The GW women’s basketball team seeks to improve on an amazing performance last season with the help of newcomers. A solid group of first-year players look to add depth to the Colonial women and bring them closer to the NCAA Tournament.

Petra Dubovcova and Katarina Baskova both played for the Junior National Team in Slovakia. In July, their team won the bronze medal at the Junior Women’s Championship in Brazil. Dubovcova is a 6-3 forward/center, while Baskova is a 6-0 forward.

“Petra can run, she can shoot threes, she can post you up. Offensively she is going to be a weapon,” head coach Joe McKeown said. “Katarina is trying to make the adjustment to the style we play. She is one of the best pure shooters we have, and she plays a couple of positions too.”

Another international newcomer should have an immediate impact on the Colonial women. Elisa Aguilar, who is the starting point guard for the Spanish National Team, should get a good deal of playing time beside returning guards Chasity Myers and Marlo Egleston.

“Our international players have played a lot of basketball, so they have played more basketball than the normal freshman in the United States,” McKeown said.

Leslie Carlson, who hails from Newington, Conn. will serve as a backup center for the Colonial women.

“She is a center tying to adjust to college basketball,” McKeown said of the 6-4 freshman. “She needs the repetitions each day and the contact of a physical nature. She’ll be able to help us right away with her size.”

Carlson earned many honors and awards in high school. During her junior and senior years, she was named to the All-Conference Team. During her senior year, when she served as captain of the varsity team, she was given the NBA Sportsmanship Award and was named to the Blue Star Top 100.

“Last year’s team went to the Elite Eight. We have the potential to go as far, if not farther, this year. I want to be a part of what is going on,” Carlson said “The team all gets along great. Even though we are a very international team, we all get along.”

Another key newcomer is guard Corrin Reid, from Alexandria, Va. She graduated from T.C. Williams High School with many honors. In her senior year, she was named second team All-Metro and first team All-Region. Also, she tied for the number one position on the first team All-District Team.

“I want to stay healthy this season, and I want to help the team in any way that I can,” Reid said. “My team is my family away from home. They are a great bunch of girls.”

-Dustin Gouker contributed to this report.