(North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) is the team's playmaker, as she did just about everything last year from playing lockdown perimeter defense to running the point. Now with the addition of a freshman point guard, Fisher's load is lightened, which will make her even more of a scoring threat. She averaged a team-best 11.7 points per game in 2010-11 and shot a league-best 51.8 percent from the floor. Beyond her scoring numbers, she also pulled down 6.1 rebounds per game.

Junior forward

(North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) made some real strides from the end of last season and will be one of the team's top players. She averaged 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game last year, but her work ethic in practice has helped elevate the squad's level of play.

Senior guard Zoe Cohen (Brooklyn, N.Y./The Berkeley Carroll School) ignited the attack on numerous occasions last year, as she was a real three-point threat coming off the bench. Cohen was third on the team in scoring with 8.6 points per game, and she shot 38.6 percent from long range (34-of-88).

Other returners for the Hawks are senior guard/forward Bridget Grover (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Holy Trinity), sophomore forward Jeanette Scott (West Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon), sophomore forward Elizabeth Hauser (East Williston, N.Y./Sacred Heart) and senior guard/forward Samantha DelGaudio (Northport, N.Y./Northport).

New Paltz welcomes five newcomers to the program this year. Headlining this group is freshman point guard Shannan Walker (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal), who has already received the starting nod from Seward. Walker's work ethic and basketball IQ make her a strong fit for the point guard position, but her athleticism makes her a real weapon immediately. Sophomore point guard Pippa Mansdorf (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.) comes to New Paltz after having competed for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire during the 2009-10 season, where she saw action in 12 contests. Other newcomers include freshman  point guard Deanna Molinelli (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place), freshman guard/forward Monique Myers (New York City, N.Y./Richard R. Green) and junior forward Jeannette Harris (New York City, N.Y./Food & Finance).

The Hawks will be tested immediately coming out of the gates, as they will face off with two teams ranked in the top 10 in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top-25 Poll the first two weeks of the season. After traveling to regional-rival Mount Saint Mary College to open its season on Nov. 15, New Paltz will head out to the University of Rochester to compete in the two-day Chuck Resler Tournament from Nov. 18-19. During that tournament, the Hawks square off with host Rochester at 6 p.m. on Nov. 18 and will face either Baruch College or Wittenberg University in the consolation or championship on Saturday. They meet up with William Paterson University on the road on Nov. 22 before contesting the Stevens Institute of Technology in its home opener on Nov. 29.

That bout against the Ducks opens up a five-game home stand, as four different SUNYAC teams come into town from Dec. 2-10. Before the winter break, New Paltz faces off with Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. Upon returning from break, the Hawks host non-conference Eastern Connecticut State University on Jan. 4, and from that point forward, they finish out the remainder of their SUNYAC schedule, playing 14 games. The 2012 SUNYAC Tournament runs on three dates: the quarterfinals are on Feb. 21 at the sites of the top-four seeds, and the semifinals and final run from Feb. 24-25 at the site of the highest-remaining seed.

While Seward's expectations continue to rise for this talented group, he stresses that the number one goal this year is to have the team savor the daily habits of being a college basketball player and not focus on the end goal of making the postseason.

"Above all else, our goal is to truly enjoy the ride and enjoy the day-to-day process and enjoy the grind, not being so focused on the end goal," Seward said. "That's our number one goal: to make the most out of every day that we can."