FILE PHOTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA senior guard Dee-Dee Wheeler, a starter since her first year at UA when she was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, looks to lead the Wildcats to another Pac-10 title this season. Arizona tied with Stanford atop the conference, the first title in UA program history.

It's still two weeks until the season-opening Red/Blue Scrimmage, but members of the UA women's basketball team are already excited to get the 2004-05 season under way.

The Wildcats opened their season unofficially yesterday with the 2004 media day and the word of the day was excitement - and why wouldn't it be, after the team captured its first Pacific 10 Conference championship a year ago and return four of five starters to this year's team.

"I'm very excited," said junior guard Natalie Jones, who started all 33 games for Arizona a year ago. "There are a lot of people that are doubting us, and that's good because we want to prove them wrong. We have a lot of things to work on, but we're ready and we just want to get out there and play."

The doubters Jones is talking about are people who were disappointed by the Wildcats' first round exit in last year's NCAA Tournament.

Arizona lost to Michigan State 72-60 to close out the team's best season in school history. The Wildcats won 24 games and were a perfect 14-0 at McKale Center.

"I think now we are really establishing a great program and we're being consistent," said head coach Joan Bonvicini. "You always want to be better than the year before."

With the establishment of a top-notch program comes the luxury of attaining some of the nation's top recruits. Arizona adds four freshmen to this year's squad to go with the 11 returnees.

According to Bonvicini, freshmen guard Jessica Arnold and forward Chari Smith could contend for playing time. The 25-year veteran head coach said all the freshmen should contribute.

"We have a real good core group of players and have added four good freshmen. I think we'll get better support and production from our bench," she said.

After winning the Pac-10 title a year ago, both Jones and Bonvicini agreed that the championship gave the team a little bit of a boost.

"Once you do something like that you want to do it again. I think that will really get us going and you'll see this team improve right away," Bonvicini said.

On paper this team appears to be the best in the program's 32-year history. Arizona returns an All-American in center Shawntinice Polk and All-Pac-10 point guard Dee-Dee Wheeler, which makes for a potent inside-out game for the Wildcats.

The duo has a combined five years of playing experience and, with Jones added in the mix, the team will be one of the more veteran clubs in the nation.

Polk has averaged a double-double in her first two collegiate seasons and is recognized as one of the premier players in the country.

Wheeler and Polk were named as candidates for the Wade Trophy, which is given to the top Division I player.

When asked about the possibility of this year's team being the best in Arizona history, Polk said she was excited about the possibility, but only time would tell.

"We won't know until the end," she said. "I think we have the potential to be very good but you've got to earn it."