If there ever was a season to have loads of experience, this might be the year for the North Idaho College women's basketball team.

There's those extra trips in Scenic West Athletic Conference play to Snow, Salt Lake and Southern Idaho.

"It's definitely a tougher challenge," said NIC coach Chris Carlson, who enters his 11th year as coach. "If it's a year that we need to go on the road a little bit more, it's a great year to have eight returners and a Division I transfer."

NIC opens today vs. Western Wyoming in Sheridan, Wyo.

This year, the SWAC gets at least two bids to nationals - one for the regular season champ and another for the Region 18 tournament champion - with a third possibly selected by an at-large committee.

Back are two starters - 6-foot-1 post Panisesi Taimani from Kennewick and 5-7 guard Kara Staggs of Okanogan - and reserves Katie King (5-3, guard) of Post Falls, Bailey Schroeder (5-9, guard) from Benton City, Wash., Ryleigh Swagerty (5-4, guard) from Burlington, Wash., and Caitlyn Behymer (5-11, post) of Okanogan.

"We've got a lot of experience, and experience goes deep with this team," Carlson said. "The conversation of the experience they have has been there between them, and they're talking with a realistic point of view of what to expect, and I think that will be helpful."

NIC also landed 6-foot guard Shelby Cloninger of Kamiah, who played in 18 games - starting five - for Utah State as a freshman.

"We'd heard she left the program and had recruited her out of high school," Carlson said. "She just wanted to be closer to home."

Cloninger, who averaged four points in 10 minutes of playing time per game at Utah State, graduated from Kamiah High.

"She's a big, strong kid with some good speed and guard skills," Carlson said. "She plays very hard, and is very similar to Kama (Griffitts) shooting wise. She's definitely capable of scoring."

Freshmen Maci Benedict (5-7, guard) of Lebanon, Ore., Samara Hill (5-8 guard) from Australia, Monica Landdeck (5-8, guard) of Brewster (Wash.) High and Grace Varcoe (6-1, forward) of Australia, will also see time for NIC.

"Maci's a good, strong player that is aggressive and quick," Carlson said. "Samara is a good scoring guard out of Australia and just knows how to get open. Monica scored 22 points a game, defends, is quick, and just a really good guard for us. We've got a lot of strength and size, with some good speed and depth."

NIC opens the home schedule next Saturday, hosting a group of North Idaho All-Stars at Rolly Williams Court, and opens conference play at Southern Idaho on Dec. 13.

NIC is ranked 18th in the NJCAA preseason poll.