HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University women's basketball team returns preseason All-Big South selection Kaylah Keys to a backcourt that will have to provide leadership for a young Panthers team early in the season.

Keys, the only returning starter, is now the face of the HPU program after the graduation of the squad's four other starters from a team that went 20-12 in 2014-15. The junior will be relied upon to fill the leadership void left by Stacia Robertson and Latrice Phelps as well as continue to score at a record pace. Keys is averaging 15.7 points per game in her career and is already ninth on the school's Division I scoring rankings with 1,020 career points.
 
While Keys is easily the most experienced piece returning, the Panthers return three other players who have started a game in their careers. Junior Maja Michalska has appeared in 49 career games with eight starts while sophomores Kat Harris and Hunter Fleming each started two games last season.
 
"All of our returners have grown exponentially on and off the court," Hendrix said. "Kaylah has become a leader in her own right. She had the opportunity to watch Stacia and Latrice and create her own identity from their styles."
 
Michalska will be relied upon for defensive toughness on the wing as she continues to improve her outside shot. The Piastow, Poland native shot .133 from 3-point land as a freshman before drilling .341 of her 3-point attempts last season. Her comfort in all areas of life in the United States will be key in her growth as a player and as a veteran leader.
 
"Maja had a language barrier for two years and now she is completely at ease and is stepping into a leadership role," Hendrix said of the junior.
 
Likewise, Fleming – who saw action in nine games last season – will provide the Purple & White with depth and another defensive-minded guard. Meanwhile, Harris is in the running to replace Ashante Richard as the starter at the point alongside Keys in the starting backcourt. The sophomore has shown the ability to get to the line and convert (36-of-50) and will need to continue to improve as a floor general (3.6 assists per 40 minutes). 
 
The other two players in the mix at the point are sophomore transfer Bre Davis and freshman Kyrie' Chandler. Davis is described by Hendrix as a quick ball-handler in a similar mold to Richard. Similarly, Chandler is considered by the staff as a solid distributor who can be a pesky defender for opposing guards to play against.
 
The Panthers are almost starting over on the wing where freshman Emma Bockrath and Lindsey Edwards are battling with Michalska for playing time. Bockrath comes to HPU after a highly successful high school career in Ohio while Edwards is long and athletic and hails from a basketball family. Both players will be looked upon to provide scoring and defensive length while providing the team with a lot of versatility.
 
"The players have sort of established themselves in their own roles since they are all different," Hendrix said. "We have a lot of versatile kids, so we are going to be a very hard team to scout because we can change who plays where and when."

BACKCOURT BREAKDOWN

#3 Kaylah Keys	5-5	Jr.	Is the team's top returnign scorer with 13.7 ppg in '14-15	Second among active Big South players with 1,020 points.
#15 Maja Michalska	5-7	Jr.	Led the team with a .341 3-point FG% in 2015	Her 131 career points are second among active Panthers
#1 Kat Harris	5-7	So.	Appeared in all but one game in '14-15 with two starts	One of two returners to average at least 3.0 pgg, 1.0 rbp and 1.0 apg
#5 Hunter Fleming	5-7	So.	Started two games during her freshman season	Scored five points in one minute versus Longwood (12/2/14)
#4 Bre Davis	5-6	So.	Transferred from Louisburg College	Averaged 9.3 points and 1.9 assists per game at LC in '14-15
#10 Emma Bockrath	5-10	Fr.	Earned All-Ohio honors as a senior in high school	Led Kettering Alter to a 2014-15 state title
#13 Kyrie' Chandler	5-6	Fr.	Was a 3-time all-district selection at North Cobb High School	Tallied over 1,400 points, 300 rebounds, 300 assists and 300 steals in high school
#21 Lindsey Edwards	5-10	Fr.	Garnered All-Metro honors in Baltimore as a junior and senior	Both parents (Paul and Lisa Edwards) played basketball collegiately