The numbers are still down, but the wins should go up.

The Butler County Community College women's basketball program began its third year Friday night with only seven players on its roster - and one of them was hurt.

Butler graduate Heather Spangler is having a MRI done on a sore knee Tuesday and is sidelined indefinitely.

"We're hoping to get her back in a couple of weeks, unless a major problem shows up with the knee," Pioneers coach Shawn Carroll said. "Just the type of player Heather is and what she can do on the court could have a major impact on our program."

The Pioneers won only five of 30 games in their first two years. They were 2-12 last year.

BC3's two forwards are Knoch graduates a few years removed from high school basketball. Alicia Sheppeck, a 1996 Knoch grad, averaged 10 points and eight rebounds for the Pioneers last year.

Melissa Lewetag, a 2001 Knoch grad, averaged 12 points per game and was a third team All-Butler County selection three years ago.

"Melissa will give us some scoring and provides matchup problems for other teams," Carroll said. "If they put a big girl on her, she can step out and hit the three. If they put a smaller girl on her, Melissa can overpower her to the basket.

"We've got some outside shooters and that's a plus. It will help open up the inside game."

Guards include Karns City graduate Stephanie DeVore, Seneca Valley graduate Julie Wills, Portersville Christian graduate Becky Snyder and A-C Valley graduate Sarah Wike.

DeVore and Wills averaged between six and eight points per game last year. Wike joins Sheppeck as a BC3 returnee, but saw only limited action and didn't score a point last season.

"What's good is we have some girls who can handle the basketball and get it up the floor," Carroll said. "That was a problem last year.

"I'm not worried about our numbers because I like who's here. The number of players at this level is a girls vs. guys thing. (Athletic director) Rob Snyder has won three straight state volleyball titles and only had seven players.

"Numbers are numbers. I don't worry about who's not here. I worry about who is here," Carroll added.

BC3 averaged fewer than 40 points per game last season. Carroll is counting on that number - and the program's win total - to rise this winter.

"We have better shooters, better ball handlers and we're playing a few schools that have first-year programs. We should be much more competitive," he said.

"I doubt we'll give up 80 points very often and if we can score 50 or so, we'll compete with our schedule."

Penn State-New Kensington, CCAC-Boyce and Pitt-Titusville are first-year programs on the Pioneers' schedule.