An encore of last season’s performance for UK women’s basketball head coach Matthew Mitchell and his team won’t be an easy task, especially considering the element of the surprise is gone.
Last year, the Cats advanced to the Elite Eight, despite being picked to finish 11th in the 12-team Southeastern Conference in the preseason. With the reigning SEC Player of the Year, Victoria Dunlap, and SEC Freshman of the Year, A’dia Mathies, returning in addition to a top-five recruiting class, the Cats were selected to finish second in the SEC this year. 
Just like men’s basketball coach John Calipari last week, Mitchell was quick to not assume success will be a given based upon last season.
“Just because we’re wearing the same uniform doesn’t mean we’re a team (yet),” Mitchell said.
Mitchell added that though last year’s group were less athletic, it managed to achive so much success because of team unity and a commitment to his up-tempo style of play, particularly on defense.
The Cats play an exhibition match against Kentucky Wesleyan on Nov. 7, before beginning what Mitchell called the toughest non-conference schedule he’s had to face during his tenure at UK.
UK  will be without the services of starting senior point guard Amber Smith, who is rehabilitating from offseason knee surgery, to begin the season, however.