By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Xavier's women's basketball players will have to forgive first-year coach Kevin McGuff if practice feels like a college class.

That's just how it has to be with six freshmen and three sophomores playing with a junior and two all-conference seniors, McGuff said.

"There will be a lot of teaching the whole year because we have such a young team," McGuff said. "With a lot of young kids, they need to make individual improvements, and we need to coach them to become better basketball players through the season."

McGuff and his staff not only have to teach fundamentals but also trust that Amy Waugh and Reetta Piipari will buy into the system in their final season.

The two preseason Atlantic 10 second-team selections are the only returning starters from last season's 12-19 team. Waugh was the leading scorer last season, averaging 16.5 points a game, and was named a preseason honorable mention by Street & Smith's. Piipari averaged 12.4 points and had 151 assists last season and has started every game for two seasons.

"They are going to set the pace," McGuff said of the seniors.

So far, Piipari said, the transition to McGuff's style from former coach Melanie Balcomb's has been easy for her.

"I'm used to changing coaches because I go home to Finland and play in the summer for a different coach, then I come back here and play for a different coach," Piipari said.

McGuff said the team might not be playing within his system until the end of the season.

"My goal is to have us continue to improve throughout the season. And I'll feel really good if we can do that, particularly in February and March." McGuff said. "Also, we need to execute and continue to add to what we're doing. Our ability to pick that up and process that throughout the year will dictate how quickly we develop."

That means wins and losses, though important, aren't the main priority. Other than Piipari and Waugh, Alexis Henderson and Aida Sarajlija are the only players who saw significant playing time last season. That's why A-10 coaches picked Xavier to finish fifth in the West Division.

McGuff's first season in the league will be spent learning about the opponents.

"It will be a little more challenging this year, because I'm not familiar with some of the players and some of the coaching styles," McGuff said.

He might have to turn to Waugh and Piipari for help in that department as well.

"We've been here for three years now," Piipari said. "We have a little extra experience, and it gives younger players confidence when we talk to them. They might make a mistake, but we just say it's OK. Mistakes will happen."