"We were a small town, and a big basketball town, so when we won we became a big attraction," Monti said.

In her senior year, she attended the Women's Basketball Coaches Association summer camp, where a slew of college scouts saw her talents. In choosing among the programs that recruited her, the academic strength of the college was her top priority. Harvard fit the bill.

The biggest adjustment for a high school athlete continuing her athletic career in college is the intensity."Practices are very intense, and they don't call so many fouls, so you really get pushed around and are forced to play physical," Ryba said.

And not only are the practices intense, but the expectations are high, especially for a team looking to return to the NCAA Tournament after last year's historic win over Stanford in the first round.

"We are constantly reminded of the Stanford win and the Tournament, but it's a positive pressure because it makes you more competitive," Gates said.

"Both of our captains [Suzie Miller and Sarah Russell] motivate and challenge us in the weight room and on the court to be louder, to be more intense, and to work harder," she added.

Because the freshmen have already had a great deal of exposure, they quickly embraced the team and feel very comfortable with the dynamic established by the captains.

"We're a young team, and the captains really don't try to put us in our place; we really feel like we can make an important contribution each and every game," Monti said