BUTLER TWP — Having won 10 total games over the previous four years, the Butler County Community College women's basketball team broke through last season.

This year, the Pioneers plan to keep going.

“That team has a chance to be special,” seventh-year BC3 men's and women's hoop coach Dick Hartung said.

The BC3 women finished 16-8 in 2015-16, winning the Western Pa. Collegiate Conference championship and a pair of Region XX tournament games. Four of those five starters return when the Pioneers open the 2016-17 campaign Wednesday against Penn State-DuBois.

Heading that list is sophomore forward and Butler graduate Julia Baxter, who ranked seventh in all of NJCAA last year with 24 points and 13.9 rebounds per game.

“She's a force,” Hartung said. “Baxter will become this school's all-time top scorer and rebounder, then she'll scholarship herself out of here.”

Other starters returning are guard Christina Davis (Ford City) at 14 points per game, guard KaLynn Callihan (Butler) at 12 per game and guard Saydie Moore (Karns City).

Hartung said the point guard position “will be handled by committee” this season. Other sophomores on the team are forward Shelby Campbell (Butler) and guard Hunter Berneburg (Mars).

The Pioneer men finished 4-23 last season, but have an 11-player roster that Hartung says “has a chance” to be good.

“We have a nice conglomeration of size and guards,” the coach said. “We still have to put it together, but we have a chance to be a good team.

“We've had some teams here that didn't have that chance. This one does.”

Four Pioneer players — forward Justice Lewandowski (Butler), guard Chris McConnell (Indiana), guard Kaden Rock (Butler) and forward Garrett McHenry (Boiling Springs — have fathers who played at BC3.

“Three of the four fathers were among the best 10 to ever play here,” Hartung said.

Joining those four among the top eight players for BC3 are forward Jake Anderson (Butler), guard Brendon Record (Grove City), forward Chris Pipkin (Lincoln Park) and guard Taylor Smith (Clarion-Limestone).

Rounding out the roster are guards Trevor Barnhart (PA Cyber School), Alex Campbell (Knoch) and Braden Hilliard (Butler).

“We're looking at a front-court of 6-foot-5, 6-5 and 6-4 ... and size is hard to come by at this level,” Hartung enthused.

“There are three things I'll guarantee from both of our teams. We will play hard, we will play together and we will all stand for the national anthem.”

Kathy Wood returns as assistant coach for both Pioneer teams.

BC3 will host Wednesday's games with PSU DuBois, the women playing at 5 p.m., the men at 7 p.m.