COEUR d'ALENE - New people, new roles, new team.

With only two players back from last year's NJCAA champions - the only similarity is they play their home games at Christianson Gym.

Sophomores Korina Baker and Julia Salmio are the lone returnees off a team that won the first women's basketball national championship in North Idaho College history.

"Korina started for us most of the season at the point last season," NIC coach Chris Carlson said. "She just gives us a strong presence at the point and can relate the type of focus and effort it takes to succeed. Julia didn’t play a lot during the season, but played a lot over the summer. She came in a nice, strong player for us at the forward spot.”

Baker was sixth in the Scenic West Athletic Conference with 59 steals last season.

From there, the battles begin.

At center will be either 6-foot-3 post Danika Johnson or Ashleigh Kelman-Poto, a 6-foot post from Auckland, New Zealand.

“They’re both neck and neck right now,” Carlson said. “Both of them are big, strong players and have a tremendous upside.”

Freshmen Katie Buskey, Aimee Durbidge and Angela Woods are in the mix at shooting guard.

“They’re all really strong guards,” Carlson said. “They’ve been playing really strong thus far.”

Mollie Kramer and Tori Davenport of Post Falls High are other guards.

“They’re all nice players,” Carlson said. “It’s going to come down to consistency and who can help us the most for playing time.”

Hannah Love and Shanee McBride will play in a reserve role at forward, along with Hailey Petit of Coeur d’Alene High.

“Hailey didn’t get a lot of time at Coeur d’Alene, but she’s in there battling,” Carlson said. “Right now, she is seeing what she can learn and getting into a position to learn and help us out.”

Carlson has been in this spot before with only two players back, and led that team to the NJCAA tournament.

“I kind of like having big groups like this,” Carlson said. “They are already on quick turnaround mode at the junior college level. They get to spend a couple of full years together and build something. We’ve got some pieces and a bunch of solid freshmen. We still have a lot to learn and prove to ourselves, but we’ve got some size and speed. I think it’s solid.”

NIC, 32-3 last year, opens the regular season at Wenatchee Valley College on Saturday.

“We talked early on about trying to have our own identity,” Carlson said. “We’re trying to avoid all the comparisons to last year. That was an awfully good team to compare to. They are new people, in new roles, on a new team.”

NIC opens Scenic West Athletic Conference play against Snow on Jan. 5. NIC finished second in the SWAC last year, then won the Region 18 tourney to advance to nationals. Carlson said the SWAC race could be wide open.

“Eastern Utah might have the most starters back,” Carlson said. “CSI might have a couple and Snow has a new coach. Colorado (Northwestern) is knocking at the door and ready to start winning some games. I really anticipate it being competitive this year.”

“We’re ranked No. 4 in the preseason poll and everyone wants to beat the defending national champions,” Carlson said. “We’re going to get everyone’s best shot out there and I think that is going to hold true. They’re going to want to beat the defending national champions. We’ve been preparing pretty hard and trying to prepare to win.”

NIC will celebrate its national title with the unveiling of its national title banner on Nov. 18 when the Cardinals host the North Idaho All-Stars in a Hoop for Hope breast cancer awareness game.

Among the All-Stars are former NIC players Bianca Cheever, Kia Gibson, Lindsey Stark, Kim Priebe, Cassie Pilkinton, among others.

“There will be quite a few of our old alums on hand,” Carlson said. “We’re trying to get everyone we can back to celebrate a big night for our school.”