DENVER, Colo. – The Regis University women's basketball team is a determined group heading into their 2022-2023 season, set to start on Friday in the annual RMAC-Lonestar Conference Challenge against St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas.
 
The 2021-2022 season was a challenge for the Rangers as they finished 12-16 overall, 8-14 in conference, and 10th overall in the RMAC standings. But with 11 returners, including nine rotational players who averaged 16 minutes or more per game, Regis is optimistic about a rebound in the 2022-2023 season. RMAC coaches agreed, placing the Rangers seventh in the RMAC Coaches' Preseason Poll, potentially knocking on the door of a playoff spot. 
 
"I want us to be balanced and team first. We're a threat at any position and that's a huge piece. This is the best passing team I've had since I've been coaching here," said head coach Molly Marrin, who is entering her eighth year with the Rangers. "It's going to be a fun, up-tempo pace that we can play at and thrive in. We've talked a lot about growing defensively and starting our offense with our defense. I think it's a naturally talented team that has the capability to put up a lot of points and we'll be fun to watch."
 
RETURNERS
Returning 11 veterans means that the team is more player-led. Marrin sees that leadership in her upperclassmen, including RMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention, Josey Ryan.
 
Ryan earned All-Conference Honorable Mention after averaging a team-high 12.6 points per game and shooting 42.1 percent from the floor, despite being limited to 19 games due to injury.
 
Add in junior Erin Fry and senior Sam Deem, two guards who are poised to have their best seasons yet, and suddenly the Rangers have a back court that combined for over 550 total points and a total of 150 assists last season.
 
"Leadership is the first thing I want to see from the three of them. Fry's confidence has grown and she's put in a lot of work over the summer and you can see it. Getting Josey back is going to be huge and she'll be a leader on the court," said Marrin. "Sam's shooting the ball really well and she's put in a tremendous amount of work over the summer. I think those three setting the tone with their work ethic and their leadership will be great for the group."
 
Defensively, the Rangers are returning their top three rebounders from last season. Morgan L. Smith had a whopping 5.8 rebounds per game. While Deem and Erin Stroberg both averaged 5.4 per game over the 28 games they played. 
 
In addition to their defensive prowess, Smith and Stroberg add offensive pressure as both forwards shot over 56 percent last year, averaging 6.5 and 5.9 points per game respectively.
 
At the basket, opponents will have their hands full as the Rangers also return their top shot blocker and fourth-highest rebounder, Sydney Speights. Speights played 25 games last season and had a total of 18 blocks and averaged 3.8 rebounds per game.
 
"I think anyone that gets to say they're returning 11 players is going to be excited as a coach. We graduated two last year, but the veterans we have coming back are huge," said Marrin. "We had seven newcomers last year so now we have a bulk of the team who know the system and know the culture. It's been super exciting and it's invaluable. We have three freshmen this year so for them to join an experienced group is awesome."
 
NEWCOMERS
Balancing the strong class of returners are three new faces to the Regis squad, Kyla Frenchers, Jessica Bollwahn, and Mary Crossland. 
 
Frenchers and Crossland are both Kansas natives, while Bollwahn is a Colorado-local from Littleton. Out the gate, their personalities have already had a big impact on the team and have helped balance the upperclassmen.
 
Frenchers is showing a lot of promise in being a dynamic point guard alongside Fry. Crossland brings the ability to shoot from all over the floor. With Bollwahn, Marrin notes that she'll be able to play inside and out and has the potential to be a major threat for the Rangers.
 
The three girls, however, are far from quiet both on and off the court.
 
"Well, the freshmen aren't shy. Kyla's a really dynamic point guard and she and Fry battle every day and they'd probably laugh and cringe at the same time because it's just a brutal battle. She's really talented and a really great playmaker," said Marrin. "Mary is very versatile, very coachable. She can shoot the ball and she's got a great jumper. Jess is very goofy and long. When she picks something up basketball wise, it sticks with her. We have kind of a quieter group in our upperclassmen so having three goofy freshmen makes it fun, it balances it all out."
 
There's another newcomer for the Rangers this year, Assistant Coach Jessie Craig. Craig joins the Rangers after five seasons with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, including serving as the Nanooks' interim head coach in 2021-2022. 
 
"She's been amazing. She's super positive, upbeat, hardworking, she's a great teammate and the girls love her," said Marrin. "Any time you can get an assistant coach with her experience at the Division II level, having also coached in high school and has been a head coach, it is super invaluable. She's consistently happy and always brings it and our girls feel it. She's happy to support them and if they want extra workouts or anything, she's there for them. She's been tremendous in every aspect for our program."

CULTURE
This year, Marrin left it to her team to come up with their goals for the season. One of the squad's main goals is to win the Brechler Award, which is given to the team with the highest GPA across the conference.
 
"They want to win the Brechler Award this year so I think that tells you enough about the team right there to have that goal," said Marrin. "Obviously, they want to win the RMAC. There's some non-negotiables and goals that are mixed in there. They came up with a new motto for this year: BATTLE, and it starts with belief."
 
On the court, the team is just driven with some of the team spending their summer in the Regis Field House. Some days, Marrin could walk in and see 9-11 of her girls on the court, working out on their own. 
 
Even though the season tips off later this week, the girls took it upon themselves to start their preparations earlier this year.
 
"The moment that our season began was in the spring, really. From that moment on and carrying it over into the summer," said Marrin. "At some points we had nine, ten, eleven people in the gym over the summer. That's something we can't require and be there for, so them doing that themselves, they get 100% of the credit for starting our season in the spring instead of now."
 
LOOKING FORWARD
The Rangers open up their season with seven non-conference games, starting this Friday and Saturday with matchups against St. Mary's University (6 p.m.) and St. Edward's University (2 p.m.) down in San Antonio, Texas. 
 
Regis will then return to Denver for another two games against Texas Permian Basin (Nov. 15) and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (Nov. 18). 
 
"We're playing two Lonestar teams to start the season and I've always scheduled NCAA regional games," said Marrin. "Those regional games are super important when it comes to the end of the season. We're also playing two Division I opponents in exhibition. We're playing as tough a schedule as we can to get ready for RMAC play and that's the goal."

After an exhibition game against Division I opponent University of Wyoming, the Rangers are hosting a Thanksgiving tournament featuring Central Washington University and Seattle Pacific University. 
 
Following the Thanksgiving Classic, Regis opens its conference slate on the road against Black Hills State University on December 2. 
The Rangers are a different team this year, and Marrin knows her girls want the RMAC championship as bad as any other team. With a majority of the 2021 All-Conference team graduated, the 2022-2023 RMAC season is shaping up to be a one where anyone can make a run.
 
Marrin wants it to be them.
 
"We're looking to win the RMAC. This is the team, and it comes from the girls. With the veterans that are coming back, we knew we didn't have the season we wanted last year and they're hungry. We're chasing that crown like everybody else," said Marrin. "Last year there were a ton of super seniors in the league, there was a ton of experience and with that, a lot of the All-RMAC team has graduated. I think with us, and having so many returners, that puts us in a good spot to build on. I think that's an advantage for us and something we'll play to our strengths."