VCU and Richmond women's basketball have new head coaches. Here is their vision for year one.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Two programs, two new coaches and one season that could redefine the Capital City Rivalry.

"We have goals," stated VCU Head Coach Chelsea Banbury. "We have expectations and standards. We're constantly working on those."

"I think that aligns with the whole mentality of just reload, rather than a rebuild," said Richmond Head Coach Alisa Kresge.

VCU names Chelsea Banbury their new Head Coach in March after a seven-year run at High Point, where she led them to three NCAA Tournament appearances.

"It's a good situation," Coach Banbury mentioned. "You're coming in and it's a really good league and they're motivated for our program to win, and they're willing to put the support behind it"

After an 8-23 campaign last season, Coach Banbury inherits a program that's eager to turn the page and restore the standard VCU fans have come to expect.

"It takes what, 21 days to break a habit, so it has to be a constant, it's constant from from me, from my staff, and we're just, we're on them every day," stated Coach Banbury.

"I'm just looking to do, do what we did last year at High Point again. I want to win another championship," Macy Spencer expressed. "I want to win, you know, a couple, couple little things here and there, if I can. And I'm, we're striving towards that."

From offseason workouts to summer practices, the focus has been on establishing a new culture and building confidence after a challenging year.

"I want players that want to be good," said Coach Banbury. "I want players that want to execute, and they want to play hard. And if you don't want to do it, I think somebody else will."

"We need to talk more,communicate." Spencer commented. "That's really the focus right now. Play with good pace, good energy every time we're on the floor, like no matter what."

For some players, the transition has meant learning a new system and adapting to a new voice. For Macy Spencer, this off-season is a chance for continued growth with her game and becoming more of a leader.

"Coming here with Coach, I'm the only one playing right now that knows her offense, so I need to be able to speak up," Spencer remarked. "Talk to my teammates and really just let's my senior year,like I'm trying to do my best."

I love seeing her grow in that aspect and mature and take on the role of leadership, knowing what I want and how I want to play," Coach Banbury expressed.

The goal is simple...turn the lessons from last season into progress this year.

"The girls want to make the change," Coach Banbury commented. "They've showed up and have energy. Some days have have definitely been harder than others."

"I cannot wait," Spencer responded. "Scrimmage game, whatever it is, I cannot wait. I'm so excited."

While VCU looks to climb back into contention within the A-10, across town, another program has a very different challenge.

At Richmond, success isn't something they're chasing.
"The returners are so hungry to be successful and dive in to how we want to do it as this group," said Richmond Head Coach Alisa Kresge.

"We're a young group, we're a new group but we're a hungry group and I think that's going to surprise some people," stated Richmond senior guard Ally Sweeney. "

It's something they're trying to maintain.

"Coming in together, you have people who know what it takes to win at the A-10 level, and you have people who are willing to do everything to find out what it takes to win," Sweeney expressed.

"It's about the whole picture," Coach Kresge said. "We have really skilled players but their hungry to be really good and I think that moves the needle more than anything.

Richmond is coming off their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance, a run that has established the Spiders among the premier programs in Women's Mid Major Basketball.

But with success comes change. In April, Alisa Kresge was selected as the Spiders new Head Coach after eight seasons at Vermont, including three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Now, she steps into one of the Atlantic 10's most coveted jobs.

"That was the big decision," Coach Kresge explained. "Is do you leave something special only for something special? And I felt like that was here."

The expectations haven't changed with the new hire. Compete for conference championships, play in the NCAA Tournament and continue a winning tradition that's become the norm.

"I think there's pressure to that," expressed Coach Kresge. " but I always put I've always put self pressure on myself because I've always wanted to be the best version I can be for everybody around me."

"We still the same standards, if not higher standards." mentioned Sweeney.

During this transition, the word rebuild hasn't been said once by a player or coach.

"Here we're labeling it as focused on what we can control." Coach Kresge said.

Their focus is on reloading.

""I think that aligns with the whole mentality of just reload, rather than a rebuild," said Richmond Head Coach Alisa Kresge. "We have a lot of talent."

Learning a new system while protecting the culture that produced one of the most successful runs in program history.

"Coach Cress has put together an amazing staff," Sweeney explained. "They're very available to us and accommodating when we want to work out this time, or watch film and learn at another time, like they're really doing all they can and giving us their everything."

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