The women's basketball team at St. Thomas is looking to shift the culture of the program this season.

After a run that saw the Tommies capture four straight Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association titles and two national medals, the team began a rebuild last season. Tommies head coach Fred Connors believes shifting the culture of the program is a vital part of building toward the next championship run.

"We feel the culture of the program needs to get back on track, so we're focusing on our enthusiasm and passion for the game," he said. "It's had an impact already and we're happy with our progress thus far."

For the second consecutive season, the Tommies will be young. With six rookies and six returning players, having the right leadership is crucial.

"Our captains, Carissa McTague and Jayme Hunt, have been providing great leadership on and off the floor. Both are extremely hard-working individuals and are great role models for our young players," Connors said.

"We also have other players showing leadership in other ways and we are excited they're stepping up."

Making their Tommies debut this season are rookies Bridget Frazee, of Sussex, NB, Becca MacNeil, of Cape Breton, NS, Christina Richardson, of Smith Falls, ON, and local products Madison Owens, Taylor Forsythe, and Kenzie Janes.

Rounding out the roster are returning players Jessica Patenaude, Sara Banks, Lainy Dow, Katie Corlett, Hunt, and McTague.

On the court, the Tommies intend to push the pace and make the game frenetic. Connors plans to use ball pressure, coupled with the team's athleticism, to generate extra offensive possessions.

When that doesn't work, the emphasis will be on keeping things simple.

"We will be focused on ball and player movement to create opportunities to score, and we've seen a very balanced attack offensively," Connors said. "We like the depth we have right now, so we can play hard for 40 minutes and see where that gets us."

Despite the young roster, Connors is confident his Tommies will be in the mix come playoff time.

"We just want to work hard and get better every day. I feel we have a team that will make playoffs and be competitive when we get there," he said. "If we are playing our best basketball that weekend then we can make some noise."