Chazny Morris prepares for the season

For the UMKC women's basketball team, another season of basketball is quickly approaching. For Chazny Morris, it is her last basketball season.

"I'm really excited for this year because it's my senior year," Morris said. "I want to go out on top, but the team has to move one goal at a time."

Morris is the only senior on any of the UMKC basketball teams, men and women's.

She started playing basketball at an early age since her father played in high school and with the Air Force Academy team. One of her younger sisters also plays college basketball at Texas Tech.

Morris has high expectations for the season and even higher expectations for her career in the sport. She wants to eventually get into the WNBA. She realizes, however, to achieve that goal she must help lead her team to victory this season.

"I'm really working on being a leader," Morris said. "Leadership is a big thing and Coach and I talk about it a lot." "Our team needs leadership this season and I'm trying, as a senior, to help out with it."

Morris was recruited by UMKC as a freshman.

"Two friends of mine were playing basketball with me at Piedmont High School and an assistant coach from OU moved to UMKC and recruited me pretty hard," Morris said, smiling as she recounted the tale. "I had this choice between UMKC and University of Hawaii, but I felt that I would be too distracted at Hawaii so I came here."

The Roos are glad to have her too. During the 2008-2009 season, Morris was the leading scorer, averaging 17.5 points-per-game. She was also selected as the Preseason First Team all-League honoree and the League's Preseason Player of the Year.

"The team has gotten better over the years I've been here and everyone is stoked for this season and into it," Morris said. "All of our players want to work hard and get better."

There is a part of Morris that few get a chance to see because she is constantly working on her three-pointer, free throws and lay-ups. This part is that of an average college-aged woman who enjoys shopping and hanging out with her friends.

The native of Fairfield, Calif. also recently participated in the three-point shooting contest at The College Basketball Experience.

"It was a fun experience and the place was packed, it really got the adrenaline going," Morris said. "Even though I lost the three-point contest, I'm not going to slump over and let anyone beat me anymore like that."

Morris stressed her hopes about going to the NCAA tournament and winning, but maintained her realistic attitude and stressed the team's need to start the season off with wins and get into a rhythm.

"This conference is pretty crazy, everyone has the ability to beat everyone else," Morris said. "I just hope the Roos will go as far as the NCAA tournament, we definitely have the ability to."

jpfortmiller@unews.com