The Capital University women's basketball program is a perennial winner, and there's no indication anything will change as the new season approaches.

The Crusaders, who have had just one season under .500 have won two national titles and multiple OAC championships since 26th-year coach Dixie Jeffers took over in 1986, enter the 2011-12 season after posting a 16-10 record, including a 10-8 mark in Ohio Athletic Conference play, last year. Eventual champion Mount Union defeated Capital in the semifinals of last season's OAC Tournament.

The Crusaders, who were tabbed fourth in the OAC Preseason Coaches Poll, return a handful of experienced players, including two seniors, while welcoming a talented pool of first-year players to the mix.

"There were 12 new faces in our program a year ago, and we're still young at different spots," Jeffers said. "We have some new faces in the program again who are going to step up and play for us right away. Our players here from a year ago look more experienced, more poised and more comfortable with one another on the floor."

Offensively, Capital has a number of versatile, skilled athletes who Jeffers believes will cause opponents matchup problems. Defensively, the Crusaders will try a few new looks while employing the same defensive intensity that has defined Jeffers' teams since she took over at Capital.

Seniors Hilary Kuhns, Shalena Hawkins and junior Stacy Timmerman will serve as team captains in 2011-12. According to Jeffers, the team's chemistry is better than it was a year ago and the players are coming to practice with great energy and coachability.

"It's a nice combination to have two seniors and a junior," Jeffers said. "Our kids are very respectful, but at the same time our underclassmen aren't afraid to have some vocal input, too, so that's a good thing."

The Crusaders' schedule features four contests against 2010-11 NCAA Tournament participants. Capital opens up the season this Friday at Mount St. Joseph against Hope, a perennial national power which reached the second round of the NCAAs last year. One week later, the team will face Thomas More, a Sweet 16 qualifier, and Maryville, which won the Great South Athletic Conference regular season title a year ago.

The Crusaders start OAC play at Wilmington on Nov. 30. The team's home opener is next Tuesday, Nov. 22, against Wittenberg.

See below for a position-by-position preview of the 2011-12 Capital women's basketball team.

Backcourt

Kuhns (Fairfield, Ohio), a 2010-11 first-team All-OAC selection, returns as a leader in the backcourt. She averaged a team-high 12.5 points, led the Crusaders in assists (75) and steals (38) and shot 46.2 percent from 3-point range a year ago.

The versatile 5-foot-10 guard will be called upon to play several positions for Capital, both on the perimeter and in the paint.

"Hilary is one of the top players in this conference, bar none," Jeffers said. "When Hilary has her head into the game and isn't beating herself up, she's quite the specimen to watch. I'm most impressed with Hilary's defensive side of the ball right now. She's played the most consistent and hardest defensively than what she has in the last three years."

Sophomore Cookie Geroski (Fostoria, Ohio) returns as the team's starting point guard. Geroski averaged 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, and nearly had a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, last season.

"Cookie Geroski has had a year to mature, and she looks so much more familiar on the floor … she doesn't look as 'deer in the headlights,' so to speak," Jeffers said.

Junior Rebekah Will looks to be the frontrunner to flank Geroski at the other starting guard spot. The Millbury, Ohio, native averaged 4.1 points per game last season, and Jeffers believes she has the potential to be a "huge contributor" in 2011-12.

Other guards battling for spots in the rotation include junior Macy Weber (East Liverpool, Ohio), sophomore Courtney Dingess (Johnstown, Ohio) and freshmen Erin Maldonado (Cleveland, Ohio), Shelby Sheets (Fayetteville, Ohio) and Rebecca Lewis (Sandusky, Ohio).

Frontcourt

Depth will be key up front for the Crusaders, who have just four players currently on the roster able to play after freshman Cassie Prenger (Versailles, Ohio) suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier in the preseason.

Timmerman (New Bremen, Ohio) and Hawkins (Cincinnati, Ohio) project to receive the majority of playing time on the blocks.

A 2010-11 All-OAC honorable mention pick, Timmerman averaged 11.1 points per game and was the team's most consistent scorer last season. She also shot nearly 49 percent from the field and over 76 percent from the free-throw line.

"Stacy Timmerman is a young lady who is quiet and unassuming, but has a great nose or understanding for the game," Jeffers said. "She's a quiet competitor who competes at a high level."

Hawkins started three games a year ago and earned significant playing time, averaging 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest while shooting 57 percent from the field. A strong defender, Hawkins has become a more complete offensive threat who can shoot from the outside.

"Shalena Hawkins works very hard on having a complete game," Jeffers said. "Our post players have perfected their outside shot, so we're going to try and extend them a little more from the basket and allow them to shoot freely."

Sophomore Jamie Caton (Hilliard, Ohio) and freshman Monica Heckman (Pitsburg, Ohio) also look to receive substantial minutes.

Caton averaged 5.5 points and 2.7 rebounds and appeared in 26 games a year ago, and is one of the team's best athletes.

"We can play Jamie at five different spots, and Jamie would handle it," Jeffers said. "Her ball-handling skills are excellent, and she's perfected her outside shot a little bit more. Her overall game is better, and she'll grow as the season goes."