The Pitt women's basketball team will open today against North Florida and for the first time in five seasons, the Panthers won't have Xenia Stewart or Shavonte Zellous in the lineup because the two have graduated after long, stellar careers.

That means the Panthers are searching for an identity as well as some leadership and that has Pitt coach Agnus Berenato as excited about this group as any she has had in her six seasons at the school.

"I think it is great what those two accomplished and those two kids were a very big part of what we have built here," Berenato said. "But to me, it is exciting to see the next step for us, to see who develops into our program-building kids now, to see who steps up as our leaders and to see how this group comes together and keeps this going."

The Panthers, who are ranked No. 22 in the preseason coaches poll and received votes in The Associated Press poll, have nine returning players, but only five were in the regular rotation for most of last season.

And Pitt will start the season with only one returning starter -- junior forward Shayla Scott. Junior guard Taneisha Harrison and junior forward Chelsea Cole were key reserves last season and have moved into the starting lineup. Redshirt juniors Selena Nwude and Jania Sims are coming off injury plagued seasons and will start at center and point guard.

"Like I said, I think we are a work in progress but the pieces are there," Berenato said. "Jania has worked hard to come back from her knee injury. Selena started her comeback at the end of last season, but we have the three juniors [Harrison, Scott, Cole] back and now it is their turn to step in. I think we have a lot of players who are capable, it is just a matter of who steps up and embraces this opportunity."

Pitt's primary players off the bench will again be sophomores Pepper Wilson, Sarah Ogoke and Kate Popovec and senior Sophronia Sallard. The Panthers also hope to get a scoring boost from Florida transfer Brittaney Thomas.

Today's game is at 11 a.m. because it is "school day" and about 2,100 youths from area schools are expected to attend as part of a field trip. There will be several programs planned around the event and most, according to Berenato, will be educationally based.

Pitt has been to the NCAA tournament three years in a row and has advanced to the Sweet 16 the past two seasons. Berenato believes this group can accomplish even more.

"Our goals haven't changed," Berenato said. "We're building a great program here."

NOTES -- Berenato signed three recruits in the early signing period: Kyra Dunn, a 6-3 forward from Sacramento High School in Sacramento, Calif., who averaged 9 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks per game last season and chose Pitt over Gonzaga, Washington and Northwestern; Marquel Davis, a 5-foot-8 guard from Stafford High School in Fredericksburg, Va., who averaged 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals per game and chose Pitt over Michigan State, Temple, Memphis and South Florida; and Asia Logan, a 6-foot guard from Digital Harbor High School in Baltimore, Md., who averaged 19 points and 16 rebounds per game last season and chose Pitt over Clemson, Xavier, Villanova, Virginia Tech and Washington. ... Freshman Ashley Anderson (hand) will miss the first month of the season.

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