The crisp autumn breeze is a sign that basketball season is right around the corner.

 Wichita State’s Women’s Basketball was selected to finish 10th in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. 

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, got a lot to prove but we’re hungry and we want more,” Head coach Keitha Adams said. 

She said that the team has talked about the poll and it has motivated them to work harder.

“We’ve been competitive in the past that have you know, come up short,” Adams said.

Adams said that she is excited about this year’s team. The Shockers return eight players and have added seven newcomers. 

“We brought in some players new players that have shot the ball well, in their past seasons,” Adams said.

Adams recruited six new players that came from the transfer portal. Adams said that Curtessia Dean, a transfer from Seton Hall, was a player whom she did not have to do a lot of research for. 

“I knew her like I didn’t have to, I didn’t have to go and get film on her because I watched her play and recruited her to Wichita State,” Adams said. 

Adams said that Trajata Colbert, DJ McCarty, Jane Asinde, and Shamaryah Duncan have emerged as leaders on the team. 

“Those are four main players back that have played and had good experience,” Adams said.

She said that the team has spent a lot of time in the weight room and has been focusing on shape and fitness during the summer. 

Adams said that right now they are working on putting the pieces together. 

 “Basketball is a game where you need five people on the floor that are in sync with one another,” Adams said. “We’ve been working on our chemistry.”

She said that the team has been building team chemistry on and off the court.

 “I think one of the things that we’re really trying to encourage is for our players to really play well together,” Adams said.

She said that during practices they have been focusing on defense and rebounding. 

“It’s a big year for us, where we want more,” Adams said.