With only five players returning from the 2010-11 roster, this year’s version of the women’s basketball  team (0-0CW, 5-4 overall) will have a distinctly new look this season and will see their first conference action this weekend traveling to Winnipeg to face the Wesmen.
 
Coming off a major injury, fifth-year senior Lauren Taal returns to lead the new look ‘Horns and will be counted on heavily at the offensive end of the floor, while Kim Veldman, Morgan Cross and Stephanie Inman and Cassidy Taal are the other returnees from last season.
 
The Wesmen are a year removed from a 20-4 season but were upset by the Fraser Valley Cascades in the first round of the playoffs and fifth-year’s Amy Ogidan and Mackenzie Prasek will no doubt be leaders both on and off the court. Ogidan, named a second team Canada West All-Star last season after scoring 11.4 ppg will be expected to once again provide scoring and solid defensive play. Prasek will have increased playing time with the loss of Catie Gooch. Canada West Women’s Basketball Rookie of the Year Stephanie Kleysen returns for her second season.
 
The Canada West coaches poll had the Wesmen ranked 8^th among the 14 Canada West schools, while the ‘Horns were 11^th in the rankings.
 
Last season, the ‘Horns were swept at home by the Wesman, but that was during the final weekend of the 2010-11 conference schedule and the ‘Horns were without both Taal and Veldman.
 
Tip-off for both games is scheduled for 6:00pm Friday and Saturday night.  The games will also be available on www.canadawest.tv, the home of all Canada West web broadcasts.