BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University women's basketball team will open practice for the 2015-16 season Monday afternoon in the Pete Hanna Center.
 
The Bulldogs will practice at 3 p.m. Monday afternoon. Samford head coach Mike Morris said the team has worked hard on conditioning and skill workouts during the preseason, and the Bulldogs are excited to start practice.
 
"We've had a very productive preseason," Morris said. "(Strength and Conditioning) Coach (Jonathan) Farris has done a great job with our team. Our skill workouts have been solid. I really like the work ethic and efficiency of our team as far as getting things done that they needed to do. I think we are ready, physically and mentally to start practice."
 
Samford returns all five starters, and all but one reserve from last year's team. Morris said he thinks the experience returning from last year's squad will be beneficial to the team as it prepares for the upcoming season.
 
"We're looking forward to having that leadership," Morris said. "We should be able to really flow into practice pretty quickly with our two freshmen. I think we can catch them up pretty quickly as well. I'm really looking forward to having more of a competitive situation in practice, because we have a veteran team that knows what to do. We will have more competition than we've ever had at each spot."
 
Samford returns starters Taylor Reece (10.6 ppg., 2.9 rpg.), Krista Stricklin (7.7 ppg., 4.7 rpg.), Hannah Nichols (14.1 ppg., 3.8 rpg.), Brittany Stevens (6.0 ppg., 2.2 rpg.) and Destiney Elliott (9.0 ppg., 5.8 rpg.) from last year's team.
 
Also returning are reserves Lydia McGee (6.6 ppg., 3.8 rpg.), Ellen Riggins (3.3 ppg., 3.1 rpg.), Amara Mayers (2.5 ppg., 2.3 rpg.) and Keke Fletcher (1.2 ppg., 0.5 rpg.). Kassidy Blevins, who missed most of the season with a knee injury also returns to the squad this season.
 
New to the team this season are Olivia Crozier (F, 6-1, Madison, Ind.) and Cassidy Williams (G, 5-8, Peachtree City, Ga.).
 
Samford will first be in action on Nov. 9, when the Bulldogs host Birmingham-Southern in an exhibition game at 6 p.m. in the Pete Hanna Center. The Bulldogs open the regular season with a game at Mississippi State Nov. 13, at 5:15 p.m.