The women’s WolfPack basketball team capped off the season two years ago with a national championship victory in Rochester, Minn. Last year, it was a different story. The team went 14-15 and fell to DuPage in the Region IV title game.

The drop off could, at least in part, be attributed to the fact that the team was forced to battle key losses throughout the season. Guards Morgan Lass and Therisia Elskamp were redshirted due to injury and Calli Dahl was lost for the entire season. In addition, Gabi Hungerford, 2010 All-American, had left the team.

“I think we battled the adversity well,” said Jessica Pelzel, WolfPack women’s coach.

The WolfPack will look to some returning veterans to continue bringing the leadership to this season. Calli Dahl, Therisia Elskamp, Morgan Lass and Hannah Schwartzer are all coming back this season. Having them back on the floor healthy will provide leadership and lacked last year, Pelzel said.

The veteran experience does not just stop at returning members of the 2010-11 squad. Kinsey Mace and Tanya Kaufmann come to the WolfPack after spending time at four-year programs. Mace spent time at University of Dubuque and Kaufmann is a transfer from the American Institute of Business in Des Moines.

“Our recruiting class is the strongest we’ve had yet,” Pelzel said. “There are several players that will make an immediate impact for us.”

With that recruiting class, comes much needed depth in the post, Pelzel said. Courtney Spangler, Erin Fradette and Tahjee Mayes all will be in the post this season for the WolfPack.

In any level of any college competing well in conference and winning those conference games proves to be vital to a team’s success. Since moving to the N4C in 2009, they have gone 20-7 in conference play over those two seasons.

“Being at the top of the N4C is big for us. I don’t think this year will be any different,” Pelzel said. “I believe this team is capable of winning the conference.”