ABILENE, Texas – It will be a new and exciting beginning for McMurry University's women's basketball team in 2015-16, as former McM standout Brittany Densman-Roes takes over the coaching reins when the team officially tips off on Monday evening at Wayland Baptist University.
 
The War Hawks scored a 60-50 exhibition victory over Dallas Christian University last Wednesday.
 
Densman-Roes is no stranger to the War Hawks' faithful, spending a total of four seasons as an assistant coach for McM during what is arguably the program's most successful span. Densman-Roes' first three campaigns were under McM's all-time winningest head coach, Sam Nichols.  She also played two seasons for McMurry from 2002-04 under Nichols.
 
Densman-Roes' 2015-16 War Hawks roster welcomes back a total of six players from last season and one player from 2013-14, as the team looks to erase the memories of a 7-44 record the past two years and three-consecutive losing seasons, overall.  
 
Leading the way is senior fourth-year player Taylor Russell, who led the team in both scoring and rebounds in 2014-15. Russell had three "double-double" games last year and 11 double-figure scoring games. She scored a career-best 20 points twice, on back-to-back games (Jan. 8 versus Howard Payne and Jan. 17 at Texas A&M-Commerce). She also had five games with double-digit rebounds, including a career-high 17 rebounds versus Arlington Baptist (Feb. 13).
 
Russell was McMurry's top free throw shooter, as well, hitting 80.5 percent (91-113). She made good on  11-of-11 free throws  versus Howard Payne (Jan. 8), as well as averaging  1.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
 
Russell is also one of McMurry's top scholar-athletes, earning NCCAA Scholar-Athlete, ASC Distinguished Scholar and ASC All-Academic Team accolades last year.
 
Senior forward Tayler Boroson – a transfer to the team as a junior – is in her second year at McMurry.  Boroson played in all 25 games with nine starts, averaging 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. She made 23 three-point baskets and had eight double-digit scoring games, with a high game of 17 points versus Texas A&M-Commerce (Jan. 17). She had seven rebounds twice (Dec. 12 at Angelo State and Dec. 17 at UT-Arlington) and had five assists at Lubbock Christian (Dec. 6). She was a 78 percent free throw shooter (26-33).
 
 Junior guard Haley Welch is in her second season as a member of the program, earning a starting spot in 2014-15. An ASC All-Academic Team selection, Welch played in all 25 of the team's games, with 24 starts, and averaged 9.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game. She had 14 double-figure scoring games and a top game of 18 points at Wayland Baptist (Feb. 2). She had a season-best nine rebounds versus Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Dec. 29), along with six assists and seven steals at Southwestern Adventist (Feb. 5). Welch shot 77.6 percent from free throw line (66-85).
 
Sophomores Kessha Bracy (guard), sophomore Arielle Bermudez (forward) and Rae'von Wells all return from the 2014-15 roster, as well. Bracy averaged 2.2 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. Bermudez chipped in 1.3 points and 2.0 boards per contest, while Wells – playing her first season of collegiate basketball – played in three games.
 
Senior Sierra Maykus returns to the War Hawks for 2015-16, after playing for McM as a freshman and sophomore, before transferring to Newman University last season. Maykus was the War Hawks' to three-point shooter as a sophomore, canning 32 buckets from beyond the arc and averaging 8.3 points per game.
 
Densman-Roes has brought in a recruiting class comprised of 10 new faces. Among the newcomers are sophomore transfer Sham Hunter, a guard from Ranger Junior College and a former Abilene High School player. Freshman Jamie Flores (guard) also played at AHS before joining McM this year.
 
Other new faces to the War Hawks' fold include: Savannah Meek (Guard/Anson H.S.); Amy Templeton (Guard/Rankin H.S.); Alex McIntosh (Guard/Denton H.S.); Lacey Jesko (Guard/Lazbuddie H.S.); Karsten Pippins (Forward/Jim Ned H.S.); Taylar Walker (Forward/Ranchview H.S.); Chelsie Lail (Guard/Joshua H.S.), and; Jordan Mazziotta (Center/Denton H.S.).
 
McMurry's 2015-16 schedule includes a full complement of ASC games. Additionally, the War Hawks will be tested by some tough non-conference bouts versus foes like NCAA II Angelo State University and NCAA III power Trinity University, to name a few.
 
Tip-off for Monday's season opener at Wayland Baptist is slated for 6 p.m. The War Hawks will play their first home game on Tuesday (Nov. 24/6 p.m.) versus the University of the Southwest.