Following is a brief preview of each team:

Western Division
IUP (24-9, 9-3 West)
The Crimson Hawks return four starters from last year’s squad who finished as PSAC champions for the first time since 1988 and reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament.  IUP will look to junior Jahzinga Tracey, who was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year last season after earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2005-06.  Tracey ranked third in the league in scoring and rebounding (18.5 ppg; 9.3 rpg) while setting an IUP record for points in a season.  Classmates Staci Heberling and Kylie Miller are also key threats for the Crimson Hawks.

CALIFORNIA (21-10, 8-4 West)
Under eighth-year head coach Darcie Vincent, the Vulcans hope to extend their streak of seven consecutive appearances in the PSAC Championship game.  That is the longest women’s streak second longest overall behind Cheyney’s men, who advanced to the title contests in nine straight seasons (1965-73).  Cal returns three starters but will be without its biggest contributor in Kim Nowakowski (16.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg).  Junior guard Lindsay Johnson is expected to be a key player for the Vulcans this season as she is the squad’s leading returner (11.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg).

EDINBORO (14-14, 6-6 West)
The Fighting Scots return four starters to the lineup but must replace three-time All-PSAC West selection and Edinboro’s leading scorer for the last three seasons in Kelly Calderone.  A pair of sophomores headline the returners.  Guard Samantha Reimer finished second on the team with 13.1 ppg while forward Kelsey Conklin added 12.0 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game.  Senior Rae Sherred should provide solid leadership as she enters her second year as a starter after providing quality minutes as junior, including ranking first on the squad in three-point field goals made (49). 

SHIPPENSBURG (17-11, 7-5 West)
The Lady Raiders returned to the conference playoffs after a one-year hiatus thanks in large part to PSAC West Rookie of the Year Lauren Beckley.  The forward led the league in scoring (19.6 ppg), three-point field goal percentage (44.1, 75-of-170) and led her squad in rebounding (8.3 rpg).  A year ago, Beckley teamed with senior Shanna Oaddams, a three-time All-PSAC West First Team selection who averaged 13.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in her final campaign.  This season, Beckley and lone senior Megan Fogle (10.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg) will be expected to lead a young squad that features five newcomers on a 10-man roster that showcases six underclassmen. 

CLARION (9-17, 4-8 West)
The Golden Eagles are one of two squads in the league to return all five starters.  The crew will be led by seniors Jessica Albanese and Ashley Grimm, along with junior Katrina Greer.  Albanese and Greer averaged double figures in scoring at 13.5 and 10.2 ppg, respectively.  Grimm enters her fourth year as the starting point guard and ranks third on Clarion’s all-time assists list.  The Golden Eagles open the season with six of their first seven games at home in Tippin Gymnasium. 

SLIPPERY ROCK (9-17, 3-9 West)
The Rock features a mix of youth and experienced upperclassmen, including returnees Amanda Nero and Chere Marshall.  Nero was the only Rock player to average in double-figures at 10.1 ppg (41 3FGM) while Marshall contributed 8.5 points per contest.  The Rock did not have a player average more than 5.0 rebounds per contest but still finished 6th in the league in rebounding margin at +1.1.  The Rock’s roster features just two players over 6-0.

LOCK HAVEN (12-15, 5-7)
 The Lady Eagles are under the leadership of first-year head coach Jennifer Smith.  Prior to Lock Haven, Smith coached at Goldey-Beacom and enjoyed a standout career at Millersville.  She will guide a squad that features one returner in Ilia Lopez.  The junior led the squad in points (12.9 ppg) and steals (63).  A two-sport standout, Lopez is also the reigning PSAC West Athlete of the Year.  Sophomore Kristen Kudrick has the most experience of any of the returning non-starters.  The sophomore saw action in all 27 of the Lady Eagles games, including starting in 10 contests.  Junior Lauren Kelshaw also saw considerable playing time, averaging 16.4 minutes in 27 games.

Eastern Division
EAST STROUDSBURG (25-4, 11-1 East)
The Warriors are looking for their third straight regular season crown in the PSAC East.  ESU’s record in the last two years is 41-16 overall, 20-4 PSAC East.  The squad will be led by junior All-PSAC East First Team selection Jackie Yandrisevits and reigning East Rookie of the Year Jhazmin Brown.  Yandrisevites led the team in both scoring and rebounded at 14.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while Brown added 6.9 points and 2.7 boards as she saw action in all 29 of ESU’s games.  The two will have to fill the void left by the graduated duo of All-PSAC East selections Alyssa Antolick and Maryellen Onofre. 

WEST CHESTER (15-13, 9-3 East)
The Golden Rams will have to replace Dominique Lewis, who has been a dominant force in the middle for West Chester.  She finished her final campaign last year with 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.  Seniors Katie Kline and Catherine Andrews, along with juniors Natalie Winters and Lindsay Weller return.  Kline paced the Golden Rams with 15.6 ppg and 8.3 rpg while Winters (9.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and Andrews (7.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg) also contributed.  The Golden Rams have qualified for the PSAC playoffs in 11 of the last 12 years. 

MILLERSVILLE (17-11, 8-4 East)
The Marauders have made the PSAC tournament for 11 straight years and hope to improve upon last season’s semifinal appearance as they return all but one starter.  Ashley Romanoski leads all returnees with 11.5 points and 6.1 rpg.  Senior guard Kari Cover is a versatile athlete who will provide solid leadership.  She finished second on the squad in scoring (7.6 ppg) and steals (31).  Junior guard Jenna Philo split playing time with Cover and averaged 7.1 ppg while leading the team in three-point field goals (39).

KUTZTOWN (9-17, 5-7 East)
The Golden Bears look to qualify for the PSAC tournament after missing last season for the first time in 11 years.  Another streak the Golden Bears hope to continue is their field-goal percentage defense, which has ranked first in the PSAC each of the last four season.  Kutztown will be led by four returnees, including Mercedes Van Wagner, who ranked first on the squad in scoring (11.2 ppg), rebounding (8.7 rpg), blocks (43) and field-goal percentage (51.5).  All of the returning starters averaged better than 7.0 points per game, with junior Lara Dellegrotti adding a team-best 40 steals and 30 three-point field goals made (35.3 percent).

BLOOMSBURG (7-20, 3-9 PSAC East)
The Huskies return two starters in juniors Colleen Kegerreis (14.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and Kelly Joyce (7.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg).  The duo will lead a very young squad that features just one senior and nine of 14 underclassmen.  However, the roster is bolstered by four newcomers who have experience at the junior college level.  Staying healthy will be key this year as last season the Huskies were plagued by injuries and saw only six of the 11 players on the roster compete in 20 or more games.

MANSFIELD (13-14, 6-6 East)
Mansfield will be without the Eastern Division’s Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year.  After losing 2005-06 Athlete of the Year Alison Tagliaferri, Jessica Uhrich stepped up for the Mounties  and averaged 18.8 ppg and 10.1 rpg en route to being named the 2006-07 Athlete of the Year.  The Mounties now must replace Uhrich, but return four starters and nine players total who appeared in 23 or more games last year.    Leading the offense will be three-point threat Mallory Hafer, who led the league in three-pointers made per game (2.78, 75 total).  She will also be joined by another long-distance threat in Alicia Espigh.  Espigh returns after missing all but three games last season due to an injury.

CHEYNEY (4-22, 0-12 East)
Cheyney returns all five starters and welcomes nine new faces who will compete for playing time.    The Wolves will rely on seniors Danielle Jones and Ashley Blake to lead a very balanced squad.  The duo combined for nearly half of Cheyney’s point total are both threats from behind the arc.  Martina Randall should also provide a threat for the Wolves after averaging 8.0 points per contest in just 14 contests.