Lethbridge, AB - It's all about the small steps for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's basketball team.

Last season, that one-step-at-a-time credo set the Horns on the path to a Canada West Final Four appearance.

While certainly not a performance to turn one's nose up at, nonetheless, with the 2022-23 Canada West season set to tip off Friday night as the Victoria Vikes pay a visit to the 1st Choice Savings Centre, the baby steps are back as the Pronghorns head into their new season.

"I think we're starting to get an idea of our identity as a group and what makes us strong, but it's a step-by-step process," said Pronghorns head coach Dave Waknuk, whose team enters the season ranked 10th in the Canada West. "We don't want to rush to the end and we know we have to take small steps to get there.

"I think even last year we never really focused on it. We just worked on continual improvement and trying to find our stride. Last year, we started 0-4 and then went on a 10-game winning streak. We're going to have our growing pains, we know it. Every team I've coached every year, there's a little bit of feeling out, but I think for us it's finding our groove by the end of the year. Past performance is great, but I don't want to use it as a comparison. I think it's a great motivator, but we just want to push forward and keep getting better."

The first push arrives this weekend as Vikes beckon for the first out-of-province games since before the pandemic.

"Exhibition-wise, I think it was good for us because we do have our returning core back," said Waknuk, who returns to the Pronghorns for his fifth season on the bench and is 33-23 in that time. "So it's continuing to challenge them to show improvement (and that) they've shown growth and change in their game. Then I think it's putting the returning players in new roles, so that's been good, seeing people embrace their new spots and roles.

"Then it's seeing the first-year players and what their strengths are and what we can build on."

The Pronghorns posted a 10-6 record in conference play in 2021-22, good for a second place finish in the Central Division.

The Horns earned a trip to the Canada West Final Four after dispatching the Manitoba Bisons 80-77 and the Trinity Western Spartans 76-67 in the Canada West quarter-finals.

In their first Final Four game, the Pronghorns fell 62-51 to the eventual champion Saskatoon Huskies - who once again are ranked number one in the Canada West heading into this season - before bowing out to the Regina Cougars 92-60 in the bronze medal game.

In 2021-22 the Pronghorns were ranked fifth in the Canada West in offence with 71.4 points-per-game and sat in 10th in defence with 67.6 points-per-game surrendered.

The Pronghorns lose fifth-year forwards Isabel Rattai of Medicine Hat and Amy Mazutinec of Stirling, but return fifth-year guard Jessica Haenni, who led the Horns in points-per-game (14.5) and assists (33).

A product of Millet, Haenni was named to the Canada West All-Star Second Team and looks to continue where she left off and lead the Pronghorns in all key scoring categories as a skilled scorer who has the ability to impact the game with her shooting and decision making.

Other key returnees this year include forward Haily Weaver, who had seven blocks and averaged 7.3 rebounds-per-game.

Guard Savannah McMahon also returns to the team after shooting 41.8 per cent from the three-point line in 2021-22.

Joining the Pronghorns as new additions are Abby Graves, a forward with the Raymond Comets and Piper Dobbelsteyn, a guard who hails from Edmonton and spent last season with the St. Albert Skyhawks.

Dobbelsteyn got some exhibition play as the Horns went 3-3 in the preseason, including two wins over the UBC Okanagan Heat at the 1st Choice Savings Centre.

"I was nervous, but it was great," said Dobbelsteyn, who had four points and played 21 minutes in the Pronghorns final preseason game against the Heat. "This awesome team has really taken me under their wing and supported me through it all. It's a big jump from high school, for sure, but it has been a blast. I can't wait."

Third-year Pronghorn Danielle Nadeau comes into her second year and third year of eligibility after losing the first year to COVID.

"Obviously it's exciting having games in our gym, it's the best feeling in the world," said the second-year guard from Edmonton of the home opener. "We had some (exhibition games), but there's nothing like a home opener to have all the fans out. Just being with your teammates is really good.

"We've looked strong. We're definitely a different team than last year, for sure. We're looking fast and we're pretty young. We have a lot of our leadership team back, which is a huge advantage for us, but at the same time we have tons of new support."

Nadeau averaged 3.9 points-per-game last season to go along with 38 rebounds, nine assists and seven steals.

"Last year was an interesting one," she said. "We came in, I think, underestimating our potential and how well we could have done last year. But at the same time, we played to the best of our capabilities. I think we just kept getting better and better as the season went on. We could see tons of potential and I think we'll do the same as we did last year."

The Pronghorns will look to build into the new season and put last year's Final Four appearance behind them. But still, a trek that deep into the postseason sure can't hurt for the returning players. 

"I think confidence and leadership of people who have been there before and had some success, I think if they can speak to that and know what that extra piece looks like and they know how to get there. I think that's really good," said Waknuk. "There's a confidence that's growing here, that we've had success lately and it's been good to be a part of it. We want it to continue, so that's been a good motivator so far."

More motivation lies in the home opener Friday night at the 1st Choice Savings Centre with the Vikes on the slate.

"I think we're feeling excited, that's an easy word to describe this," said Waknuk. "I think we're very excited to get back here and play. It feels right for us to be back at home and start this again. It's nice we had an exhibition series to play at home and do the dry run. But it's going to be great to play here and have a team of the caliber of Victoria to come in. It's going to feel great to be a part of it and the excitement is going to be great."

"I think it's going to be huge energy," added Dobbelsteyn. "We had a great turnout for our preseason games. Being the home opener with the guys playing, too, I think everyone is excited for basketball to be back. This is the first time we're playing out-of-province in a couple of years. So I think everyone is excited to see some new competition. It should be great."

The Vikes are ranked seventh in the Canada West to start the season.

Last season, the Vikes were ranked eighth in offence with 69.6 points per game and seventh in defence with 65.8 points-per-game given up.

Vikes guard Ashlyn Day led Victoria in points-per-game with 19.7, assists with 46 and three-point shooting at 41 per cent.

Guard Tana Pankratz was tops on the Vikes with 19 blocks, while forward Mimi Sigue led the team in rebounds-per-game at 6.8.

"Victoria is always one of the best programs and it's going to be great to have them here and see a team of that calibre," said Waknuk. "They're a team a lot of people think will be contenders, so for us to have them here is an early measuring stick of where we're at.

"We know they have Ashlyn Day. She was a perennial Canada West all-star. They have a lot of size and are well-coached and disciplined. They're a tough team, no question. We're going to have to play fast and use our speed and we have to shoot the ball well. That's going to be the way, every week, I think. So for us, I think it's going to be finding our tempo of play and speed we want to play at."

The Huskies have reigned over Canada West for the past three seasons, and the conference's coaches think it'll stay that way when the season tips off. 

Despite losing a central forward-guard pairing, the Huskies will look to bring their defensive tenacity into 2022-23 as they aim for their fourth straight conference title. A tough field stands in their way, led by the Fraser Valley Cascades, who took second in the poll.

The Cascades boasted the second-best defence in Canada West last season and will see their core return. They'll be hungry to avenge their quarterfinal loss from the spring and show they've learned from that playoff experience to capture their first-ever women's basketball title.

Rounding out the top three is the Cougars, a team that was bested by the Winnipeg Wesmen in last season's semifinals but whose young lineup will look to out grind opponents all the way to the championship banner. The Cougars already have three hanging in their gym, most recently from 2017-18.

Game time Friday night at the 1^st Choice Savings Centre is 6 p.m.

Saturday night's tip-off is slated for 5 p.m.