It’s a new year with a new coach and a new era for the Youngsville Lady Eagles basketball program.

Morgan Haibach takes over as head coach for the Eagles who enter 2023-24 looking to improve on both a 1-9 conference record and 2-15 overall record from a season ago.

The Lady Eagles will compete in Region 2 alongside Maplewood, Saegertown, Cambridge Springs, Union City, Cochranton and Rocky Grove.

“Our long-term goal is to make progress with our help and team defense, but our short-term goal is to build trust in each other,” said Haibach. “The girls work on their individual skills each day in practice, but as a team I believe we all have the same goal which is to trust our teammates and build chemistry through basketball. Once we have trust, we build defense and defense wins games.”

Youngsville will have to build chemistry quickly this season especially after losing Olivia Darling, Madison VanGuilder and Shea Walton to graduation last spring. To make up for those losses, Haibach will have to rely on a senior class that includes Lynzee Higley, Charleigh Archuleta, Marissa VanGuilder, Molly Helman and Zaylee Cressley.

“Our senior leaders will need to step up and be vocal leaders that are more aggressive on the floor,” said Haibach. “We lost dependable scoring from Olivia, ball handling and toughness from Madison, and rebounding from Shea.”

While there are no juniors on the roster, the team does include six sophomores and two freshmen, including last season’s leading scorer in sophomore Riley Robinault. Other 10th-grade players include Macenzie Jenkins, Maiah Konen-Smith, Kahlynne May, Natalie Ross and Rian Cressley. The team’s two first-year players are Kaylee Bevevino and Samantha Geer.

“We will be most successful this season if we are consistent and can be adaptive as the season moves forward,” said Haibach. “Progress is success and it will be the key to us having a competitive team this year. The girls have been putting in the time and working hard every single practice. I truly believe that if we keep putting in the effort and building each other up, we are capable of anything.”

Youngsville opens its season today when it faces A.C. Valley at the West Forest Tip-Off Tournament at 3:30 p.m.

Below is the schedule for the upcoming Lady Eagles basketball season. Home games are in CAPS and region matchups are marked with an asterisk*

Friday, Dec. 1 vs. AC Valley (at West Forest Tournament), 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 2 vs. TBD (at West Forest Tournament), TBD

Tuesday, Dec. 5 vs. COMMODORE PERRY, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 7 vs. IROQUOIS, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 14 vs. MAPLEWOOD*, 6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 15 at Kane, 6:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 18 at Saegertown*, 6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 22 at Jamestown(PA), 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 28 vs. TBD (at Iroquois Tournament), TBD

Friday, Dec. 29 vs. TBD (at Iroquois Tournament), TBD

Monday, Jan. 8 at Cambridge Springs*, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 11 at Union City*, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 18 vs. ROCKY GROVE*, 6 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 22 vs. COCHRANTON*, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 25 at Maplewood*, 6 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 29 vs. SAEGERTOWN*, 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 2 vs. FOREST AREA, 6 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 5 vs. CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS*, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 8 vs. UNION CITY*, 6 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 12 at Rocky Grove*, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 15 at Cochranton*, 6 p.m.