The season starts with an exhibition against Hiram Sunday.
Lots of roster turnover: the team has just four players with Division I experience despite graduating only four seniors. Three second- and third-level players left the team after last season and another left late in the season.
The four who are back are the ones you wanted, including leading scorer Larissa Lurken and forward Jordan Korinek, who was third on the team in scoring and rebounding as a freshman. Naddiyah Cross, who started 15 games at point guard as a freshman, returns, as does sophomore McKenna Stephens, a forward who became eligible second semester and played 15 minutes a game.
The team has seven freshmen and two junior college transfers. One of the freshman is redshirt wing Tyra James, who was supposed the be one of the best in last year's recruiting class. She blew out her knee a week before last season started. Two of the true freshmen were all-state guards; two others are 6-3 and 6-4 post players.
Last year's team was 5-20 and fifth in the MAC East. It was greatly improved in the second half of the season and probably the best team in coach Danny O'Banion's three years here. Biggest loss was 6-4 Cici Shannon, a third-team all-MAC player.
The team will be previewed this week on the wbbflashes blog at
http://wbbflashes.com. Preseason press day for men and women is Thursday. Regular season opener is Nov. 14.