Can Charlisse Leger-Walker do even more this year for Washington State? It hardly seems possible. In the last two seasons, no one in the Pac-12 Conference has scored more points or made more of an impact than the junior guard from New Zealand.

Last March, Eastern Washington was one tip-in basket from advancing into the Big Sky Tournament semifinals.

The Eagles return all five starters and several key reserves. Coach Joddie Gleason also added Arizona State grad transfer Jamie Loera of Moses Lake, the younger sister of former Gonzaga star Jessie Loera.

Idaho’s moderate but encouraging resurgence last season died on the rim at the conclusion of the Vandals’ Big Sky Conference Tournament first-round men’s basketball game against Sacramento State.

The Idaho women expect to have a little more gas in the tank this season – good thing, because there’s a long road ahead.

After playing through an uncertain 2020-21 season that ultimately had no postseason for any Division III teams to build toward, appearing in the NCAA Tournament last year was a great accomplishment for the Whitworth men’s basketball program, even with the first-round exit. This season, though, the Pirates want to take the next step.

With 30 years of combined coaching experience at their respective schools, North Idaho College’s Corey Symons and Community Colleges of Spokane’s Jeremy Groth know a thing or two about building competitive rosters at the junior college level.

Three local women’s basketball teams – Whitworth, Community Colleges of Spokane and North Idaho College – enter the 2022-23 season with new faces on the sideline.

The WCC will have its own issues when BYU departs for the Big 12 next season: odd-team travel logistics and scheduling strength. So while this is goodbye, it's also an open audition for what program from the league's middle tier might be ready to step up in stature.