DENVER – The 2020-21 MSU Denver women's basketball season was a feel-good story of an overlooked team overcoming injuries to carve out the third-best winning percentage in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
 
People noticed.
 
Heading into the 2021-22 season, pretty much the same team that was picked to finish ninth in the league last year is picked third this time around.
 
"Now we have expectations," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said. "But we just say, 'All those things are nice, but we didn't worry about it when we were ninth and we won't worry about it now that we're third.' We worry about the process of being the best team we can be, and wherever that allows us to fall, that's where we fall.
 
"We also have to understand that no one is going to take us lightly. We're going to have to be ready every single game for a really good game from everybody."
 
Led by reigning RMAC Player of the Year and All-America honorable mention selection Allie Navarette, RMAC Co-Freshman of the Year Kendra Parra and five other players who have been starters at various points in their careers, the Roadrunners have plenty of key pieces in place heading into a two-game, season-opening road trip to Denton, Texas, for 3 p.m. games Friday against Angelo State (Texas) and Saturday against host Texas Woman's.
 
"We're potentially deeper," Haave said. "That was our focus in the offseason. We knew we had a really great core. We just had to add some depth to it so that Alex (Carlton) or Allie don't have to play 35 minutes on back-to-back nights. We've been able to address some of that."
 
Last season after transferring from Hawaii-Hilo, Navarette averaged 21.2 points and 8.6 rebounds. Nearly unguardable, the 6-foot forward marched to the free throw line repeatedly and shot 83.9 percent. Among active Division II players in career statistics, she is first in free throws made (580), first in free throws attempted (701), second in points (1,779), third in scoring average (19.1), seventh in double-doubles (37), seventh in field goal attempts (1,291), 10th in free throw percentage (82.7), 11th in rebounds (841), 11th in field goals made (572) and 12th in rebound average (9.0). A four-time RMAC Offensive Player of the Week, she averaged 22.9 points in league games – 3.7 more than anyone else in the league.
 
"She's come back great," Haave said. "You wonder, how can you improve on that? But there are a lot of little things any player can do to get better. She's just becoming a more complete player, and she's really taken that to heart.
 
"And now she's going to get keyed on, so how does she stay patient? There a lots of intangible things that go into it."
 
Parra, a 5-8 guard, led all RMAC freshmen in points (8.9) and rebounds per game (6.6), while ranking third in assists (2.9), and she was first in free throw percentage (regardless of class) at 89.5. In league play, she averaged 9.2 points and ranked 11th in the RMAC in rebounds (6.6) and 13th in assists (2.7). She was third on the team with 6.1 rebounds per game and second with 2.4 assists per game.
 
"Kendra came back in great shape," Haave said. "I think she's poised to have a strong year. She's still got that wild stallion in her, but she understands the defense a little better, her shot selection is a little better."
 
Forward Morgan Griego, formerly Morgan Lewis, brings the toughness that has twice made her an All-RMAC honorable mention choice after averaging 11.9 points and a team-best 8.8 rebounds last year.
 
Carlton was the team's steady starting point guard last season, averaging 7.7 points while shooting 38.8 percent from 3-point range. Running mate Maggie Justinak averaged 9.6 points and a team-best 3.3 assists while shooting 40 percent from 3 (28 of 70). Meanwhile yet another guard, Tosjanae Bonds, developed as expected into a whirling defensive dervish (1.2 steals per game) while becoming incredibly effective offensively late in the season.
 
Returning to the mix this season is forward Jaela Richardson, limited to just three games last season after averaging 12.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots.
 
To that group the Roadrunners will inject several other players, including 5-11 forward Mya Jones, a junior-college transfer who has impressed during the preseason
 
Freshmen Jordon Heckert and Mariana Silva Pereira and junior Bri Bailey are working for potential minutes on the perimeter, and forwards Anais Bonnemaison (junior college transfer) and Sarah Litchford (freshman) are also seeking opportunities.
 
"We're getting used to each other and understanding roles," Haave said. "We've got more people than last year. We're coming along and we've got a chance to be really good."
 
Angelo State is picked to finish 15^th in the 17-team Lone Star, while Texas Woman's is tabbed for 11^th.
 
"Any time you go on the road, and any time you play anyone from the Lone Star, it's going to be a battle," Haave said. "That's two really good teams that will test us. It'll be a good measuring stick for us."