GARWIN – The GMG girls’ basketball team returns six players with considerable starting experience for first-year head coaches Melisa Dieleman and Tammy Woodbury as the Wolverines look to climb the charts in the Iowa Star Conference’s South Division.

GMG finished fifth in its division a year ago with a 2-12 conference record, and the Wolverines went 5-18 overall with a roster that included only one senior.

The rest of the roster is back along with competitive newcomers who hope to make an instant impact.

Sophomore Skyler Murty was an honorable mention all-conference selection last winter after averaging 7.7 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. Makayla Pendleton put up 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and is another of the Wolverines’ many experienced returners.

Seniors Macie Sanders, Rhianna Murty and Brooklyn Jones all started at least half of the team’s games last year, along with sophomore Skyler Murty. Riah Boege made eight starts as a freshman, and Arianna Pierce picked up two starts while contributing 3.6 points and 4.2 rebounds off the bench for the Wolverines.

Reinforcements have arrived, too, in the form of a competitive freshman class that includes seven newcomers: Grace Mathern, Taelyn Sash, Addi Elmore, Piper Jones, Tatum Jones, Natalie Upah and Joleesa Vazquez.

GMG has targeted a better record both overall and in conference play as achievable goals for this season, pinpointing aggressive defensive play, better free-throw shooting and fewer turnovers as the steps to making that climb.

The Wolverines shot 49.6 percent (116-of-234) from the free-throw line last season. They ranked 92nd out of 109 Class 1A teams in scoring an average of 30.5 points per game.

“We need to become better scorers by showing up at practice everyday,” said Woodbury. “We have a very competitive group vying for positions. The girls are competitive and willing to learn.”