Maria Fantanarosa is hoping that six plus six equals a successful season.
Fantanarosa, in her second year as the Miami women’s basketball coach, has six strong players back in a addition to six talented recruits.
‘‘The key is combining the old and the new,’’ Fantanarosa said.
Miami finished last season 11-15 and 7-9 in the Mid-American Conference. Back from that team are four players who averaged in double figures.
The key returnee is AuBree Hamilton, a 6-foot-2 senior center. Hamilton was a preseason first-team all-MAC pick. She led the league in rebounding (11.7) and blocked shots (46) last year and averaged 12.7 points a game.
‘‘Defenses are forced to cheat on her,’’ Fantanarosa said.
That opens it up for guard Jamie Stewart, last year’s leading scorer at 14.3. Two other perimeter players — Jenny Martin (11.6) and Hollie Nelson (11.5) — averaged in double figures as well.
The five freshmen Fantanarosa signed all were all-state players. The sixth new player is sophomore Kristolyn Curtis, a Hamilton High graduate.
Jana Butler, a 6-2 center from Findlay, led the state of Ohio in scoring (31.1) and rebounding (14.7) as a high school senior.
Bulter and Heather Cusick, a 5-8 guard from Kokomo, Ind., are pushing for starting positions.
Fantanarosa also hopes to get quality minutes from the other freshmen, 6-1 forwards Andrea Pruett and Kelli Stamper.
‘‘The three freshmen post players are key,’’ Fantanarosa said. ‘‘They’re going to benefit from banging in practice every day with AuBree.’’
Miami was in all except four games last year heading into the last three minutes. The hope is to get over the hump.
‘‘We have all the pieces,’’ Fantanarosa said. ‘‘It’s just a matter of how quickly we can put them together.’’
