When Kathy McConnell-Miller took the job as the Colorado women's basketball head coach, she got together with her staff and went over the schedule with a red highlighter in her hand.

Her assistants noted that there were not any automatic wins to circle.

"I said, 'Yes there is. It's us. Colorado is the team everyone is circling,'" McConnell-Miller said during basketball media day on Thursday. "It's not that way right now."

Yet it's the same old story for the Buffs in the Big 12 preseason coaches poll, which was released this week and tabbed CU 11th, despite its run to the WNIT's final four last spring.

McConnell-Miller -- who is entering her fourth year at CU and said she has a contract extension on her desk to sign -- has a much different view of her team than her peers apparently do.

Instead of using attrition as an excuse -- the Buffs lost Jackie McFarland to graduation, Aija Putnina to her native Latvia and Whitney Houston to a knee injury -- she's circling the wagons with a new crop of potential stars.

"Without a doubt I am going to have my challenges this year with this particular group," McConnell-Miller said. "Just knowing that we've been very post-oriented for three years and now we are extremely guard-oriented."

If CU hopes to exceed expectations it's obvious that the promising backcourt of true freshman Alyssa Fressle and sophomore transfer Kelly Jo Mullaney will have to meet the great expectations their coach has for them.

Fressle led Highlands Ranch to three consecutive Class 5A state titles and is McConnell-Miller's most important recruit to date because other top prospects want to join her in Boulder. Per NCAA rules, the coaching staff can't discuss its 2009 class until the players sign letters of intent beginning Nov. 12, but it includes verbal commitments from three more highly touted in-state prospects in Sierra point guard Janeesa Jeffry and Boulder twin forwards Brenna and Meagan Malcolm-Peck.

When the new floor was being installed at the Coors Events Center over the summer, Fressle was getting restless waiting to get her shots up.

"She texted me and asked when her court was going to be put back down," McConnell-Miller said. "And she truly means that. She will wear the nets out and she will make it evident why she should be a starter or why she should play 35 minutes a game or why she should be a go-to player."

Mullaney sat out last season after leaving Colorado State for CU. She started 12 games for the Rams as a freshman and averaged a team-high 14.5 points per game, including 17 in a loss to the Buffs.

"I feel like I haven't played in a game forever," said Mullaney, who played point guard in high school and will likely return to that role while Houston sits out this season recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered during a recent practice. "Whitney is a huge part of our team, she still is, and it was a hard loss. But me and Alyssa and all of the other guards definitely need to step it up. We can do it."

Brittany Spears, a 6-1 guard, will have to play more in the post this season and rebound at a high level. Kara Richards, a 6-4 senior, is going to be counted on to step out of McFarland's shadow and emerge as a consistent player inside.

Julie Seabrook, a 6-3 freshman, will have to be a versatile scorer like Putnina was at times. Bianca Smith, Britney Blythe and Hannah Skildum add depth and/or some experience at guard.

And all of the above need to come together in order for Big 12 foes not to be circling the Buffs this season.

"It is a time in our program where these players step on the floor and their expectation is to win," McConnell-Miller said.

The Buffs host Regis for an exhibition game on Nov. 9 and open the season against Central Florida on Nov. 16 at the Coors Events Center.

"I just can't wait to get started," Fressle said.