With the girls basketball season openers this week, each area coach gave their thoughts about the highly anticipated months ahead.

What do you expect to be the team identity?

EPC Head Coach Adrian Hook: I foresee our identity to be centered around defense and speed. We've got some great athletes that compete in all of their sports. It is fun watching them fly around the court. Toward the end of last year, defensive tenacity was a strong suit for the girls, so we expect that to translate into this season.

Prescott Head Coach Owen Hamilton: I think that our team identity will be a tough team, focused on defense and shutting other teams down. Offensively, wanting to get everyone involved and making other teams work on defense.

Spring Valley Head Coach Sean Hoolihan: Aggressive, tough and relentless.

Ellsworth Head Coach Haylee Yaeger: Our team identity focuses on being a gritty unselfish team that values the ball on both sides of the floor.

River Falls Head Coach Ian Sticht: With the addition of two players who had to miss last season with injuries, Hayley Quinn and Eva Englebert, we are trying to play more up-tempo this year. We feel our strengths will be our guard play, multiple players who can shoot the ball, and our inside presence with returning all-conference player Abigail Treichel.

What will it take for the team to have a successful season?

Hook: The team has to hold each other accountable and expect great things from their peers. Their success is not always in the wins and loss columns, but they see incremental growth as something to look at as well. There are finite details that they have identified to improve in.

Hamilton: We’ll need to have a group that gets a good output from a lot of girls. Obviously teams are going to lock in on Violet Otto, but we have a lot of girls who can play and be a positive impact all over the court. Focusing on winning the rebounding battle is big too.

Hoolihan: We will have to have our kids understand the importance on the defensive end, rebound well and grow as the season goes on. Improving day-to-day and understanding if we keep doing that, we will be ready at the end of the season.

Yaeger: The girls trusting themselves and each other while buying into our system.

Sticht: We need our sophomore class to be more consistent on the offensive end of the floor. We also need to stay out of foul trouble.

Who do you expect to be the team leaders on and/or off the court? Who are your returning starters/contributors?

Hook: Almost our entire varsity team is returning from last year, and the starting "5" has the chance to be the same. Our team leaders will rise to the top as we progress into the season, but I do see Allison Sauve and Ellison Maxwell as vocal leaders on the team. Our leading scorer (Polly Webb), leading rebounder (Maxwell) and all-around contributors (Adison Zeilinger, Aurora Sampair) are back in the fold. Other upperclassmen back include Brittany Bechel, Madelyn Kopp, Willow Cripe, and Addison Ingli. There are underclassmen that will also likely step up into the mix as well.

Hamilton: We are fortunate to have a lot of girls who have stepped into leadership roles so far this year. Having Violet as a four-year starter is a great person to have on the court, but we also have a bunch of other experienced girls who have been big voices for us too. We bring back Violet and Hannah Schommer as starters this year and Nora Boles and Izzy Thoen as heavy contributors from last year's team as well.

Hoolihan: Addison Neidermyer and Rylie Fritz being our senior returners will need to lead our team culture. Kate Cipriano and Wynni Vanasse (juniors returning) will need to show growth from last season. Jada Hoolihan and Katie Matthys (sophomores returning) will need to continue to improve their overall tangibles they bring to the team.

Yaeger: Returning starters from last year are Lexi Marks, Libby Groh, Alivia Maher and Jenna Stoltenburg. Our team is led by our two seniors, Marks and Groh. It has been great to see Alivia Maher and Jenna Stoltenburg as rising leaders for us as well.

Sticht: Returning starters are sophomore Rylan Sticht and senior Abigail Treichel. Hayley Quinn missed her entire junior season due to injury. She was an all-conference player her sophomore year and just committed to play basketball in college at Augustana University.

Goals for the team this season?

Hook: The girls talked about goals on our first day of practice. We plan to compete in the conference, aiming for a near .500 record. Hosting a playoff game is also a goal as our girls had a taste of that in volleyball this fall. Our non-conference schedule has some competitive games that we look forward to playing too.

Hamilton: Our goal is always a conference championship, and our girls seem to have that in their sights as well.

Hoolihan: Give ourselves a chance to win every game we play.

Yaeger: Our goals are set around the things we can control. Working towards every player giving 110% effort, skills development, system buy-in, maintaining mental toughness and leadership development. If we take care of those things, the outcome on the scoreboard will take care of itself.

Sticht: Our goal is to be in the top three of the conference. We feel with what we return and with the addition of a couple of players, we can compete with the top teams in our conference.