Heading into the new season, the top question on the mind of every Harvard women's basketball fan is this: Who can possibly replace Erin Maher '93 and Debbie Flandermeyer '93, arguably the finest players ever on the Crimson roster?

Here's your answer: Try the entire 1993-94 squad, with special help from two rising stars.

"We're a completely different team from last year," senior co-captain Catherine Crisera said. "We're faster, and we're much more even across the board."

"You can't lose two players like Debbie and Erin without making a lot of changes," senior co-captain Katie Phillips said.

The duo plainly made its mark at Harvard. Together, Maher and Flandermeyer set or matched 22 school records and finished as the school's two all-time leading scorers.

But with the graduation of this powerful tandem goes the departure of an extremely structured, play-oriented offense.

Now the program is looking forward to running a faster-paced, "run-and-gun" offense and a more aggressive defense.

"This is the fastest, quickest, most athletic team I have ever coached at Harvard," said Head Coach Kathy Delaney Smith.

"We're going to run, and we're going to press 40 minutes a game," said Frey. "It's my favorite kind of basketball."

Along with the Crimson's newfound speed comes a newfound depth that opens up the team's options.

"We're looking for everyone to fill the shoes of Debbie and Erin," Frey said.

Junior forward Tammy Butler and sophomore Elizabeth "Buzz" Proudfit, however, will likely play the two biggest roles in the transition.

Butler, the only sophomore to earn First Team Ivy League honors in 1993, was a dominant force in the league last season.

The 6'1" forward ended with 11.4 rebounds per game and a 16.1 point average, and set a Harvard record with 285 boards for the season.

"Tammy runs the floor better than any forward I've seen at any school," Delaney Smith said. "She's worked hard on putting on weight and building body strength while maintaining remarkable speed and quickness."