FAU women’s basketball head coach Chancellor Dugan and her team are looking forward to the upcoming season, as it marks the beginning of a new era.

Coming off a disappointing loss in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament last season, the team is now led by junior point guard Teri Stamps.

Borrowing the Dean Smith line of “play hard, play smart, play together,” Stamps and the rest of the Lady Owls are looking to take the Sun Belt Conference by surprise.

Dugan has admitted, though, that this team will look to outwork opponents through hustle and tight defense.

“I’m definitely a defensive coach,” said Dugan. “I like that side of the ball a lot better than the offensive side of the ball.”

Dugan holds Stamps in high regard, and considers her one of the team’s leaders. Dugan raved about the improvement she has seen in her new starting point guard.

“She sets the tone, she worked hard over the summer, she has embraced everyone and gotten everybody together,” said Dugan.

While she seems unaware of her improved leadership skills, Stamps did acknowledge her summer work ethic.

“I’m definitely more fit,” said Stamp. “I’m faster, I’ve lost some weight, and I’ve got more paces to my game.”

Leading the team in scoring last year, shooting guard Lyrell Barfield also honed her skills over the summer as she returns for her senior season.

“I’m not hesitant,” said Barfield, who, as the only senior on the team, will be relied upon to make her veteran presence felt. “I’m just playing my game. Getting to the rim is the main thing I worked on during the summer, and playing defense.”

When considering areas of improvement over last season, Barfield suggested that the team should “stay humble, stay focused, and feed off of each other.”

Led by the backcourt tandem of Stamps and Barfield, the Owls will look to make up for last season’s disappointment by ending the 2010-2011 season as Sun Belt Conference champions.

Home schedule

Date                            Opponent                                Time

11/08                           Lynn University#                    5:00 p.m.

11/12                           Webber International           12:00 p.m.

11/14                           Kennesaw State                   2:00 p.m.

11/22                           Eastern Kentucky                  7:00 p.m.

12/12                           Georgia Southern                  2:00 p.m.

01/05                           South Alabama*                     7:00 p.m.

01/08                           Arkansas State*                      3:00 p.m.

01/22                           Arkansas-Little Rock*            3:00 p.m.

01/26                           Middle Tennessee State*     7:00 p.m.

01/29                           Western Kentucky                  3:00 p.m.

02/06                           Florida International*             3:00 p.m.

02/12                           Louisiana-Lafayette*              3:00 p.m.

02/23                           Troy*                                          7:00 p.m.

#Exhibition game

*Sun Belt Conference game