SLIPPERY ROCK — Last year was an educational experience for Slippery Rock University women’s basketball coach Tanya Longo.

The second-year coach spent the season appraising where the program stood, while trying to win games at the same time.

The Rock finished 3-23 and is picked to finish seventh out of eight teams in the PSAC West preseason coaches poll this year.

“We needed more depth and athleticism,” Longo said. “We needed to upgrade the caliber of player here and I feel like we’ve done that.”

SRU returns five players from a year ago, including four regular starters. Danielle Smith, a 6-foot-1 senior forward, averaged 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and is on the preseason All-PSAC West team.

“We’ve got a high-calibber player there and need to get four people to combine with her and mesh well on the floor,” Longo said.

Other returnees include 5-8 senior fguard Sherita Stanley (7.7 ppg., 5.3 rpg.), 5-7 senior guard Shannon Lee (6.7 ppg., 121 assists) and 6-0 junior forward Emilee Vitez (288 blocked shots).

The Rock’s top newcomer is Farrell graduate D’Asia Chambers, a 5-10 freshman guard-forward who transferred from St. Bonaventure University. Chambers never played there, so she has four years of eligibility remaining.

Chambers averaged 22.9 points per game her senior year at Farrell and scored 1,445 points in her prep career.

“I’m hoping we’ve got an impact player there,” Longo said.

Jasmine Cooper is a sophomore forward from the University of Vermont, where she played all 28 games last year, starting 10. Paris Thomas is a 5-5 junior guard who averaged 11.6 points per game at Muskegon Community College. Erinne Cunningham is a 5-7 junior guard who played at Monroe Community College last year.

SRU has 10 newcomers on the roster overall.

“I’m looking for a rotation of eight to 10 players,” Longo said. “We want to play up-tempo, exciting basketball. We need transition and defense creates turnovers, so we want to be balanced offensively and defensively.

“Our biggest strength is the cohesiveness of this team. The team unity is definitely there.”

Edinboro received all eight first-place votes in the PSAC West poll and has three players as preseason all-conference selections.

“I don’t like polls,” Longo said. “The only poll I’m interested in is the last one.”

2011-2012 SRU WOMEN’S SCHEDULENov. 5-at Miami (Ohio), 4 p.m.; Nov. 11-at Findlay, 6 p.m.; Nov. 16-URSULINE, 7 p.m.; Nov. 19-at West Chester, 1 p.m.; Nov. 20-at Millersville, 1 p.m.Dec. 3-EAST STROUDSBURG, 1 p.m.; Dec. 4-KUTZTOWN, 1 p.m.; Dec. 9-at Bloomsburg, 5:30 p.m.; Dec. 10-at Mansfield, 2 p.m.; Dec. 19-CHARLESTON, 2 p.m.; Dec. 28-at Notre Dame (Ohio), 5:30 p.m.Jan. 6-CHEYNEY, 5:30 p.m.; Jan. 7-SHIPPENSBURG, 6 p.m.; Jan. 11-LOCK HAVEN, 6 p.m.; Jan. 14-at Mercyhurst, 1 p.m.; Jan. 18-at California (Pa.), 5:30 p.m.; Jan. 21-EDINBORO, 1 p.m.; Jan. 25-at Gannon, 5:30 p.m.; Jan. 28-INDIANA (Pa.), 1 p.m.Feb. 1-at Clarion, 5:30 p.m.; Feb. 4-MERCYHURST, 1 p.m.; Feb. 8-at Lock Haven, 6 p.m.; Feb. 11-at Edinboro, 1 p.m.; Feb. 15-CALIFORNIA (Pa.), 6 p.m.; Feb. 18-at Indiana (Pa.), 5:30 p.m.; Feb. 22-GANNON, 6 p.m.; Feb. 25-CLARION, 1 p.m.