University of San Francisco Athletics

Watch the video preview || Follow USF women's basketball on Facebook

Ponce de Leon and the legend of the fountain of youth might have to have a new entry after this season on the Hilltop for head coach Jennifer Azzi's 2013-14 women's basketball team.

After a successful 2012-13 campaign in which the Dons notched its first 10-win season since 2007-08, USF said goodbye to three seniors, including All-West Coast Conference selection Mel Khlok. But Khlok wasn't the only player to earn conference accolades. USF's tandem of Taylor Proctor and Zhané Dikes stand as just the second USF duo in school history to make the All-Freshman team. The pair joins the company of 1994-95 selections Audra Souther and USF Hall of Famer Brittany Linde, who were part of three NCAA tournament teams for the Dons.

Dikes, playing in the point guard position for USF, again dotted the lists of conference honorees when she was recently announced to the Preseason All-WCC team.

"Our guard play has improved tremendously," Azzi explains. "They've really put in the work in the offseason and worked on their individual skills, worked together as a team. We need leadership from the guard position, and I think Z is really coming into that role and every day she's improving in that. She's not really a natural point guard, but is doing a great job."

Dikes averaged 10.8 points per game, standing as the leading freshman in the WCC, and 13th overall in scoring numbers. Along with the sophomore from Las Vegas, Nev., a trio of juniors in Taj Winston, Aundrea Gordon and Jamie Katuna along with lone senior Alexa Hardick, comprise the returning guard corps.

Hardick, a native of Dallas, Texas, was a vital part of last seasons' successes, coming into her own on the court and finishing the season with 39.7 percent shooting from long range, good for third in conference action.  Winston come in with averages of 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds a night last season, and finished the year nearly doubling that production in the final three games of the year.

Proctor, a 6-0 sophomore from Colorado Springs, Colo., is heading the charge from the post, focusing on rebounding and versatility. Proctor's freshman year production included averages of 9.6 points and 6.3 rebounds a contest, and the game-winning overtime buzzer beater against UTSA.

"Taylor Proctor is someone that has really embraced everything about being here," Azzi says. "She came in last year off of an ACL injury, missed her entire senior season, did a tremendous job as a freshman and now she's improved a lot as a sophomore. She has a drive, and she really wants to win and be successful.

"Our post players are very versatile and I think that's something that's going to make us tougher to guard this season. Another thing that we preach on a daily basis is rebounding, so it's a position where we need to get a lot of rebounds. We're developing our post players so their face-up skills are as good as their back-to-the-basket skills and help them be as tough to guard as possible."

Returners in the front court alongside Proctor include junior Alicia Scafidi, sophomore Denae Mary Wiliams and redshirt freshman Bryn Stark. Scafidi stood at the team's leading rebounder last season, going to the glass an average of 6.8 times a night. This foursome is back on the Hilltop along with redshirt junior Paige Spietz, a transfer from Missouri who will see her first playing time for the Green and Gold.

"Paige had the advantage of sitting out last season so she was able to learn our offense, learn our system, get to know everybody and work on her game," Azzi states. "She'll be starting for us at center. She's 6-3, she can score back to the basket, she's been working a lot on her 3-point shot and just even defensively and rebounding she's going to help us a lot."

Joining the movement of youth is the "Fab Four" as they call themselves, a veritable basketball "Band on the Run."

"Our freshmen have come in with this passion, this energy," Azzi says of the newest class on the Hilltop. "They're a pretty close group, and they're really taking ownership."

Headlined by Bay Area native Rachel Howard, the incoming class of  freshmen is expected to make an immediate impact on the court. Howard is joined by Kalyn Simon from the guard position, and fellow newcomers Hashima Carothers and Claudia Price will see action from the forward spot.

"Rachel Howard is one of the top players in California," Azzi notes of the Berkeley High School graduate. "She loves the game and her presence and her skill set – she's very skilled. She's a great passer, she knows where to be on the court, she understands spacing, she understands movement and I'm really, really excited that she chose to come play for us here at USF."

Along with youth, the Dons seek to regain health and strength in numbers for 2013-14. Despite a multitude of injuries and setbacks that left USF competing with as few as six available players near the season's end, the Dons still managed to pick up milestone victories, including the team's first postseason win since 2007 and USF's largest margin of victory over a NCAA Division I opponent since 2005.

"We had a monumental win at the WCC tournament last year against Pepperdine and that gives the program confidence to go to that tournament and win because it hasn't happened in a long time," Azzi says. "Now having this group together that has experienced a taste of success, it's going to be exciting to see them out there playing."

The Dons begin the season Saturday, Nov. 2, in an exhibition game versus Cal State Chico before starting the regular season with a two-game road swing in New York City.

2013-14 Roster || Schedule || Purchase tickets