HELENA, Mont. -- Expectations are sky high in the PE Center -- and for good reason.

The Carroll College Saints women's basketball team, a season after winning the Frontier Conference regular and postseason championships, were selected to repeat as champions in the Frontier this season. NAIA Top 25 voters also gave the Saints the nod, ranking Carroll as the No. 7 team in the preseason poll. 

Saints forwards Cassidy (Hashley) Kosena and Hannah Dean were selected as preseason all-conference performers, too. 

The preseason accolades and media frenzy around the team has done little to take away from the Saints' focus: themselves. 

"We just really tried to stay focus on getting better and getting better than we were last year," Saints coach Rachelle Sayers said, entering her sixth year at the helm in Helena. "We really look at some of the weaknesses we had last year and some of the challenges we had and try to really focus on not making the same mistakes again." 

The mistakes were few and far between, as the Saints posted a 25-8 record a season ago and earned their first conference title under Sayers. A majority of the driving force of that championship returns in 2018-19, as only guard Bailey Pasta and center Michaela Dowdy -- both starters -- graduated last season.

Offsetting that loss is the return of the two-time All-American Kosena after a redshirt season. 

With another impressive preseason schedule lined up, including the Saints' exhibition season debut against Montana on Tuesday night at Dahlberg Arena, here's a look at the 2018-19 Carroll College Fighting Saints. 

POINT GUARDS

At about the midway point last season, the Saints elected to move senior point guard Bailey Pasta to the two-guard, which paved the way for freshmen point guards Christine Denny and Jaidyn Lyman to get valuable on-court time. 

"I think they've both grown tremendously as leaders but in their own games, too," Sayers said. "They realized where they needed to be this year after playing a full season at collegiate level and getting to the national tournament and seeing what's here. I'm really excited with where they're at. I think their games have really improved."

Jaidyn Lyman
Spokane, Washington
5-3 sophomore
Last season: 33 GP, 11 GS, 5.4 ppg, 1.9 apg, 1.3 rpg, 40% FG, 32% 3-pt, 77% FT

Coach's thoughts: "Jaidyn changes the speed of the game for us on both ends of the floor and really gets our transitions game going."

Christine Denny
Fairfield, Washington
5-9 sophomore
Last season: 33 GP, 11 GS, 5.1 ppg, 39% FG, 29% 3-pt, 74% FT,  2.9 rpg, 1.7 apg

Coach's thoughts: "Christine is just such a hard-nosed competitor. There are few kids that compete every day as hard as her. She just wants to win. She's our most physical guard. We're going to use her in the paint a lot this year. I think we'll move her off the point a little more. It gives you more ball handling out there that can take on point guard duties as needed. We want to see what she can do being one of the primary scorers."

Sienna Swannack
Nine Mile Falls, Washington
5-9 freshman
Career high school averages: 16 ppg, 7 rpg, 4.5 apg, 3 spg

Coach's thoughts: "She's going to be asked to do a lot of things for us. She's really athletic. She's probably our best jumper, probably the most athletic kid on our team. She has a great skill set. She can finish at the rim. She can pull up. She has some major hang time. For her, it's how quick can she get adjusted to the speed and the physicality and the quick turnarounds from game to game where you're focused and locked in on one thing and then the next day you're playing somebody else and your focus is completely different. It will take a little bit of time. Mentally, as a basketball player, physically as a skilled basketball player, she's going to be ready to help us."

SHOOTING GUARDS

Brittney Johnson
Spokane, Washington
5-7 senior
Last season: 33 GP, 22 GS, 6.2 ppg, 37% FG, 38% 3-pt, 74% FT, 2.3 rpg, 1.3 apg

Coach's thoughts: "Everybody knows about Big Shot Britt hitting big threes in big games. The one thing that stands out the most about Britt is her leadership. This is her fifth year. She's a great leader. Everybody is in the spots they need to be when Britt is on the floor. Great shooter. Probably our best on-ball defender."

Mikaela Olson
Lewistown, Montana
5-8 senior
Last season: 28 GP, 1 GS,  2.1 ppg, 28% FG, 28% 3-pt, 83% FG

Coach's thoughts: "Olson had the best summer she's had in her four years here. She worked really hard. She's another kid that's very athletic. Great pull-up jump shot. She can create a shot for herself at anytime. And she's a good defender. When Ole is fired up and excited, she is the most energetic player we have. It is absolutely contagious amongst our team. When you see her fired up, I can guarantee our entire team is fired up."

SMALL FORWARDS

Danielle Wagner
Havre, Montana
5-9 sophomore
Last season: 32 GP, 12 GS, 3.9 ppg, 50% FG, 30% 3-pt, 60% FT, 2.6 rpg

Coach's thoughts: "Dani Wagner came off a great freshman year. I think people saw some signs of the player she's going to be. She's a big-time slasher. She has a great first step. She finishes as well as anybody we've coached here at at the rim. She's a southpaw so it changes things. The one thing that Dani has done this year is she's really improved her perimeter game. She didn't really want to catch and shoot last year. This year she's confident and knocking it down. She had a great summer. She was in here every day working out. It's her confidence more than anything. She's a kid that can get 20 any night. Great transition player. Great rebounder and finisher."

Molly McDermott
Spokane, Washington
6-2 redshirt freshman

Coach's thoughts: "Molly McDermott is a kid that redshirted last year and battled some injuries. Molly is a kid that we're still trying to figure out where her best position is in college is going to be. We played her at four. We're moving her to three now. She is our tallest Saint. She is a shot maker. If she gets the ball, I'm very confident that she's going to make a good decision and knock down a shot. The biggest challenge is figuring out where she's going to be her best. We're excited to get her in this year."

Emma Madsen
Great Falls, Montana
5-10 sophomore

Coach's thoughts: "Emma Madsen is another player that transferred here. Will play on the perimeter as well as the paint. Another kid where we're trying to figure where her best position for our team and for her success. Emma has great range from the three. She's learning to post up hard and be another good rebounder. We might see her slashing in there from the high post a lot. I think that will be a place where she terrorizes teams the most. She can play. We have to figure out how to get her in the game and let us use what she has."

FORWARDS/CENTERS

Hannah Dean
Gardiner, Montana
6-1 senior
2018 NAIA All-American Second Team
2017 All-Frontier Honorable Mention
Carroll All-Time Leading Shot Blocker
Last season: 33 GS, 11.8 ppg (led team), 7.5 rpg (led team), 2.2 apg (led team), 43% FG, 74% 3-pt

Coach's thoughts: "Hannah is one of the best passers, best post passers, I've ever coached. She absolutely makes everybody around her better. She's a tough matchup for anybody because she's a big time slasher. If a big is on her, she beats them to the hoop. If a small is on her, she has great back-to-the-basket moves. Where Hannah has really improved this summer, and she worked really hard, is being able to shoot the three consistently and being able to shoot a jump shot when teams are sagging on her. We talked a lot this summer and Hannah wanted to become unguardable. We told her that's what she had to do." 

Taylor Salonen
Kalispell, Montana
6-1 junior
2018 Frontier Sixth Man of the Year
Last season: 33 GP, 5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 46% FG, 42% 3-pt, 72% FT

Coach's thoughts: "Another player that has really improved. Obviously when you're playing against Hannah every day that's going to happen. She had a game in Hawaii where she had 17 rebounds. Had a game here where she hit some big shots. She's another player where I don't think we've seen the best of her yet. I think she's going to continue again to improve and give us huge minutes at the four. I think her three-point game has improved. She's more confident in the low post. I think she's going to have another good year." 

Maddie Geritz
Boise, Idaho
6-2 freshman
High school: averaged 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals. 

Coach's thoughts: "She's probably our strongest player. We're not exactly sure if she's a center or forward. She's got a great three-point shot. She's got deep range. She's got a great feel. She's like Hannah: she can create shots for other people. She can make plays. She's learning to play with her back to the basket. We love her. We think she's going to be really good. She's really skilled. Just needs that game-time experience." 

Cassidy (Hashley) Kosena
Kalispell, Montana
6-2 senior
2017 NAIA All-American Honorable Mention
2017 All-Frontier First Team
2016 NAIA All-American Honorable Mention
2016 All-Frontier Second Team
2015 All-Frontier Second Team
2015 Frontier Freshman of the Year
Last season played (2017): 31 GP, 30 GS, 14.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 52% FG, 30% 3-pt, 75% FT

Coach's thoughts: "Cassie a kid that's going to be all over the record books when it's all said and done. We're excited to have her back for her fifth year. Another player who has improved with a year off from basketball. She's actually a really good three-point shooter. She's become a better passer. One thing we've been on her for her career here is her passing. She's worked hard at it. She's getting her timing and confidence back in the low post. She's just a big presence and a great rebounder. That portion alone we're excited to have."

Nikki Krueger
Kalispell, Montana
6-1 redshirt freshman

Coach's thoughts: "Nikki Krueger coming off her redshirt year is another great Kalispell player. She came from a great high school program in Glacier High. Nikki is a big, strong presence down there. She finishes strong to the hoop. She has to translate her skill in practice into game-time experience. She can shoot the three. She runs the floor hard. She's going to be a player that's really good when she gets that experience.

Alex Williams
Las Vegas, Nevada
5-10 freshman

Coach's thoughts: "Alex will play both post positions for us. She's learning a lot this year. She's improving every day. She's improving in the paint. She hasn't had a lot of back to the basket opportunities. We're pleased with Alex's progression so far."