There’s a legacy of excellence when it comes to girls’ basketball at Winfield-Mount Union, and a new pack of Wolves will try to live up to that standard in the follow-up to the program’s first trip to the state tournament since 1998, a season where WMU started 19-0 and won back-to-back Southeast Iowa Super Conference North championships.

In her second season, head coach Mendy McCreight will need to replace all five starters, including all-state forwards Bradie Buffington and Melina Oepping and all-conference guards Keetyn Townsley and Keely Malone.

Junior Josie Nelson was the first player off the bench for the Wolves last season and will be back after averaging better than three-and-a-half points and three rebounds per game. Senior Mariana Piper and sophomore Madisen Kellogg will be taking on bigger roles for Winfield-Mount Union, which starts the new season Friday by traveling to face New London.