There is an expectation to succeed for every team at DePauw.
For the nationally-ranked women's basketball team, it carries the title of a national championship team and eight straight years in the NCAA Div. III tournament.
This year, with a mix of veterans and youth, the No. 9 Tigers are set to make another push to the tournament in hopes for a second national title.
Last season, after going 25-3 and 15-1 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, DePauw faced perennial national tournament team Hope College in the first round. The No. 4 Flying Dutch sent the Tigers home by a score of 77-65.
In that game, DePauw struggled in shooting, facing a tough Hope defense. Then-senior Katie Mathews had 14 points but went 5-13 from the field. Mathews, known for her ability to score and lock-down defense, will be sorely missed, said head coach Kris Huffman.
"Katie is probably the toughest to replace because she was our best defender," Huffman said. "She can play the one, two or three and was also our second leading rebounder. Also, when you can shoot a pull-up jumper like she could, that's pretty hard to defend."
Three-point shooters Lauren Goff and Brooke Osborne also graduated last year. Goff was third on the team in scoring with 8.8 points per game. Osborne, who struggled with injuries and played off the bench, averaged 4. Both players often drew attention from opposing defenses, giving forwards senior Katie Aldrich and junior Ellie Pearson space underneath the basket.
Replacing Goff at the starting position will be sophomore Ali Ross, while junior Kathleen Molloy will replace Mathews.
"Their games are different, but they are ready, willing and able to step in," Huffman said. "They don't have as much game experience as our seniors did, but Molloy has been in training behind two outstanding guards and Ali Ross is a talented and versatile player."
Playing at the point will be junior Kate Walker in her third year with the starting job. Walker will look to continue playing at the high level that Huffman demands.
"Some of the big strengths that we had last year that we need to carry over to this year are the things we focus on every year, and that's rebounding and pushing the ball in transition and good defense," said Walker on WGRE's Tiger Talk on Wednesday. "Those are going to be key this year and every year in DePauw basketball."
Walker is confident that Molloy and Ross can step in nicely for Mathews and Goff.
"We have some upperclassmen who are coming back who are really stepping up and filling those shoes," Walked said. "We always improve each year, and I have high hopes for this team. We have a great work ethic in practice and have players who just really want to be there getting better."
A staple for DePauw basketball under Huffman has been working hard on defense and grabbing rebounds. On the offensive end, while opposing defenses will identify Aldrich, who lead the team in scoring at 13.3 points per game last season, as the biggest scoring threat, Huffman is confident in the entire offense to score.
"I hope that our team defense is one of our strengths and our versatility on offense is also a strength," Huffman said. "I don't think we'll have to get our points from certain individuals. I think we'll be more versatile there."
The Tigers will need to work hard on both ends of the ball moving into the North Coast Athletic Conference. DePauw enters the new conference atop the preseason polls to win over defending champion Denison University. Denison went 28-1 and 14-0 in the NCAC on its way to a first round loss in the NCAA Div. III tournament last year.