Big Five women's basketball: Quick look

Despite the loss of two key players, coach Denise Dillon has fewer questions about her team's prospects than any of her counterparts in the Big Five.

That's a result of a landmark run that ended with the Dragons earning their first regular-season and postseason conference titles in the Colonial Athletic Association and first berth in the NCAA tournament.

Senior forward Gabriela Marginean, the reigning CAA player of the year, is the main reason behind the success, which included a best-ever 24-9 overall record. The native of Romania is considered a strong prospect to be drafted into the WNBA next spring.

Marginean, who averaged 19.7 points per game last season, has a career total of 1,854 points and should quickly top the Drexel mark of 1,900 set by Michelle Maslowski (1998-2002).

"People ask how she could develop her game more," said Dillon, a former Villanova star. "Whatever age you are, you certainly can develop your game. You may not get quicker, you may not get stronger, but just your experience and understanding can take you to another level.

"Gabby's understanding has grown a great deal. If she continues to grow in that aspect, we'll be in good shape."

The Dragons are the CAA coaches' pick to repeat as conference champions, especially after ending Old Dominion's dominant 17-year rule of the postseason tournament.

But a new threat exists just to the south in longtime rival Delaware's addition of redshirt freshman Elena Delle Donne, the former national high school player of the year out of Wilmington's Ursuline Academy.

In 2008, Delle Donne at the last minute returned her scholarship from eventual unbeaten NCAA champion Connecticut and took up volleyball last fall with the Blue Hens.

But in the spring, she decided to return to basketball, and she seems to have quickly shaken off the rust. On Sunday, she scored 50 points in a scrimmage against St. Joseph's.

"And it's not like her shots were uncontested," Hawks coach Cindy Griffin said.

At Drexel, Dillon's biggest concern is replacing point guard Andrea Peterson and defensive specialist and Honda Award winner Nicole Hester.

"Their numbers may have not shown what they did, but if you understand the intangibles, you know how important they were to this program," Dillon explained.

"Melissa Crane will be up for the challenge to lead this team as a sophomore."

Drexel also returns Belgium's Jasmina Rosseel, a three-point ace.

The Dragons will get a quick indication of their worth Friday night when Penn State visits for the opener in a game in which Drexel might be the favorite.

And that's a first, also.