But this year’s team is markedly different that last year’s squad. For now, interim Head Coach Jim Lewis is at the helm as head coach, after Keith Brown resigned last month following allegations of verbal harassment of players. Perhaps an even more important loss is All-American guard Sugar Rodgers, a four-year starter and the team’s all-time leading scorer, who now plays with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. The Hoyas lost three additional players from last year, as two more graduated and a third transferred.

The Blue & Gray look to begin a new era in the reformatted Big East, but these losses may make starting strong a little more difficult than in years past. In the preseason coaches’ poll, Georgetown was predicted to finish sixth in the 10-team Big East.

“Expectations are always going to be high, but we will talk about the concepts of competitive excellence and keeping our standards high and not putting a number on us in terms of games we want to win,” Lewis said.

In order to be successful this season, Georgetown must make a quick adjustment to the new coaching style of Lewis. The coach was hired Oct. 24, fewer than three weeks before the season starts.

“I feel like it really has been a seamless transition — certainly for me — because it is basketball,” Lewis said. “I am here to teach them. I can teach them and help make them better because they are competitive athletes. We are seeing that already.”

But the biggest challenge for the Blue and Gray will be difficult for any coach, old or new, to handle: replacing the offensive production of Rodgers. The 14th pick in the WNBA draft this past April, Rodgers graduated with 2,518 points, the most in Georgetown history. She averaged 19 points per game over the course of her career; last season she averaged just under 23 points per game.

Senior forward Andrea White and senior guard Samisha Powell will likely help fill the void that Rodgers leaves behind. White and Powell are both coming off breakout seasons and will see their roles increase this season both on and off the court. Powell and White, the team’s only seniors, were named co-captains for the 2013-2014 season.

“We have to lead the underclassmen by both being vocal and by example,” White said.

Last season, White was the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging just over 10 points per game. Meanwhile, Powell chipped in just under seven points per game before suffering a season-ending knee injury at Louisville on Feb. 2.

This season, sophomore guard Katie McCormick is also expected to have a bigger impact. McCormick missed the start of last season recovering from a torn ACL. She returned midseason, playing in 11 games only to suffer yet another knee injury, which ultimately ended her season.

But in those 11 games, McCormick showed that she was a sharpshooter — exactly what the Hoyas need this season. In the same Louisville game when Powell was injured, McCormick exploded for 21 points, including 18 in the second half on 7-of-13 shooting.

Although the Hoyas return four players who started multiple games and received significant playing time last season, the team is by and large inexperienced. The 11-person team is one of the youngest in the Big East, comprised of two seniors, four sophomores and five freshmen.

With such a small roster, Georgetown’s health will be key this year, especially at guard. The Blue and Gray have only four true guards, meaning even one injury could put the team out of commission. With both McCormick and Powell returning after season-ending injuries, Georgetown’s success hinges on the ability to stay healthy.

Because of the dearth of upperclassmen, Lewis believes the freshmen will be capable of having an immediate impact.

“As a group, they will all play because we are short in numbers,” Lewis said. “Very often, a freshman can play a significant role, but if five play significant roles and they grow together, by the time we reach conference play … they could be extremely impactful.”

Freshman forward Shayla Cooper leads this highly touted class. Cooper was named preseason Big East rookie of the year after a successful high school career.

“Shayla has been doing great,” White said. “She is a great player, just outstanding … Everyone has high expectations for her, and I think she’ll fulfill them.”

The Hoyas have all the pieces to improve upon their losing record from a year ago. Now, they just have to put them together.

“It’ll be gratifying to see [the team’s] growth because I know they want to do well,” Lewis said.

The Hoyas have the will to win. Only time will tell if they can find the way.