SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – It's November, and that means basketball season. The 2014-15 University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball team looks to improve on last year's finish with new coaches and new players. The Prairie Stars officially open the season on November 14 against Hillsdale.
 
UIS head women's basketball coach Chad Oletzke begins his third year in Springfield with an almost entirely new team. 11 of the 14 players on the roster are new to the Prairie Stars. UIS fans get their first look at the 2014-15 squad on November 22 when the Prairie Stars play their home-opener against Southwest Baptist.
 
"We've got a few people who have a post presence who can create some things in the paint…we've got a lot of people who can do a lot of things and that will allow us to put constant pressure on the defense from a bunch of different levels," said Coach Oletzke. "We'll be able to play a lot more aggressive, a lot more up-tempo as a result of our greater depth."
 
This is the first time in the four years that the Prairie Stars will suit up without Megan Bergerud and Alyssa Palmer on the team. The two graduates finished their careers as the all-time leading scorers in UIS women's basketball history and were the program's first 1,000 point scorers.
 
The Returners
Seniors Cassie Wolfe (Plainfield, Ill.) and Courtney Knuckles (Poplar Bluff, Mo.), along with junior Meredith Marti (Indianapolis, Ind.) return to Springfield as the only players with GLVC experience on the team. Last season, Wolfe averaged eight points and nearly four rebounds in 22 starts. Knuckles averaged 6.2 points per game and connected on the third-most three-point shots (19) behind Marti (29). The Indianapolis-native came off the bench to score four points and shot 36 percent from behind the arc.
 
The Newcomers
Seven junior-transfers join two freshmen and two sophomores as newcomers to the 2014-15 team. Headlined by Division-1 transfers Caroline Kelty (Northern Illinois) and Syerra Cunningham (SIU-Edwardsville), the Prairie Stars add depth at all positions for the upcoming campaign.
 
"We've got a lot more depth than we've had in the past," said Oletzke, "which helps all the way around even the starters who can play at a higher pace knowing someone's coming in right behind them."
 
The Prairie Stars open the season on the road at the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover. The season-opener is on Thursday against Hillsdale. UIS turns around and plays Lake Superior State on Friday.
 
The Opponents
Hillsdale is led by All-American Megan Fogt. Fogt, a first-team All-American last season, averaged 20.3 points per game and led the nation in rebounding at 16.1 per game. The Chargers defeated the Prairie Stars, 69-54, in Springfield last year behind 27 points from Fogt.
 
UIS' Friday opponent, Lake Superior State, was ranked eighth in the North Division of the GLIAC in the 2014-15 preseason poll. The Prairie Stars defeated the Lakers at home last season by a score of 68-54. LSSU returns two of its top players from a year ago in Stephanie Fisher and Kandace Crittendon. Fisher led the team in scoring, averaging nearly 12 points per game. Crittendon scored eight points per game and was third on the team in assists.
 
The Prairie Stars play their third consecutive road contest next Wednesday when they travel to Concordia-Chicago.