The freshmen will be an integral part of the Crimson attack, especially in light of some tough breaks for upperclassmen. Harvard recruited a class of tall, aggressive rookies who will figure heavily into the rotation.
Delaney-Smith will stick to the traditional man-to-man defense, occasionally reverting to an aggressive zone. It will also capitalize on its size by using its triangle offense, which relies on quick passes and decision-making. To keep players fresh, Delaney-Smith will rotate often and get the most of her players' quality minutes.
Traveling all the way to Texas, the farthest road trip the Crimson is scheduled to make this year, to start the season against some strong opponents may not appear to be in the best interest of a young team. But Delaney-Smith thinks the exact opposite.
"I think it's great to start out in Texas instead of going there in, say, midseason," she said. "We're capable of winning. We need to get some energy in our defense."