ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Big Red lost just three seniors at the conclusion of the of the 2022-23 season. In those three alone, Cornell lost either the team leader or runner-up in points, points per game, minutes played, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. It's safe to say there are some big shoes to fill. In this off season, the Rebecca Quinn Morgan `60 Head Coach of Women's Basketball, Dayna Smith, has set out to prepare her team to step into their new roles nad the opportunities laid before them.

"We had a really good preseason in strength and conditioning," Smith said on the 2023 Ivy League Women's Basketball Media Day call. "We're learning a lot. I love our attitude, I love our approach. It's been a fun group so far, we lost a couple important seniors as far as points and other statistical production, but we are really excited about the group we have."

The 2023-24 Big Red returns three seniors in Kaya Ingram, Val Garcia-Martinez, and Mia Beam. Two of the three are set to serve as captains in Ingram and Beam, and will be joined by junior Summer Parker-Hall. The captains core combined for over 500 points and 97 assists last season. Parker-Hall led the team in three-point percentage when clocking more than five attempts.

Among the returning sophomores is forward Emily Pape. She returns as the Big Red's second leading scorer and team-leader in points per game. Her field goal percentage of 52.4 percent ranked atop the Ivy and 46th on a national scale at the end of last season.

Coach Smith added five new faces over the summer in Azareya Kilgoe, Rachel Kaus, Maya Watts, Clarke Jackson, and Kameryn Perry. The group accounts for the largest class on the team, and when tied in with the sophomores, there are eight underclassmen for the Big Red.

With one of the strongest nonconference slates in recent history, Cornell will host the 2022-23 America East conference champions UAlbany on November 22, travel to No. seven-ranked Ohio State the Sunday following Thanksgiving, take the road against 2022-23 Conference USA runner-up Western Kentucky, and will renew the upstate rivalry against northern foe Syracuse. Not to mention facing conference opponents Princeton, who upset No. seven-seeded NC State in the NCAA tournament last year, and Columbia, which went all the way to the WNIT Championship game. Cornell will not face an opponent that is outside of Division I. The Big Red gets the season underway tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Hamilton, N.Y. when it takes on Colgate in the season opener.