LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After getting its feet wet, the 2021-22 campaign marks the Bellarmine University women's basketball team's second in Division I.

In its inaugural season in D1, Bellarmine posted a 5-17 record. The Knights, under 10th-year Head Coach Chancellor Dugan, hit their peak during their first ASUN Conference slate, amassing a four-game winning streak that included a two-game sweep of Kennesaw State and wins over Stetson and Jacksonville.

An ASUN Tournament team, Bellarmine will look to build off its D1 debut in Year 2 at the NCAA's highest level.

WHO'S BACK
Bellarmine returns a significant portion of the team, including three incumbent starters in senior forwards Lauren Deel and Sheniqua Coatney and senior guard Kathleen Scott.

Deel is back for a fifth season. The frontcourt veteran has appeared in over 100 games in her career and started for most of the previous three seasons. Deel was second on Bellarmine last season in rebounding (4.0) and third in scoring (9.0). She delivered a 22-point game against Stetson last season. Deel won the league's Facebook fan vote for ASUN Preseason Player of the Year.

Coatney was an impact transfer for Bellarmine last season. She led the team in rebounding (5.7) and field-goal percentage (47.4) and ranked fourth in scoring (8.3). The 27 points she poured in against Jacksonville and the 12 rebounds she hauled in against Liberty were both Bellarmine individual highs on the season.

Scott logged over 40 starts in her first three seasons. She led the team in assists (2.5) last year and was third in rebounding (3.5) while averaging 5.6 points and ranking fifth in the conference in free-throw percentage (79.3). Scott earned the majority Facebook fan vote for ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Senior guard Presley Brown has appeared in 65 games in her career and ranked fourth on the team in rebounding (3.2) and fifth in scoring (6.3) last season. She registered consecutive 14-point games against North Alabama last year.

Junior guard Ashlee Harris and senior guard Bailee Harney averaged 22.0 and 13.7 minutes, respectively, last season, although Harris is working her way back from injury. Sophomore guards Hannah Farrell and Claire Knies appeared in 21 games apiece in their debut seasons while sophomore guard Lydia Reimbold and sophomore forward Lucy Robertson both averaged over nine minutes per game in their first years.

WHO'S NEW
Jaela Johnson brings experience to the backcourt as the redshirt junior spent three seasons and appeared in 44 games at Toledo before transferring to Bellarmine. Redshirt sophomore guard Mackenzie Keelin does as well after playing her freshman season at Tennessee Tech before joining the Knights.

Bellarmine has three true freshmen in guards Bralee Trice and Anzley Adwell and forward Haley Stoklosa.

WHO'S GONE
Bellarmine has two huge pairs of shoes to fill in the backcourt after the graduation of standout guards Tasia Jeffries and Breia Torrens.

Jeffries was a second-team ASUN All-Conference selection last season and the team's leading scorer (13.8). Torrens was the team's second-leading scorer (10.6) and was an ASUN Preseason All-Conference selection.

The duo combined to hit 75 3-pointers. They were also the team leaders in minutes played.

IN OUR SIGHTS
Bellarmine opens the season Friday at Cincinnati. The Knights follow Nov. 16 at AP preseason No. 6 Louisville.

The nonconference slate also includes such notable contests as a Nov. 23 matchup at Ohio State and home games against in-state schools Morehead State (Nov. 27) and Western Kentucky (Dec. 2). The Knights will also play Dec. 12 at Austin Peay State, which will join the ASUN next season.

Bellarmine opens ASUN action Jan. 5 at Jacksonville State. The Knights' conference home debut will be Jan. 8 as they welcome Eastern Kentucky. Both JSU and EKU are new to the ASUN this season.

BEFORE THE RISE
Prior to entering D1 last season, Bellarmine made 16 appearances in the NCAA II Tournament, starting with a 1986 campaign that concluded in the Elite Eight.

That was the first of four Elite Eight showings for the Knights, who also advanced to the national quarterfinals in 1990, 1991 and 1994. The latter squad earned a berth in the Final Four and was inducted into the Bellarmine Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.

The Knights earned two NCAA II Tournament bids under Dugan, making back-to-back appearances in "The Big Dance" in 2016 and 2017. In the former season, Bellarmine captured the GLVC Tournament title. The Knights won additional conference crowns in 1983, 1986, 1994 and 1996.

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