Everything was going to plan last season for the Lancaster Bible women's basketball team. They had played fairly well in non-conference play, had won every North Eastern Athletic Conference regular season contest by a comfortable margin and used a 14-game winning streak to easily earn the top spot in the conference playoffs.

An easy victory over Keuka in the NEAC Semifinals on strengthened the idea that the Chargers were destined to win their second straight NEAC Championship and they were set to face a team in Wells that they had defeated during the regular season on the Express' home floor.

For all of the planning and talk of destiny, Sunday, March 2, 2014 and Wells, apparently didn't get the memo. Lancaster Bible built a 20-4 lead just 7:25 into the NEAC final, but was outscored 63-40 over the final 32:35 and lost to the Express, 67-60 at Horst Athletic Center. The Chargers rebounded and played well at the NCCAA Division II National Tournament as they earned a 5^th place finish, but season ended differently than most players and fans had expected.

While the results at the end of the season had nothing to do with what would happen during the offseason, the last game of the season was also the last for the Lancaster Bible coaching staff as Head Coach Doug Helsel was not asked to return and Assistant Coach Adam Surguine accepted a job at Division I Mount St. Mary's.

On June 21, 2014, Rachel Steinbarger was named the 24^th coach in program history and immediately began assembling the 2014-15 roster. Some of the construction was easy as returners Aubrey Folger, Katy Stover, Shanice Smith, Kirsten Webster, Christy Lorah and Meaghan Williams all were in line to come back, while some of the construction was also difficult. A few players from the 2013-14 squad chose not to return for various reasons and others had yet to be brought into the fold.

Newcomers Molly Arnold, Naomi Otis, Emily Beltran and Stephanie Blest were brought on board throughout the summer and early fall and though the team has yet to practice as one unit due to four of the 10 aforementioned women being on the Lancaster Bible women's soccer team, Steinbarger believes the team will gel quickly when everyone arrives.

"We have only had four players a couple of nights during preseason due to soccer, injuries and other things, so the coaching staff has gotten to know the players very well," Steinbarger said chuckling. "We started two-a-days on October 15 and still have them a couple of times throughout the week. Through conditioning the morning and practice at night, we are setting a tone for the season and moving forward. The girls who aren't here will jump right into that flow when they arrive."

Steinbarger was an assistant coach at Franklin College in Indiana for the past two seasons and though she has been around basketball all of her life, she said she has learned a lot in a short time in her first head coaching job. In fact, Steinbarger said the things she has learned will not only help her, but the team as a whole.

"The willingness of the girls to trust me has been incredible," Steinbarger said. "They understand the past is the past and we are moving forward together as one unit. The buy-in from all of the girls has been great and has set us up to move forward."

When asked what moving forward entailed, Steinbarger was quick to point out that even though the team is moving forward, they will still draw on past players and past experiences to help them through tough times this season.

"We want to build a tradition of success by using past players and the work they put in to guide us in our efforts this season," Steinbarger said. "We want to be women who glorify God on-and-of the court and be a unified program that draws on the past to help it look forward."

The 2014-15 season may feature new faces running the bench and calling the plays, but the three key players from last season are all back as Folger, Smith and Stover return to continue their dominance. The 45's (Stover #4, Folger #5 and Smith #45) can collectively do just about anything there is to do on a basketball court.

Stover is the team's best outside shooter as knocked down 79 3-pointers last season en route to 486 points, the second-most in program history. She averaged 16.2 points per game and also pulled down 117 rebounds and dished out 65 assists. Defensively she has gotten better as well and should see her 45 steals from a year ago greatly increase.

"Katy is going to need to be a vocal leader on the team this season," Steinbarger said. "She is a great player and will keep growing as a leader this season."

Smith is the team's greatest asset inside. She annihilated the program's record for rebounds in a season last year as she grabbed 359 rebounds in just 26 games (13.8 rpg) and added 14.5 points per game as well. Whether guarding in the post or earning position down there on the offensive side, Smith is rarely moved and when motivated, can take over a game in quick fashion.

"Shy has the ultimate presence on the floor," Steinbarger said. "She is a leader and just a good overall player."

If Stover is the outside threat and Smith is the inside force, then it is Folger who can do just about everything else. Score from post – check; score from the top of the key – check; find the open person after drawing a double-team – check;  lead the team in steals two seasons in a row – check; lead the team in blocks to seasons in a row – check; break the program-record for points in a season by a wide margin – check.

Folger averaged 17.7 points over 30 games last season and scored a program-record 532 points as she was named to the NEAC First Team for the second straight season. She led the team in field goal percentage at .487 (210-of-431) and averaged 11.4 rebounds per game.

"Aubrey leads by example and there isn't a much better example out there," Steinbarger said. "When she is confident and rolling along, my job becomes much easier."

Of all of their talents on the court, Steinbarger actually believes the 45's may bring more to the team off the court than on it.

"They are vital to our success, not just skill wise, but leadership wise as well," Steinbarger said. "I would argue that what they bring off the court is more important than what they do on it. I never have to question whether or not the three of them are working hard and when the other players see that, it is contagious and everyone begins working hard. If the best players are working hard, then those trying to get to their level better be working just as hard, if not harder."

Though the 10-man team has yet to practice together and won't prior to the season opener on Saturday against Baptist Bible, Steinbarger doesn't believe that will pose a large problem for the Chargers during their six games prior to Christmas Break.

"We want to play for God, each other and to be one unit," Steinbarger said. "Wins and losses will take care of themselves if we accomplish those three items on a nightly basis."

The Lancaster Bible women's soccer season could end as early as Saturday, but could also run through the NCCAA Division I National Tournament which takes place from December 1-6. Until the season is over, Lancaster Bible will not have the services of Williams, Lorah, Beltran or Otis which means the other six players will have lots of playing time early in the season.

Webster returns after appearing in just two games last season due to injury, while Arnold and Blest will both be playing their first collegiate basketball game on Saturday. No matter the experience of some of the young players, Steinbarger and the team believe that when the team becomes whole, they should be the cream of the crop in the NEAC.

"We want to go back to the NEAC Final and win it this season," Steinbarger said. "The team has told me they don't want to stop there and truly believe they can win a game or two in the NCAA Division III National Tournament. The point being, we don't want to peak as a team until late February and continue our strong play into the NEAC Playoffs and NCAA Tournament."

The 2014-15 women's basketball season, presented by Lancaster Bible College Athletic sponsors Kistler-Tiffany Benefits, Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster and World Team, gets underway on Saturday when the Chargers will host longtime rival Baptist Bible at 4 p.m. The Defenders were just 2-19 last season and will be looking to get off on the right foot with a win to begin the 2014-15 season.

Folger, a junior, is just five points away from her 1,000^th point and is on track to eclipse the mark on Saturday. She currently sits just 521 points shy of Lauren Heliger's program record of 1,516. Should Folger surpass 1,000 points on Saturday, she will have done so in the quickest amount of time in program history and join just seven other Lancaster Bible women's basketball players who have scored 1,000 points.

Saturday's game and all of Lancaster Bible's home games in 2014-15 can be seen live here: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/lbc/