The Mount Mary University basketball team is preparing for the 2015-16 campaign. This season will bring in a bunch of new faces to the Blue Angels squad, and will be the first time in the NCAA era that MMU basketball will have a chance to participate in a post season conference tournament. Now championship members of the Great South Atlantic Conference, the Blue Angels have a chance at the NCAA DIII national championship tournament.

The Blue Angels finished last season at 5-18. The campaign was capped off with three Blue Angels being named to the Association of Division III Independents All-Association Second Team and also brought home the AD3I Rookie of the Year Award.

After a decorated season, the Blue Angels are looking to make a name for themselves in the GSAC this year. Before that, MMU will have to slug it out through their tough early season schedule. The Blue Angels will face four Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference teams (Alverno, Edgewood, Marian and Rockford), along with the 2014-15 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference post season champs UW-Oshkosh in the first six games.

The Blue Angels are trying the "old school" approach of loading up their schedule with high rated teams early on to help prepare for their first NCAA post season where each possession is crucial. Head Coach Marc Heidorf talks about that change in schedule, "The biggest difference of course will be the opportunity to play in the GSAC tournament at the end of the season. Our November schedule is very tough. If we are able to navigate it both physically AND mentally, come out in the new year a better and cohesive TEAM, I think there are some opportunities to do some special things."

With an overhauled roster in the 2015-16 the challenge ahead may seem difficult, but with the new roster comes a new skill set. Coach Heidorf is excited about that brand new identity, "I think we will be a better ball-handling team. That can be such a big factor: leads to things like less turnovers, which leads to us getting more shots, which leads also leads to less transition defense needing to be played."

If history is any indicator, the Blue Angels will improve their play as the season progresses. Last season the team won four of their five games in the second half of the season.

Along with the late surge, MMU made some big steps towards building the program in 2014-15. It was the first time in three seasons the Blue Angels swept a season series against a team (Illinois Tech). The 2014-15 season also marked the first time since MMU became an NCAA school that the Blue Angels defeated another NCAA university.

The addition of a pair of junior transfers along with an experienced freshmen class, will give MMU a chance to build on last season's successes. That late season drive could mean another big first for MMU, a post season win, and a chance to go to the NCAA national championship if they can get through the GSAC tourney.

"Playing our best basketball in February.  Sounds easy, but really is the toughest thing to do." Coach Heidorf spells out what that entails, "to pull it off you need to be ready mentally every day. You need to come together with your teammates: learn their strengths, expose their strengths / be tolerant of their weaknesses (in the short-term). Find the opportunities in every practice, every film session, every victory and especially every defeat."

The season will get underway Fri. Nov. 13 against rival Alverno College who finished 5-20 (3-17 NACC) and defeated the Blue Angels 67-50 in an early season matchup in the 2014-15 season. Less than 24 hours later, MMU basketball will host their first home game of the 2015-16 season Sat. Nov. 14 against Emmaus Bible College, a team the Blue Angels defeated last year 77-49.

Blue Angels fans are ready and waiting for the tip-off of the 2014-16 campaign, and you can catch all the home games this season via live video and live stats at mtmaryathletics.com.

Returners

Shandrieka Richardson (Sr./Atlanta, Ga.)
-21 games played, 19 games started, 2.7 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game, 1.4 assists per game, .8 steals per game
Erin Russell (So./New Roads, La.)
-5 GP, 3 GS, 3.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg, .6 apg, .8 spg
Becky Onan (So./Grafton, Wis.)
-23 GP, 22 GS, 8.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.4 blocks per game

Newcomers

Jess Runge (Jr., PG, 5-4 / Freedom, Wis., Fox Valley Technical College)
Ariel Oviedo (Jr., PG, 5-4 / Shawano, Wis., Fox Valley Technical College)
Katie Swofford (Fr., G, 5-3 / West Allis, Wis., Nathan Hale)
Taylor Yordt (Fr., G, 5-5 / Omaha, Neb., V.J. Angela Skutt Catholic)
Tajah Williams (Fr., F, 5-6 / Milwaukee, Wis., Rufus King International)