Even the spectators can feel the excitement and energy flowing through Hamilton gymnasium as the women’s basketball team, under the new leadership of the head coach Erik Johnson and his staff, begin preparing for a brand new start.

“Everything is fresh and new for us right now,” said senior Nnenna Akotaobi.

Johnson, the program’s eighth coach, was named the new head coach on April 30th following the departure of former head coach Pam Tanner.

“It was a difficult period,” Akotaobi. “It happened so suddenly, it was time for our program to have a change, and after the initial shock we were all welcome to having a new beginning.”

Denver also welcomes four new freshman, 11 returnees and an entire new staff.

“It’s definitely shaping the team and the program,” Akotaobi said of the change in staff. “Giving the program a good foundation and setting the bars so they know what Denver basketball is all about.”

Last year, Denver finished the season 11-19 overall and is looking to rebuild the program.

“They want it,” Johnson said on the Sun Belt Conference Championship. “Hopefully that (wanting it) will define our team. I can’t ask for a whole lot more as a coach.”

With an entire new staff and many new key players, the Pioneers are unsure of their talent level going into their opening homestand, Johnson said.

“We’re going to open up with three games at home against quality opponents: Wyoming, UC Davis and Nebraska,” Johnson said. “All three games are at home, which is good news, but all three teams have accomplished more than we have over the last year.

“We’re going to need to step up to beat them. I think right off the bat we’re going to find out a lot about ourselves, and what we can do. There’s not a game on the schedule that we can’t win and there’s also not a game on the schedule that we can’t lose. 0-29 and 29-0 are all into play right now.”

The Pioneer women open their season on Nov. 14 against Wyoming in Magness Arena at 7 p.m.