OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 10, 2016) – For the first time since Oklahoma Christian began competing in the Heartland Conference, the Lady Eagles seem to be gaining respect in the league – placing two players on the preseason All-Heartland team and finishing third in the preseason poll.

In her 32nd season, OC women's basketball coach Stephanie Findley knows nothing can be taken for granted, but with perhaps the league's best frontline and an exciting and (mostly) young backcourt, the Lady Eagles could be poised for a strong 2016-17 season. OC will begin the campaign on Friday in Wichita, Kan., against Regis (Colo.) in the Heartland-RMAC Challenge.

Almost any discussion of the Lady Eagles will start with senior forwards McKenzie Stanford and Sarah Parker, the team's two preseason All-Heartland honorees. Both finished in the top five in the league in scoring as juniors and both have shown the ability to take over a game and-or hit clutch shots when necessary.

Both also have the ability to step outside the 3-point line and handle the ball, forcing opponents to have to make sometimes-difficult decisions, and their strengths complement each other.

Findley said more will be asked this year from OC's other returning inside players. Senior forward Hannah Holasek showed promise last season as a tough, fundamentally sound defender and rebounder, while junior forward Hope Dawkins is the team's shot-blocking ace, with a knack of timing her jumps just at the right moment.

Both could be used at times with Stanford and Parker, should the Lady Eagles want to "go big" in certain situations, and each will see expanded playing time thanks in good part to their defensive prowess.

As two other young inside players, sophomore Hannah Bentsen and 6-foot-4 freshman Tori Connell – one of the tallest players in the program's history – could also crack the rotation as they continue to develop. Bentsen, a left-hander, has good shooting range and is one of the team's better passers, while Connell brings plenty of energy and an eagerness to learn to the table.

On the wing, senior Emma Gade and junior Audrey Hayes – mostly role players in previous seasons – will also be asked to shoulder a heavier load. Gade, a 6-footer, is healthy after battling injuries that robbed her of most of two seasons. Her pull-up jumper off the break has been an underutilized weapon and she's also a strong 3-point shooter.

Both Gade and Hayes are strong defenders because of their length. Hayes' ability to slash through defenses toward the basket is an asset and she brings a sprinter's speed to the defensive end. In a pinch, she also could be the team's primary ball-handler.

New to the team – although not to the OC system – is another wing player, senior Dontasia McAfee, who will suit up this season after two years serving as a program assistant for the Lady Eagles. Her knowledge of OC's program should allow for a seamless transition and will be helpful, Findley said.

In the backcourt, sophomore sharpshooter Addy Clift – the 2016 Heartland freshman of the year – is back to stretch defenses. Her long-range ability helps provide the freedom for Parker and Stanford to work inside more effectively, although Clift will have to adjust this season to becoming even more of a defensive focus for other teams, as she was during the latter half of last season.

With the graduation of OC's four-year starter at point guard, Sydney Hill, the Lady Eagles will convert senior Kylee Hicks – who's spent most of her career playing shooting guard or on the wing – into the team's primary ballhandler. Hicks spent the summer working on the transition and early returns were promising, as she had nine assists and seven steals in a preseason win over York (Neb.).

She's also a strong defender and rebounder, which should help OC maintain its preferred up-tempo style of play.

Three younger players will be counted on to spell Clift and Hicks. Sophomore Shae Scheffler showed promise in limited minutes last season running the point, and both she and speedy freshman Raven Watkins could spell Hicks when necessary. So could freshman Megan Shelton, although she'll spend more of her time at shooting guard, where she figures to be effective as a penetrator and shooter who's aware and alert.

OC will begin the season on the cusp of the NCAA Division II South Central Region rankings and the Lady Eagles will face a challenging nonconference schedule that will include games against Colorado-Colorado Springs, Regis, Texas Woman's, Cameron, Central Oklahoma and preseason No. 25-ranked Arkansas Tech, among others.

Outside of defending national champion Lubbock Christian (Texas), there are no clear favorites in the Heartland, which should bode well for OC. Arkansas-Fort Smith, St. Mary's (Texas) and perhaps St. Edward's (Texas) or Newman (Kan.) should all contend with OC for an upper-division finish in the league.