LOCK HAVEN - It's tough being a first-year head coach at any institution. It's even more difficult when your team hasn't made the postseason in 19 years, and you don't have enough of the players you need to run the offense and defense you desire.

That was Jennifer Smith's world last season.

She had some standouts with sharpshooter Lauren Kelshaw and the constantly-improving, sometimes-overlooked Kristen Kudrick.

What Smith didn't have was size or depth.

In 2008-2009, that's not going to be an issue.

Candice Nelson, a 6-foot-5 post player, takes care of the size.

A trio of freshmen take care of the athleticism and depth.

Add it up, and Smith hopes it equals the end of that dreaded, 19-year playoff drought.

"We were looking to bring some athleticism in, knowing what kind of things I wanted to run," the second-year head coach said. "To do that, we needed to bring in some athletes. We needed size, and we got Candice at 6-foot-5. We brought some size in with our guards. Two of our freshmen are 5-foot-9, 5-foot-10, that can play either the guard or forward spots.

"I was pretty comfortable last year. It was come in and get down to work. This year, it feels better because I think we have that base put in. Hopefully, we can get things rolling quickly in a positive direction."

The defensive principles haven't changed.

What's new is going to be the in-your-face, 40-minutes-of-peskiness presses that Smith plans on throwing at teams.

Quick substitutions. Using the entire bench on a given night, whether it is 10 to 12 athletes.

"We have the potential to be the most athletic team in the conference," Smith said. "Now, showing that every day and running under control is a different story. We expected to be picked down there and we haven't made the playoffs in 19 years. We were picked where we finished last year. We have a legitimate shot at making playoffs, I really believe that. Whether it is the four, three, two, who knows what slot. We can definitely get in there. We aren't afraid of anyone on our schedule, but we also know we have a lot of work to do between now and January."

It all starts with Kelshaw and Kudrick.

A senior guard, Kelshaw scored a team-high 16 points a night last season. She was a good shooter behind the 3-point line, hitting 37 percent and was a dependable 75 percent from the charity stripe.

Kudrick was like the hidden surprise. Chosen as junior captain this season, the Harrison City native hit better than 50 percent from the field, drained 76 percent from the foul line and pulled down a team-high 159 rebounds.

"Kristen is our leader, our captain. She is very vocal, and works hard day in and day out," Smith said.

"She has been our leader, and has done a super job with it. She gets it. She's not afraid to get after her teammates when they need a little kick in the butt. But she also knows how to talk with them. She doesn't separate herself from them. She works hard every day, and doesn't make excuses. The kids respect her."

At point guard, Smith has an experienced pair of juniors in Malika Miller and Casi Donelan. Marisa Elliot, Katie Kendall and Tyeshia Carroll are also expected to see minutes at the guard spots.

Inside is going to look brand new.

Redshirt freshman Milan Dry will be joined by true freshmen Peaches Nesmith and Sharay Hall. Nesmith, out of the Philadelphia area, could be the one to watch. She chose Lock Haven over some Division I schools and was a standout in the City of Brotherly Love. She was a four-year starter at Northeast where she was first team All-Philly Public League, named MVP of her squad and named to the All-City team.

Both Hall and Nesmith have started in the team's scrimmages this season.

"All three are very athletic and know how to get to the rim against the best of them. We are hoping for a lot from them right away as freshmen," Smith said. "It is a tough league, but I am not too worried about them. They don't seem like freshmen to me."

Nelson is a junior-college transfer from the University of Arkansas Fort Smith where she played behind several Division I players. At 6-foot-5, she can make an immediate impact in the paint, while stepping outside to knock down the big shot.

It's going to be a tough task for the Lady Eagles, who finished at 7-19 last year.

Besides California, Indiana and Gannon in the PSAC West, the non-conference schedule has West Chester, Millersville and NCAA Tournament squad Shepherd on it.

"I like our schedule," Smith said. "We have some good teams, and we are going to be challenged. There are teams that like to run, and teams that like to play half-court basketball.

"The kids are all on board now with the expectations that we have. You show up every day, you work hard for two hours at practice.

"That's how we are going to get better as a team and individuals. We are running the same defensive principles as last year, but we have a lot of new things - such as a brand-new offense that I am really excited about. We are looking to put pressure on other teams and try to push the ball for 40 minutes.

"I think we are definitely better than we were last year at this time. We are ready, and we can sneak up on a team if they overlook us."

Courtesy of Tom Fox, The Express (Lock Haven, Pa.) Sports Editor