INDIANAPOLIS - With the basketball regular-season tipping off for most of the G-MAC this past weekend, it is time to take a look at what to expect out of the conferences inaugural season.

With Cedarville entering their first active season as a Division II member, Ursuline College working through its provisional year, Trevecca in year two of the process, and Urbana and Central as the most established NCAA DII members, not much is known about how the conference will shape out in the standings, but so far the G-MAC is showing the region that it better be aware of the new conference on the block.

Cedarville University

After the opening weekend, Cedarville University has shown it will be a contender for the top spot in the G-MAC. In the Lady Jackets first ever women’s basketball game as an active NCAA Division II institution, they upset nationally ranked (#24) Ferris State and later claimed the Bellarmine Classic Tournament title in the opening weekend.

Guided by NCCAA All-American First Teamer and recent Bellarmine Classic Tournament MVP, Kayla Jenerette, the Lady Jackets should continue to be among the top teams in the conference, region, and even nation. Jenerette led the team in scoring (16.2 ppg) and was the OIC Player of the Year. Cedarville also returns its second-leading scorer in Deborah Gordon (10.3 ppg), while she also pulled down a team-high 6.1 rebounds a game. Raegan Ryan will balance out the scoring, coming off a 9.6 ppg season, shooting 42% from long range.

As a member of the NAIA, CU has totaled an overall record of 293-76 under current head coach Kirk Martin. Under Martin’s leadership, the team has won 30 or more games three times, 25 or more games six times, 20 or more games 10 times in his 11 seasons at Cedarville. In 2011-12 the Lady Jackets went 24-8, winning the Ohio Independent Championship Tournament and were the NCCAA National Runner-up.

Martin commented in the Cedarville season preview:“We have no seniors and return a group of experienced players plus a quality freshman class. Our practices have been competitive and we are ready for our first full DII season.”

Central State University

The most experienced of the G-MAC schools at the NCAA Division II level, the Marauders are looking to make a big step forward under Sheba Harris. Harris, who enters her fourth season is excited about the growth of her seniors that have been with her since day one and the mix of new talent she has brought in.

“I’m excited about this upcoming season because of the players who were freshman when I first started and are now seniors,” said Harris. “This year’s team can be one of the strongest teams in the G-MAC, and this team has the ability and common goal to win."

CSU will welcome back junior leader Iniguia Snell, who will be joined by freshman Veronne Clark (Oklahoma), Jasmine Campbell (Michigan), and Trinesha Cornell (Illinois), who bring an out-of-state look to the program.

In 2011-12, the Lady Marauders went 15-12, led by Snell who scored 14.5 points per game, dished out 56 assists, while totaling 46 steals and 13 blocks. She has a season-high 25 points twice, and scored 20 or more points eight times. Tanija Beasley will contribute in the paint as the top returning rebounder (7.74 rpg) to go with 9.8 ppg.

Trevecca Nazarene University

Trevecca Nazarene, currently in year two of the membership process of making the move from the NAIA to the NCAA Division II level is looking to grow and improve, while competing as a member of the G-MAC. Coming off a 10-18 season, TNU isn’t expecting to take the title, but at the same time isn’t expecting to be overlooked come Championship Tournament time.

The Trojans will utilize a deep bench, but will be led by Anna Mitchell and Rachel Raby. Mitchell led the team in scoring with 13 points per game, including 27 made three-pointers. Raby, who scored 11.9 points per game last season, grabbed a team-high 9.3 rebounds a game, over 80 total rebounds more than any of her teammates.

Kayla Bilas will also be expected to continue to make a big impact off the bench. In 2011-12 she played in 16 games, scoring 9.6 points and grabbing 5.3 rebounds per game - all off the bench.

The Trojans will have its troubles this season with an improved schedule in regards to NCAA Division II strength, but the veteran leadership on the team - four seniors and two juniors - should guide the future of this program. The team features six freshman and five sophomores that will be the senior and junior leaders when the team becomes an active NCAA Division II member in a couple years.

Urbana University

The Blue Knights will look to continue a late-season charge and utilize their experience as they head into 2012-13 season. The team will return their top eight scorers and all five starters. The team, which won 12 games after the mid-season arrival of current head coach Maria Marchesano, who was named the DII Independent Coach of the Year.

The returners made up 96% of the scoring and rebounding last season, and will continue to be guided by the youth on the roster. This years team features two seniors and a roster filled with juniors and sophomores.

Veteran center Andrea Vogel will be looked upon to be the defensive enforcer, as she finished second in the country last year in blocked shots, swatting a school-record 102 opponents’ shots. The 6-2 center and four-year starter returns to patrol the paint this season after averaging 11 points, eight rebounds and nearly four blocked shots per game. Vogel is just 168 points shy of becoming Urbana’s 11th career 1,000 point scorer.

Senior forward Jessica Saffold, will help Vogel in the paint, as she averaged 9.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Sophomore Kate Francisco, a Division I transfer who sat out last season, should make an impact off the bench for the Blue Knights.

The backcourt is stacked, led by sophomore Ciara Geiger, who led the Blue Knights in scoring last season. She started all 29 games as a true freshman, was the D-II Independent Freshman of the Year, and poured in over 15 points per game while shooting 45% from the field, and knocking down a team-best 42 threes. Together, Marchesano’s Blue Knights figure to contend for a conference title in her first full season at the helm.

Ursuline College

The Arrows are in the midst of a exciting change, welcoming first-time head coach Shannon Sword to Ursuline. Sword, who was the assistant coach of the 2011-12 National Championship Runner-Up Ashland University, will look to improve upon a UC program that has not finished at or above .500 since 2008-09 when the team went 14-14.

Can Ursuline turn it around in just one season? Though unlikely against some of the veteran rosters that have shown recent success in the G-MAC, it is not out of the question with ICAA Player of the Year and All-OIC second team selection Katie Cappello, and 1,000 point club scorer Laura Campbell on the floor. Cappello led the team in scoring with 15.7 ppg and shot over 50% from the field as a high-energy, slashing guard, who also pulled down a team-high 173 rebounds.

Campbell, a spot up shooter, was second in scoring with 14.1 ppg. She led the team in scoring from the free-throw line (90-106 - 84.9%) and hit 46 three-pointers, second to Brooke Trauthwein’s 62. For Trauthwein, she made 62 three-pointers and only 21 shots from inside the arc.

As the program changes from the top, the newcomers will be looked upon to make immediate impacts. Freshman Andrea Hubbard and Autumn Jones will both see significant time after successful high school careers.

Just improving the win total from last season (six), will not be enough for Coach Sword to view the season as a success. The team will need to improve game-to-game, and continue to grow as a group. Though individually, Brianna Woods recorded a team-record 133 assists in her freshman year and ranks eighth in the program for career assists already, and Cappello looks to match her breakout season and could become the fifth player in school history to break the 1,000 point mark.

Based on their 2011-12 records, and even taking into account their head-to-head meetings - Cedarville should enter as the G-MAC favorite. Here is a list of the G-MAC schools and their records against G-MAC schools over the last two seasons:

Cedarville - 10-2
Central State - 3-7
Trevecca Nazarene - 0-0
Urbana - 8-3
Ursuline - 0-8

2012-13 is a new year and a lot of teams have made changes in order to improve upon the past, so similar to creating a new conference, these programs are looking to create a new winning tradition for themselves.