SLIPPERY ROCK — No one can dispute the impact Bobby McGraw has made on the Slippery Rock University women's basketball program.

The question is, will it be enough?

The 1990 Mars graduate is serving as acting head coach this season. In effect, he's in the middle of a one-year audition for the job.

“I knew the situation when I took the job,” McGraw said. “We need more firepower to compete in this conference, which may be the best (Division II) league in the country.

“Ryenn (assistant coach Micaletti) and I have been working hard at recruiting and upgrading that way. Are we doing it for somebody else next year? Yeah, that's a possibility.

“But we've got a job to do here. We're doing it and we'll continue to work at it,” McGraw added.

The Rock enters Saturday's game at California (Pa.) University with a 7-10 record overall, 3-10 in the PSAC West. SRU is two games out of a PSAC Tournament berth.

The program has not been to the PSAC Tournament since 2001.

“We're not giving up on getting there this year, but I'd love to remain a part of bringing this program back,” McGraw said.

He's already made some strides that way, including:

Winning seven games so far this season, exceeding last season's victory total.

Trimming the points per game allowed from 75.8 last year to 64.7 this year.

Getting The Rock to average 42.5 rebounds per game, the most by an SRU team since the 1998-99 squad averaged 44.8.

Leading the team to a plus 2.3 rebounding differential so far this season. SRU has not ended a season with a positive rebounding differential since 2006-07.

Watching SRU make its free throws. The Rock is the only team in the PSAC with five players averaging at least 70 percent at the line (min. 23 attempts).

“There have definitely been some positives,” SRU athletic director Paul Lueken said. “We're rebounding much better and the team overall has been more competitive.

“We'll still undergo a search for a permanent head coach when the season is over. That's university policy. Bobby can be a viable candidate, sure. We have a lot more work to be done and I like what he's doing with recruiting.”

McGraw's prize recruit thus far is Morgan Henderson, a 6-foot-2 senior center at Seton-LaSalle who helped guide the Rebels to three WPIAL Class AA titles and two state crowns. Henderson signed a letter of intent two months ago.

Seton-LaSalle is currently the fourth-ranked Class AA team in the state.

“She will come in here and make an immediate impact,” McGraw enthused.

Micaletti left a top 20-ranked Indiana (Pa.) University program to come to SRU as McGraw's top assistant. She played for and coached with Tony Grenek — McGraw's brother-in-law — at Seton Hill.

“He was my mentor when I was 17 and was part of my recruitment to Seton Hill,” Micaletti said of McGraw. “I love his attitude, his energy, and he loves working with these girls.

“Coach McGraw brings so much passion to a team and that's contagious. He's elevated things here and I knew he would. I didn't think twice about taking the opportunity to join him and be a part of this.”

SRU has only three seniors on its roster, including All-PSAC performer D'Asia Chambers.

Junior point guard Erica Aiello is among the players who hope McGraw is able to stick around.

“The energy he's brought to our practices is ridiculous,” Aiello said. “Coach McGraw has us working harder, yet it's fun, too. He's got so much enthusiasm.

“I hope he's back. I enjoy playing for him.”

McGraw described being a collegiate head basketball coach as “my lifetime dream.”

“I never thought I'd be coaching a women's team, but that's where this has taken me and this experience is tremendous,” McGraw added. “These girls have bought into everything we're doing.”