After three straight seasons in which it was eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the women's basketball team finally overcame its postseason struggles and reached the Sectional Finals for the first time in school history. This season, the team faces a new challenge-how to build on such success after losing two-fifths of its starting lineup from that historic season.Forwards Lauren Orlando '09 and Cassidy Dadaos '09 graduated after starting all 28 games for the Judges last season. Forward Amanda Wells '09 also graduated last season after serving as the team's top forward off the bench. The three frontcourt players helped guide the Judges in their deepest NCAA Tournament run before falling to Amherst College one game short of the Final Four. They were also part of the most successful four-year stretch in team history as the only seniors to reach the NCAA Tournament in all four years they were on the squad.

Without Orlando, Dadaos and Wells, the team will have a gap to fill down low.

"All three, they gave us great experience and great depth in the post, but our returning posts are up for the challenge," coach Carol Simon said.

Orlando was the team's second leading scorer last year with an average of 10 points per game and was third on the team with 132 rebounds. Dadaos averaged 7 points per game and was second with 154 rebounds. Wells appeared in all 28 games and was fourth on the team with 100 rebounds.

"I think overall we really just have to make sure that the people who are filling [Orlando's and Dadaos'] spots are confident with their own individual play," guard Diana Cincotta '11 said. "I think as a team just playing hard one-on-one when we're in practice and just making sure that we all know the plays and we all support each other if we make a mistake."

But the team still returns some key members from last year's squad, particularly in the backcourt. At the top of the depth chart is co-captain guard Jessica Chapin '10, who led the team in every major statistical category last season, averaging 14.1 points per game. Chapin was a first-team all-conference selection last season and was named to the preseason fourth-team all-America team by D3hoops.com. Cincotta should also play a key role at a guard position after starting all but one game last season, finishing the year second on the team with 62 assists.

Guard Lauren Rashford '10 will also return to the squad after missing the final 11 games of last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which she injured in practice before a key conference road trip last February. Before the injury, Rashford was averaging 8.1 points per game and was third on the team in minutes played.

"She's getting there," Simon said of Rashford's progress off her injury. "She probably won't be 100 percent, really, I would probably assume, until second semester, but she's pretty darn close."

Simon was sure that Rashford would be ready for the start of the season and has been practicing with the team.

Guard Morgan Kendrew '12, who started in place of Rashford after the injury, and guard/forward Kelly Ethier '12 headlined last year's rookie class. The two came on strong in the second half of the last season, especially in the postseason.

Kendrew scored in double figures in two of the Judges' three wins in the NCAA Tournament, while Ethier had her only double-digit-scoring game of the season against Mount St. Mary College in the second round. Now Simon hopes the two can continue their success and avoid a sophomore slump.

"[A sophomore slump] is usually mental," Simon said. "Freshman year they are new; they're new to other teams; and then once they've been playing, other teams have seen them, so it's just a matter of adding to their game, learning how to make adjustments when teams play you differently."

Simon is also hoping some of her returning players will be able to step into the roles vacated by Orlando and Dadaos last season. She singled out forwards Amber Strodthoff '11, who appeared in all 28 games off the bench and was fifth on the team in rebounds, co-captain Kasey Gieschen '10, Brighid Courtney '12 and Shannon Hassan '12 as players who she thinks will contribute this season.

The team also has four forwards among its six rookies this season, including McDonald's All-American nominee Courtney Ness '13 and second-team all-New York State selection Shannon Ingram '13.

The Judges come into this season ranked No. 9 in the D3hoops.com national preseason poll, though fellow University Athletic Association foe and last season's national-runner up Washington University in St. Louis is ranked No. 1. Simon, however, does not take much out of these early rankings.

"Preseason rankings are nice-it shows that the Brandeis program has been given great respect-but each year's different. You never know what any team is going to do," Simon added. "That's more for just the media, I think, to be honest."

This season, the Judges face six teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season. Of these, three are UAA teams that the Judges will play twice:?WashU, New York University and the University of Rochester. Last season the Judges had one of the toughest schedules in Division III, aided by the strength of the UAA. Brandeis is currently ranked No. 3 in the UAA preseason poll behind WashU and the University of Chicago.

"I think really just being disciplined with defense [will help us beat UAA teams]," Cincotta said. "We're not the biggest team in the UAA, but if we play defense the way we need to and the way we know how to, I think that will really play a distinct part in distinguishing us from other UAA teams."

Brandeis plays at Babson College tonight at 7 p.m.