SLIPPERY ROCK— Heather Kearney is settling in.

But the first-year California (Pa.)University women's basketball coach is settling for nothing but maximum performance.

After the Vulcans' 12th win in a row — a recent 88-71 victory at Slippery Rock University, Kearney's alma mater — the coach dwelled on the negative.

"I'm not happy with our defensive effort," she said. "We weren't consistent. We gave up too much in transition.

"We can play a lot better. We need to play a lot better."

Even with its loss last weekend at Gannon, California is 18-3 overall, sits atop the PSACWest standings at 7-1 and is ranked No. 2 in NCAADivision II.

That's not a bad place for a rookie head coach to be.

"But it's where we should be,"Kearney, a Harrisville native, is quick to point out. "Our top six players are back from a team that reached the NCAAElite 8 last year.

"Expectations are high and with that comes pressure. Geez, I put pressure on myself, That's the way I like it."

Kearney has known nothing but success in college basketball. She graduated from SRU in 1999 as the program's all-time leading scorer with 1,760 points and second all-time rebounder with 949.

She followed her college coach, Darcie Vincent, to California, served as an assistant coach for four years, associate head coach for four more and helped to lead the Vulcans to a national championship in 2004.

And when Vincent left to take the reins at Division I Appalachian State, Kearney was the natural choice to replace her.

Kearney's first game as head coach at Cal, in fact, was a 72-58 decision at Appalachian State in an exhibition game Nov. 2.

"That will never happen again,"Kearney said, smiling. "Darcie was starting all freshmen, trying to build a program there. We're a veteran team."

A veteran team put together by Vincent.

"This is still her team,"Kearney insists. "Darcie and I talk every day. She still cares about these girls a lot. She follows them intensely. It's like she has two teams."

If Kearney is serving as her caretaker at California, she's exceeding expectations:

• California averages a PSAC-leading 81 points per game and allows an average of 57.4 per contest.

• Junior forward Brooque Williams leads the PSACwith 22.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. She has been named PSACWest Player of the Week four times.

• Point guard Crystal Andrews is second in the league with five assists per game.

• Kayla Smith (17.0 ppg.) and Lindsay Johnson (13.0 ppg.) join Williams in averaging in double figures.

"These girls thrive in up-tempo, getting up and down the floor,"Kearney said. "That's Darcie's game and I haven't changed any of that.

"The only thing really different is my role. As a position coach, you can get really involved in the players' lives you work with. You're honing in on a certain part of the game.

"As head coach, I have to look at the big picture. Sometimes you have to be the bad guy. I'm not quite used to that,"Kearney added.

Jess Strom, a third-year assistant coach at California, said Kearney is more even keeled than Vincent.

"Darcie is a very emotional coach, she's a screamer,"Strom said. "Heather is more level headed. She doesn't get as pumped up after a win or as stressed out after a loss."

Strom said their coaching technique is similar, however.

"Heather's been groomed for the job for eight years,"Strom said. "She took over as prepared as any new head coach could possibly be.

"She knows the players and the players know her. The program hasn't missed a beat."