers graduated four starters and two reserves from last year's 23-8 squad. Five players return. Theodoris said her predecessors, like Tasha Pointer and Linda Miles, who have been scrimmaging with the incoming freshmen, set a standard of excellence that the newcomers must build upon.

   ""I think there's more pressure on us coming in than what they had,'' said Theodoris, noting that Rutgers went from 11-17 to 22-10 in Miles and Pointer's rookie year. ""When you're at the bottom, there's no way to go but up. But for us, Rutgers has already been to a Final Four and we know to who much is given, much is expected.''

   Miles and Pointer play pick up games of 5-on-5 or 3-on-3 with the newcomers and returning lettermen. Theodoris, who had arthroscopic surgery on both knees this summer, has only recently gotten into the fray.

   ""There's a lot of competition in those games, especially when the older girls come back,'' said Richman prior to working out last Wednesday at the College Avenue Gym. ""We're right in this gym balling, like we're playing for a national championship. There's so much emotion in it. The older players are trying to get us better. They're preparing us and telling us what it's going to be like to play for coach (C. Vivian) Stringer.''

   None of them want to be part of Stringer's Breakfast Club, the group that must wake up at 5:30 each morning to run laps until they can meet the coach's time requirement for a mile and a half.

   Davalyn Cunningham, the lone Rutgers senior, said, ""I've been very impressed with the new girls and their work ethic. We show them the drills and the exercises they need to do and they are doing them. They look out for each other as if they've known each other all their lives.  They were like sisters before they came.''

   That's because Theodoris, the group's ringleader, kept tabs on her future teammates by calling them more often than a telemarketer after they signed national letters of intent in  November.

   ""Our phone bill was ridiculous,'' said Theodoris. ""I got in a lot of trouble. Me and Rebecca, especially clicked, as far as calling each other. We'd talk until two or three in the morning.''

   Theodoris still calls Pondexter and Oliver, who is curious about college life at Rutgers.

   ""Her concerns are: "Are we homesick? Is everybody comfortable there?  Is everybody cool?  How are we adjusting? How big is the school?' She is going to be more experienced basketball-wise when she gets here, but we are going to have to show her how to get around.''

   Since none of the incoming freshmen has a car on campus, they have been relying on teammates Mauri Horton and Christina Fowler for rides.  Both have sports cars and watching the quintet get in them is like watching clowns pile into a midget car at the circus.

   Petillon, who is 6-foot-4, said she and her teammates attract plenty of attention around campus.

   ""People will ask, "Do you play basketball?'‚'' said Petillon. ""We tell them we do. And then we try to get them to come to the games. We're all anxious to get started and get playing.''