Burnaby, BC – A new team dynamic and a combined group effort is in the plans for the Simon Fraser University women's basketball team as they begin their 2013-14 campaign on Friday against the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos.

2012-13 saw the most successful season for the squad since SFU became the first international school to join the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 2010, and the fiery team battled to a second place finish in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and a "Sweet 16" appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

"Each year we have improved in the conference, making the playoffs in better positions each year and qualifying for the national tournament the first time we were allowed," said head coach Bruce Langford. "We have knowledge about how we have looked and will look and we know what we have to do to be successful."

But with each new season comes change, and as this year's Clan ladies know well, 2013-14 will be a different year than the last.

The Clan graduated three seniors from last year's team, notably All-American Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (Toronto, ON); the 2012-13 NCAA Division II leader in field goal percentage, who currently plays overseas on a professional contact in Switzerland.

Point guard Kristina Collins (Port Coquitlam, BC), an assist and 3-point specialist and athletic 3-point shooter Carla Wyman (North Vancouver, BC) will also be missed on the floor in 2013-14, but will contriute off the floor as the duo will join the Clan's coaching staff as graduate assistant coaches.

"There are going to be many new aspects to our play this year," explained co-captain and GNAC pre-season all-star Erin Chambers (Mission, BC). "We will really miss Nayo's presence this year, but there will be a combination of players who will contribute to fill that hole".

One of those players is likely to be Chambers herself, last season's GNAC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, the 6'1 guard/forward combo will be counted on to contribute on both  ends of the floor.
Averaging 13.5 points per game last season, Chambers also was second on the team in rebounding, and played 31.9 minutes per game; the most of any Clan player.

In the 2013-14 exhibition season against the Portland State Vikings and the Lewis and Clark Pioneers the versatile athlete showcased what will likely become a consistent image, leading the team through two games with 24 and 29 points.

"Erin has such a huge presence on the floor, she can be counted in any situation," said Chambers' co-captain Chelsea Reist (Mission, BC). "We are different players and our differences will help us lead this team in all aspects of the game."

Reist returns for her senior season having averaged 5.2 points per game in 2012-13, and hopes to step up in the high post and knock down the shots from the elbow that she has come to be known for.

"We are a different team this year, but that's not a bad thing," she continued. "It just means we will look and run differently on the court but it doesn't change our commitment or passion for the game. "

No one agrees more than head coach Bruce Langford who understands there will be skeptics out there who wonder how the team will rebound after the loss of Raincock-Ekunwe who averaged 16.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game as a senior.

"We know we will have to replace Nayo on the boards and we need to up our toughness in the paint," he explained. "But we have so many other assets as well including 3-point shooting capability from Kia (Van Laare), Erin (Chambers), Katie (Lowen) and Marie-Line (Petit) as well as some up and coming freshmen. People have been and will be stepping up in all capacities."

Overall the Clan ladies return eight letterwinners and three starters - Chambers, Reist, and fiery guard Katie Lowen (Lethbridge, AB) who had a breakout sophomore season in 2012-13, bringing necessary experience back to the court.

"Our seniors will play a role in any success we have," continued Langford. "Chelsea (Reist), Becca (Langmead), Kia (Van Laare), and Marie-line (Petit) will all factor in majorly in their final years with us,  and we have Erin (Chambers) returning to lead the team on the floor; she sets the tone on defence and can shoot, drive, or post people up."

Their cross-border rivals from Western Washington University also lost a trio of top players for 2013-14 putting the teams at a similar advantage based on losses, but the Clan hopes their experience will give them a boost against WWU and the other major players in the conference.

"There is always going to be a big battle with WWU, especially because of the rivalry built up in last year's GNAC Championship game," said Reist. "But there is going to be a big battle for the conference this year, there are so many competitive teams and games can go both ways in most situations."

This year's Clan squad has been ranked fourth in the GNAC pre-season coaches' poll, with Montana State University-Billings getting the top nod followed by Seattle Pacific and Western Washington.

The Yellowjackets and the Falcons both return four starters from last season, the Yellowjackets having the slight edge in Bobbie Knudsen, an honourable mention to the All-American team selection and a first team GNAC and West Region all-star.

"MSUB looks great, returning both Bobbie and with the addition of a 6'5 Division I transfer," Langford continued. "But overall the conference is so competitive. Teams can lose to any other on any given day, and the battle for the six playoff spots is going to be tough."

In 2012-13 SFU boasted a 25-6 record, and 15-3 in GNAC play, finishing in second place in the conference and despite their fourth place ranking the ladies are confident that they will surprise some fans and opponents alike.

"We are going to surprise people, and after our exhibition play I think people really noticed how we came together," finished Reist. "We aren't going to sit idle and worry about what and who we lost, we are going to be strong together and that will lift us through this season."

As the Clan ladies look forward however it becomes evident that the team dynamic and play will undergo a shift, and new roles and pairings on the floor will emerge, but if the exhibition season is any indication the team should have no problem adjusting to their new roles.

"We open the conference season against the top four teams in the GNAC," finished Langford. "It will give us a tough go in the early moments of the conference schedule, so we will do all we can to be tough and ready out of the gates.

The Clan ladies begin preseason play with a double header against Cal Poly Pomona on November 8 and 9 before returning home for a five game swing that culminates with their GNAC opener against none other than Western Washington on January 7, 2014.

The Cal Poly games will be played at 6:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. respectively and fans can tune in by following the live feed links on athletics.sfu.ca

2013-14 Overview:

GUARDS

With the loss of Collins, the point guard position is somewhat up in the air. Chambers could easily handle the role, but her abilities will be needed in all areas of the floor.  Senior Marie-Line Petit will be a candidate for the position as will Australian freshman Ellen Kett, who Langford credits as having exceptional vision, and junior Kia Van Laare. Katie Lowen will be another possibility but the aggressive guard's rebounding ability and athleticism make her an excellent swing player with abilities in many different areas, while redshirt freshman Ariana Sider and  sophomore Belce Yoruk may pass through the rotation as well. The Clan's depth at the off-guard position will be one of their strengths this season as multiple players will be able to cycle through, including all those candidates listed above, providing depth and rotation through the two positions throughout the season. While the point-guard spot will likely be whittled down to two or three regulars, the off-guard spot has the possibility for a constant flow through the bench.

FORWARDS
Crucial to the Clan's success this year will be the replacement of the 12.2 rebounds per game that were snapped up by Nayo Raincock—Ekunwe in 2012-13 and Chelsea Reist and 6'5 forward Rebecca Langmead will be counted on to pick up lots of the slack. Reist has already led the team in rebounds in exhibition play but will need to be aided by Langmead as the two find the necessary confidence to excel on the boards. Sophomore Meg Wilson who appeared in 26 games for the Clan as a freshman will also be part of the rotation, bringing raw athleticism and a .621 field goal average. Chambers and Lowen will also have impact on the boards, grabbing rebounds from all areas of the floor.

COACHING
Langford returns for his 13th season leading the Clan ladies. In his impressive career on Burnaby Mountain he has led the team through their transition from Canadian Interuniversity Sport to NCAA play, as the ladies improved on their NCAA and GNAC records each year since 2010. In 2010-11 the team had a 7-17 record, before improving to 17-11 in 2011-12 followed by last season's 25-6 record. Langford also recorded his 300th career win with the Clan in 2013 and will look to coach his team through this season's changes and adjustments.

Langford is joined by new assistant Emily Wright, a former collegiate student-athlete at Langara College, Carleton University and Kwantlen Polytechnic. Wright has Master's in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University - Irvine California, and served as assistant coach at her alma mater Kwantlen Polytechnic for three seasons.

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