For Bill Fennelly, every year it seems to happen.

The ISU women’s basketball head coach watches prolific seniors leave his program. Seniors who helped build the program from cellar dweller to Big 12 and even national powerhouse.

“I think we are getting kids in the program that keep getting better after they get here,” Fennelly said. “We want to have a good program, not just one good team.”

Last year it was point guard Stacy Frese. This year it is Iowa State’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder Megan Taylor and starting guard Erica Haugen.

But the expectations are still there for Iowa State, tabbed anywhere from No. 8 to No. 2 in the nation by preseason polls.

Of course, if the media is right, Iowa State will finish third . in the Big 12.

So does this mean the Big 12 is the best women’s basketball conference?

“When you talk about a league that’s only in its sixth year of existence, we might be,” Fennelly said.

Why?

“You got great individual players. You got Hall of Fame coaches; the league has the most attendance in the country,” Fennelly explained.

Also there are Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Baylor and Colorado, who along with Iowa State, are ranked among the nation’s elite.

“Our league is gonna be brutal,” Fennelly said.

About being picked to finish third in the conference, Fennelly said he thinks the predictions are “pretty accurate.”

The two teams picked to be above Iowa State are Oklahoma, last year’s conference champ, and Texas Tech.

One advantage Iowa State has, both those team’s come to Ames and the Cyclones are a combined 5-1 against those two teams over the last two seasons.

One disadvantage – they both come during the same week, Jan. 15 and 19 – the fifth and sixth games for Iowa State in Big 12 play.

“Great schedule, huh,” Fennelly said, laughing.

But to help Iowa State along the way will be a core of seasoned veterans, and a handful of youthful contributors.

Preseason All-American Angie Welle returns for her senior season at center. Other returning starters include senior Tracy Gahan and junior Lindsey Wilson.

Welle averaged 18.3 points per game last year and 10 rebounds, earning All-America nstatus. Gahan averaged 7.5 boards per game while Wilson was the team’s second-leading scorer with 14.6 points.

Taking Taylor’s spot in the starting lineup will be sophomore transfer from St. Ambrose Mary Cofield. Taking Haugen’s guard position will be sophomore Erica Junod.

Senior Kelly Cizek and junior Holly Bordewyk will likely see more action, and the Cyclones have a host of freshmen willing to help out.

One of the Cyclones problems last season was continuing to play well with Welle out of the game. Fennelly upgraded his roster with junior college transfer Melanie Bremer, a 6-foot-1-inch forward from Norfolk, Neb.

Bremer was an All-American there, averaging 24.7 points and 9.1 rebounds last year as a sophomore.

“We’re trying to build on last year,” Wilson said. “We’ve got a different team, a lot of new people, but our focus is to not just do what we did last year.”

Last year the Cyclones made a third straight NCAA Sweet Sixteen, only to lose to Vanderbilt, 84-65, and finished 12th in the rankings.

“I think we thrive off that for more success,” Junod said. “Once you have the taste of success, you keep yearning for more of it.”