Last season, Mount Mary University worked through some immense issues to get through the entire year unscathed. With some growing pains along the way, the Blue Angels were able to complete the 2013 schedule at 1-19. After having the 2012 season completely cancelled, the fact that the program had to start from scratch really brings to light how the 2013 season was an honest success.

Now that the first brick has been set, the Blue Angels are looking to continue on building up towards a competitive NCAA program. The first step was bringing in some NCAA level recruits, and Coach Marc Heidorf did just that bringing in a handful of NCAA caliber basketball players in the offseason.

Among the new faces, Becky Onan (Fr./Grafton, Wis.), Erin Russell (Fr./New Roads, La.), Jasmine Meyer (Fr./Lansing, Kan.), Chrisandra Freeman (Fr./Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Marissa Rechlicz (Fr./West Allis, Wis.), and Sarah Amoroso (Fr./Wauwatosa, Wis.).

The team has a few versatile and multisport athletes. Onan and Rechlicz just finished the MMU soccer season. Both players were named to the Association of Division III Independents 2014 First Team honors. Along with the first team, Onan received AD3I Goalkeeper of the Year, and AD3I Rookie of the Year. Amoroso finished the MMU volleyball as an "iron woman", starting and playing in every match and missing only five sets the entire year.

With the addition of some phenomenal multi-sport athletes and NCAA level recruits, the remaining roster of Taylor Baumgart (So./Burlington, Wis.) and Shandrieka Richardson (Jr./Atlanta, Ga.) are looking to make some substantial progress this season. Baumgart is coming of her rookie season averaging 9.6 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game. The hybrid guard/forward was also on the court for an average of 31 minutes per game. Richardson will take over as one of the point guards in the MMU system. Richardson shared time last year, but still averaged 25 minutes a game, and averaged two defensive rebounds per game as she contained her opposition on the defensive end of the court.

Now the Blue Angels have had a few weeks to work together in practice, and even had a chance to smooth out the final kinks in a scrimmage against Milwaukee Area Technical College. It was an exhibition that saw a lot of full court pressure defense, something the Blue Angels will have to adjust to as the first two teams they face use that strategy.

One of the big issues last season was turnovers, the Blue Angels as a unit in 2013 averaged 26 turnovers per game.  With the addition of four guards, two of which split time at the forward, MMU will look to cut down the miscues this season and focus on execution.

"Given our inexperience this season, our focus early on will be the forming good habits and the breaking of bad ones," said coach Heidorf, "as we continue to drive home the point that ball handling is a TEAM effort, we will be able to maximize our possessions, and build off of those successes."

As the team focuses on the little things, positioning, timing, and ball handling, the hope is that the big things then fall into place. The time for week long practice sessions are over, it is now time to put all that work on the court against top-notch NCAA DIII talent. With a double header of Simpson College and Alverno College coming this weekend, the Blue Angels will be put to task immediately.

The future for Blue Angels basketball is starting to look bright, with the new staff, new philosophy, and new recruiting class anything can happen this year. In addition, with the strength of commitment and work ethic across the lineup, beyond this season, MMU is looking to begin to their winning ways.