McNeese State's Cowgirl basketball team is expected to display more explosive power on the court this season.  And, the reason has been the players themselves.

"They were the story," said McNeese assistant strength and conditioning coach Chris Smith.  "They took it on themselves to stay here this past summer and go through a rigid strength and conditioning program.

"You couldn't ask for better workers," he added.  "They all were very receptive to the program that we designed for them."

Cowgirl head coach Brooks Donald Williams said that she noticed a big change in the Cowgirls when they reported for practice.

"Zeb (Hawkins, head strength and conditioning coach) and Chris have done an outstanding job with the girls," she said.  "This is the best conditioned and strongest team that I've had here and in fact, I can say that it's better conditioned and stronger of any team I have been associated with in the past six or seven years.

"Last year we just gave out of gas in some of the late games.  That's not going to happen this season."

Smith, who is in his third season at McNeese, said that several of the girls came to the front in the strength work and he singled out Raiyawna Gatlin, Kiara Johnson and Kendra Wells.

Gatlin is a 5-6 sophomore guard from Shreveport, Johnson a 6-1 junior forward from Monroe and Wells a 5-11 sophomore forward from Port Allen.

All three saw considerable playing time last season and are battling for starting roles this year.

Gatlin has increased her strength to 145 pounds in the power clearn, 145 in the bench press and 315 in the squat.  Johnson now can power clean 185, bench 170 and squat with 290 and Wells power cleans 165, benches 140 and squats with 260.

They have also improved their  versatility with Gatlin going 23 inches in the standing vertical jump and six feet 10 inches in the standing long jump, Johnson 21 inches in the verticle and seven feet, three inches in the long and Wells 23 inches in the verticle and eight feet in the long.

"All of them (the players)  came in with a great attitude and they got stronger and in shape a lot quicker," Smith said. "The effort they gave both in the summer and in the off season program was excellent."

McNeese will host East Texas Baptist in an exhibition game Nov. 9 at Burton Coliseum and then open its regular season Nov. 14 at home against UNO.