Emma Such, Stan Schrock
Sports Reporters

After capturing the hearts of fans around the country and going where no other CMU basketball team had gone before, the women’s basketball team is moving forward and not looking back.

All-Americans Katrina Selsor and Kelsey Sigl are gone, along with bench-scoring threats Bruna Deichmann and Effo Baker, but the Mavericks are paying no attention to what they’ve lost as they look to return to the NCAA Division II Elite 8.

“We will be different as is any team from year to year, but any team that wants to win doesn’t live in the success of the past nor dwell on the talent lost,” senior Sharaya Selsor said. “Basketball is a team sport, and wins and losses don’t come down to two or three people.”

Creating their own success and maintaining the high level of basketball won’t be easy, but that is exactly why the Mavericks believe they can keep winning. The team is continually working to improve and takes extreme pride in that work ethic.

“I think this team’s work ethic is one of our strong suits and we work hard to make ourselves better,” senior Christen Lopez said. “This will translate into another successful season because even if we come across a more talented team, we’ll take pride in giving our all on the floor and whatever coach [Taylor Wagner] wants us to get done, we’ll be able to get it done.”

The Mavs return nine players, including three starters in All-RMAC perimeter player [Sharaya] Selsor, Taylor Rock and ball-handler Lopez. Wagner also threw five college transfers and four freshmen in to the mix.

With the departure of Katrina, Sigl, Deichmann and Baker, the Mavs will have to look elsewhere for the bulk of their scoring, something the team isn’t worried about, according to redshirt freshman Danielle Rinaldo.

“We are already looking strong with a deep bench, and we’re a lot taller this year,” Rinaldo said. “The new players also make practice more competitive because everyone is fighting for a spot and to improve the team, which will keep our program strong.”

Lopez said the key to the Maverick’s offense this year will actually start defensively, and scoring will need to be more balanced.

“If we focus on our defense and get little things done, we’ll be able to run in transition, get easy buckets and just get more possessions in general,” Lopez said. “The difference between last year and this year is that this year will consist of more balanced scoring, and it seems everybody is ready to contribute something.”

Sharaya added that the team is different, but the goals are the same. Everybody is finding their role on the team and perfecting it, a key ingredient to team success.

“Our team is worried about writing our own story and continuing to represent a high standard of maverick basketball,” Sharaya said.

The Mavericks’ first attempt at upholding that high standard will be in a scrimmage against Colorado Northwestern Community College at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

scschroc@mavs.coloradomesa.edu, elsuch@mavs.coloradomesa.edu