UNI women’s basketball coach Tanya Warren says sophomore Maya McDermott is ready to take over at point guard heading into a new season. McDermott takes over for standout Karli Rucker, who was a four-time All Missouri Valley Conference selection.

McDermott takes over at point for a team that lost three fifth year seniors off last year’s team.

Despite some key losses the expectations remain the same for a Panther team that was picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley preseason poll.

They open the regular season at home on November seventh against St. Thomas of Minnesota.