During the offseason, NIU women’s basketball coach Carol Hammerle asked her players about their slogan for the upcoming season.

The players chose “Leave no doubt.” Every day, the Huskies are reminded of the saying, which is printed on the team’s practice gear.

When asked at the team’s media day on Wednesday what the slogan meant, senior guard Stephanie Smith said the team wanted to leave no doubt about who the best team in the MAC is.

“We chose it because we want to leave no doubt about who is the best in the conference,” Smith said. “We’re going to go out every night and leave no questions that we are the best team in the MAC.”

The Huskies won’t get their first chance to show exactly who’s the best in the MAC until they kick off the conference schedule at Western Michigan on Jan. 7, 2004. In the meantime, the Huskies will play a pair of exhibition games starting this Friday when they face the Chicago Challengers in a 7:05 p.m. tip at the Convocation Center.

“We have 10 players returning from last year,” Hammerle said. “This team knows what it takes to be a winner.”

Picked fourth in the preseason MAC poll this year, the Huskies will need to improve on last season’s 12-16 (8-8 MAC) record and prove some voters wrong if they’re to be the conference’s best.

“It was one of the roughest years of my life, as far as athletics,” Smith said. “I think it woke everyone up, though, and I think it works to our advantage now.”

One ingredient of Hammerle’s recipe for success is leadership. This year, the Huskies return four starters, including two-time All-MAC selection Jennifer Youngblood at forward.

Last season, Youngblood was a “rock” for the Huskies, leading the team in points and rebounds per game. The 5-foot-11 senior averaged 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds a game for NIU, while starting every game just like she has during her entire collegiate career.

“She’s always getting rebounds, and she’s got great hands in the post,” NIU senior forward Lindsay Secrest said.

Youngblood shot nearly 89 percent from the free-throw line – good enough for sixth in the nation – and became the 20th player in NIU women’s history to score 1,000 career points.

Also returning for the Huskies is reigning MAC Freshman of the Year Joi Scott. Last season, the 6-foot forward averaged 9.2 points and 4.8 rebounds a game for NIU.

“She’s improved and better than last year,” Hammerle said. “She has some more size to go against now.”

The Huskies lost guard Kristin Knake to graduation. Knake was second on the team in points per game (10.9), assists (2.4), steals (1.6) and three-pointers (34) last season.

Defending MAC champion Western Michigan was picked in the preseason poll to win the West Division again, while Kent State got the East Division nod.