SLIPPERY ROCK — D'Asia Chambers is gone, but Mars resident Bobby McGraw is still there.

And the Slippery Rock University women's basketball program is elevating as a result.

Despite the loss of Chambers — one of SRU's best players ever who is now playing professionally in Germany — The Rock is picked fifth in the PSAC West preseason coaches poll.

“That's the highest Slippery Rock has been picked to finish in 15 years,” McGraw said. “I hate when coaches say the preseason poll doesn't mean anything. It does mean something.

“It means we're gaining respect in this league and that's a positive step.”

McGraw served as acting coach of The Rock women's basketball team last year. He guided the squad to an 11-16 record and its first PSAC Tournament berth in nine years.

He was officially hired as the program's head coach during the off-season. SRU begins the 2015-16 campaign with an exhibition game Sunday against the University of Indiana.

“We're going to play a team that's going after a Big Ten championship ... Their point guard was Miss Basketball in Illinois her junior and senior (high school) seasons and scored 5,000 points.

“In terms of personnel, we don't belong on the same floor as them. I don't care. When that game is over, I want to hear the Indiana people raving about how hard Slippery Rock played and how well-prepared they were.”

So it goes with McGraw. Last year is over. This year, he's aiming higher.

“We got to the PSAC Tournament last year and that was the goal,” he said. “That's all over with now. We want to compete for the PSAC championship this year.

“I know that won't be easy, but we've got the talent here to take a run at it.”

Besides Chambers, guard Taylor Siggers is the only Rock player to average double digits last season. Siggers netted 11.8 points per game, but is lost for her senior season after rupturing her achilles on the second day of camp.

“We will miss Taylor for sure, but all three of our Division I transfers are guards, so that lightens the blow a little bit,” McGraw said.

Those transfers include junior Lexi Carpenter from Dayton, sophomore Krista Pietropola from Youngstown State and sophomore Ciara Patterson from Wright State.

Pietropola started 22 games at YSU as a freshman last season.

Patterson started 28 games as a frosh at Wright State.

“You can't start for programs at that level as freshmen unless you can play,” McGraw enthused.

Carpenter played four games as a true freshman at Dayton before leaving the program due to a medical emergency at home. She didn't play for two years before transferring to Indiana (Pa.), where her former coach was an assistant.

That coach left for the Naval Academy and Carpenter wound up following former IUP assistant Ryenn Micaletti to Slippery Rock. Micaletti is McGraw's assistant coach.

“Lexi could be the best point guard in all of Division II,” McGraw said. “She is that good.”

The addition of Carpenter moves senior Erica Aiello (8.8 ppg.) to shooting guard. Patterson will start at the 3-guard with senior Megan Hardiman at forward and Sorriah Ranger at center.

Top recruit Morgan Henderson, a 6-foot-2 center from Seton-LaSalle, will see plenty of action as well.

“Morgan has made a fantastic transition from Class AA WPIAL to the PSAC,” McGraw said. “She may see time at wing, too, because she can really shoot the ball.

“We've been working since Aug. 26 to get ready for this year. That time has flown by. I'm excited about what we've got. We can't wait to get going.”