Nov. 26, 2012
Jonathan Toman
[email protected]
If the early season is any indication, the women’s basketball team is poised for a successful year.
Following a blowout win over Oklahoma Panhandle State in the season opener, the team cruised to a 31-point victory over Northern New Mexico on Nov. 17.
The team entered this season coming off a 17-13 record in 2011, where the women lost to Fort Lewis in the RMAC semifinals.
“We graduated four seniors, which were all cornerstones of the program. Three of those four were starters,” said Head Coach Corey Laster.
“There was an age gap between our freshman and seniors last year, and those freshmen really developed and gave us a boost,” he added.
Coming into this season, UCCS was picked sixth in the RMAC coaches’ poll. “Those same freshmen are now becoming the leaders in the program as they continue to step up and play a bigger role,” Laster said.
Youth is the main challenge facing the team this year, but Laster expects immediate contributions from the new players in the program.
“Our team competitiveness has been really good, and all the players get along really well,” said Laster.
The strength of UCCS this winter will be in the backcourt, led by RMAC All-Preseason Team selection Abby Kirchoff, who was the team’s leading scorer as a freshman a season ago.
In the frontcourt, despite the general youth, there is some added height from a season ago “This year, we can match up in ways that we couldn’t last year,” said Laster.
Laster is excited to see what this year’s team can accomplish. “Everything they do is new, young and exciting. And we will gain experience, and we have a really bright future.”
The team’s first home game is Friday, Nov. 30 when conference foe Fort Lewis comes to the Gallogly Events Center at 5:30 p.m.