Last season, the Bison women's basketball team made it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. And while fifth-year head coach Michele Sung was happy with the progression her squad made, she also knows that in order to advance further in the post season, continued growth is necessary.

"For us to have success, I still think we need to find ways for our best players to get better and our core players and returning players to continue to push them," she said.

"If we think that we're going to be at the same spot at the end of this season with we what we did last year, we're not going to be, so that's been an important theme for us. We have to continue to get better, and it doesn't matter what your role is, everyone has room to do that."

Sung's first true class of recruits are now in their fourth year, meaning there's a core group of leaders who have been in her system and understand what needs to be done to consistently improve.

Pacing the back court are two out of province recruits that have been stable forces in Manitoba's lineup, in fourth-year Nicole Konieczny and third-year Taylor Randall.

The former has started 55 games for Manitoba dating back to her rookie season in 2015-16, averaging 11.5 points per game over the past three seasons as a consistent offensive threat.

"With Nicole, with it being her last year, it's about trying to stay confident and consistent with her play and continuing to have a major contribution offensively for us," Sung said of the Regina native.

The latter has started 37 games over the past two years, leading the team in points per game in both seasons. She was also a Canada West Third Team All-Star in 2017-18, after averaging 16.8 points. Sung has been happy with the development made by the Dundas native during her U SPORTS career and is expecting continued progress in her skill set in 2018-19.

"I think what's next for her will be completing the rest of that growth," she said.

"So, it's playing defence consistently against the other team's best player and developing a leadership ability at the point guard spot. That will be what we expect from her, and she's already shown strides in those areas, so I'm excited about that."

Providing quality depth at the guard position are players such as fourth-year Montana Kinzel and third-years Keziah Brothers and Brittanie Parisien.

Kinzel has started 35 games dating back to 2014-15 and can play in both the front or back court due to her versatile 6'0" frame.

"Her athleticism with her height has allowed us to play her at multiple positions throughout her career, so I think she has allowed that to be a catalyst for her being a leader just in the team room," Sung said.

"I think she kind of understands multiple girls and where they're coming from, so that's been really nice."

Brothers and Parisien have both started games in the past and have seen meaningful minutes in the pre-season this year as rotational players.

"I think in our sport, you have to have really good role players. I think you need to have people that are excited about a specific task in games and in practices. Keziah and Brittanie are perfect examples of that," Sung said.

"We've asked them to be really good at what they're already good at, and I think they've really gotten some confidence with that."

The forward position sees plenty of experience as well, led by Emma Thompson and Claire Harvey.

Thompson, a fourth-year athlete from Calgary has started 38 games over the past three years. She's upped her point and rebound total in each season and, along with Konieczny and Randall, averaged more than ten points per game in 2017-18 while collecting five boards per contest.

Harvey brings the most U SPORTS experience to the table, having been with the squad since 2013-14.  The 6'0" inside presence has started 43 games in her career – 20 of which came in 2017-18 where she nearly averaged a double-double with 7.3 rebounds and 8.2 points per contest. Sung noted that due to her athleticism, there are times that she has an obvious mismatch. One of the keys to her success will be keeping her confident or not anxious in those situations.

"There's some teams in our league that just don't have the athleticism to match up in her position, and then there's games where she has to rein that in and be a total defensive stopper because [the other team] has a really good player at her position. It's been a fun journey with her that way," Sung said.

"She's a very fun, caring kid and I think she takes feedback very personably, which is awesome, but it also means that you do have to check in and keep her reminded that she is a very good player."