The 2011-12 Lewis-Clark State women’s basketball team finished the season with a 29-5 record, won the Frontier Conference Tournament and won a game at the NAIA Tournament before losing in the Sweet 16 to the fifth-ranked team in the nation.

To the vast majority of programs in the nation, that is without question a season for the record books.

Thanks to the tradition that head coach Brian Orr has built in his decade at the helm of the LCSC program, the Warriors aim higher.

"I was disappointed, and I think even our seniors were disappointed," Orr said about last year. "We went into the season with higher expectations than the Sweet 16. We set our goals a lot higher and fell short on a lot of goals. Our seniors had wonderful careers, but at the same time, we’ve gone Sweet 16, Sweet 16 and Sweet 16 in the last three years. That’s my nemesis now. We’re always going to try to achieve something beyond the Sweet 16."

There will be some obstacles to overcome if the 2012-13 Warriors want to get back to nationals, and those concerns begin with the fact that four of the team’s starters from a year ago departed via graduation, including two-time NAIA All-American Jasmine Stohr and All-Frontier first teamers Kirsi Voshell and Alyssa Fierro.

Aside from reigning Frontier Conference Freshman of the Year and 2012-13 Preseason All-Conference selection Brittaney Niebergall, the rest of the Lewis-Clark State roster has combined to start just six games.

But when inexperience is viewed as potential, it becomes a positive.

"One of the great things about the players we have back is that they all were very productive in the off-season and return as improved basketball players," Orr said. "And we’re excited about our four new players. They all bring something to the table. We have 11 talented basketball players and everyone is going to contribute. We have an extremely high ceiling in terms of potential, and I don’t see this team ever peaking. I see us continuing to get better and better and better."

Early in the preseason, Orr was encouraged by his team’s quick-developing chemistry.

"As early as it is, we’re playing really well together," he said. "The things they’re doing are exciting, and usually reserved for veteran teams that have been on the floor together for a long time."

The Warriors will be tested from the very first game of the season against Division II Northwest Nazarene on Oct. 31, which will be followed by an exhibition game at Boise State on Nov. 2.

"The big thing for us early on is to find out where our strengths and weaknesses are. It’s not going to take us very long. Usually you find things out right away when you play good teams," Orr said. "I worry about this team early on, but I don’t necessarily worry about us late because I think this team is going to continue to improve. With as much inexperience (in the system) as we have out on the floor I think in the end we could be ahead of a lot of the teams that we’ve had."

As has been the case for much of Orr’s tenure at LCSC, the Frontier Conference will be a weekly battle with plenty of solid foes for the Warriors.

Westminster won the league last season and is picked to do so again in 2012-13 behind Preseason Co-Player of the Year Nicole Yazzie and returning All-League first teamer Cydney Tibbits.

--The full version of the 2012-13 outlook can be found inside the LCSC women's basketball souvenir program--  

2011-12 outlook

2010-11 outlook

2009-10 outlook

2008-09 outlook

2007-08 outlook

2006-07 outlook