When a coach chooses her captains, sophomores usually do not figure into the decision process. With only a year of experience, a sophomore player most likely will still have some growing to do before they can take on a leadership role.

However, this season the Penn State women's basketball team finds itself in a situation that lends itself to having a young captain.

The Lady Lions come into this season with a core of talented players and high expectations. A major portion of those expectations will rest on the shoulders of the large freshman and sophomore classes.

After graduating three seniors last season, the Lions find themselves with only three seniors on their squad this season. One of those seniors, forward Katie Schumacher, will not join the team until her volleyball season ends.

If you are wondering who will step up and show some leadership along with the seniors, look no further than the sophomore class. Five sophomores are on the team this year and many of them are capable of stepping in and showing the younger players how to play Division I basketball.

"I see myself having a big role this year because of being one of the veteran post players, if you can call me a veteran," sophomore Courtney Upshaw said. "I'm going to be depended on a lot for scoring inside, rebounding and also helping the younger post players develop."

Upshaw was one player who, as a freshman last season, showed that she could impact the team. The job this year's sophomore class did last season and what it has done this year in practice has shown head coach Rene Portland that she can call on one of them as a captain this season.

"There will probably be a sophomore co-captain on this team and that person will continue on forever," Portland said.

Of all the sophomores on this team it seams as though Kelly Mazzante may be the most likely candidate to be a captain. Mazzante was a huge part of Penn State's run to the NCAA Tournament last season. She was the first freshman in Big Ten history to lead the conference in scoring, setting the Penn State record for points by a freshman in the process.

Her play makes her a great candidate for captain, but it is her innate leadership that really sets her apart from other players.

"Kelly is just a leader naturally," freshman guard Jess Strom said. "If you look at what she did last year, it definitely gives you hope as a freshman."

Strom will be one of five freshmen that will look to Mazzante and the other older players for leadership. The coaching staff has worked with Mazzante to help her with the transition from fresh face to veteran leader.

Portland said that they have spent that time with her because with the lack of juniors on the team they will need Mazzante to continue to lead the team in the years to come. Mazzante says that the transition will be the biggest difference for her between this season and last.

However, the advice Mazzante has given to the freshmen so far this season shows that she may already be prepared to take over as a captain.

"They have to understand that we are all here for each other and that we are going to make it as a team," Mazzante said. "We have to trust each other. I think that was a big thing last year. I think that there were times when we sometimes didn't really trust each other. I think if we can trust that and our coaches, we will be much better off this year."

It will be the leadership of Mazzante and the rest of the sophomores that could make that a reality.