Losing players and gaining new recruits is a process that repeats itself every season in any college sport.

Some college coaches will tell anyone that replacing talent is a challenge that rears its ugly head every offseason.

For Lady Topper basketball, it was a beast the team was able to tame this year.

Coach Mary Taylor Cowles’ 2006-07 recruiting class consists of freshman guards Brooke Faulkner and Kenzie Rich, freshman forward Alicia Bunton and Nadege Muna, a junior college transfer forward.

Cowles said the incoming players will be needed to play as soon as possible.

“All four of those new faces, the three freshmen, as well as the JuCo transfer, are really gonna have to understand that we need them to be on the floor quickly,” she said. “And I think they are willing to take on that role. But at the same time, I’m sure I have to remind myself that they are new faces.”

Following the graduation of guards Tiffany Porter-Talbert, Ashley Butler and forward Krystal Gardner, Cowles took on the task of replacing combined averages of 25 points, 13 rebounds and four assists per game from last season’s 27-7 squad.

Cowles was able to recruit four players who combined to average 68 points and 30 rebounds at their previous schools.

Cowles’ first signee for the season was Monroe County product Rich.

Rich was voted third-team all-state as a senior for the Lady Falcons for helping lead them to the semifinals of the fourth region tournament. She holds the team’s career scoring record.

Shortly after Rich, Cowles signed another in-state product, Faulkner.

The Harrison County graduate finished her prep career with more than 2,600 points, averaging 19 points per game as a senior.

Faulkner earned second-team all-state and District Player of the Year honors as a senior.

Both players said it’s already showing that it is a hard transition from being the star to accepting a smaller role on the team.

“It will take a while for us to get into it,” Faulkner said. “I think we get it, just from being introduced to the system. I think we’ve benefited.”

Warren Central product Bunton was the third to sign with the Lady Toppers for this season. The Louisville native transferred from Ballard High School and spent her senior season playing for the Lady Dragons.

Bunton, niece of former Topper player and current Topper assistant coach Cypheus Bunton, averaged 16 points and 12 boards en route to earning all-state accolades twice in her career, and being named a McDonald’s all-American as a senior.

“In college, the coaches expect more of you,” Bunton said. “Even if you’re sick or ill, they’re gonna push you because they know what you’re capable of.”

The offseason signings were capped by the addition of junior college transfer Muna.

The forward from Northeastern (Colo.) Junior College averaged 10 points and seven rebounds last season while taking all-Region team honors and all-region tournament honors.

Muna said the biggest difference from junior college to Division-I basketball is the level of intensity.

“It’s like we have four-hour practices, unlike when we would have two-hour practices in JuCo,” she said. “They are a little alike, but the intensity is higher on this level.”

Cowles expects to showcase the talents of the new players a lot this season.

“With Kenzie and Britt, we recruited great young ladies and great players,” she said. “But they both bring the depth from the perimeter as far as shooting the basketball that we’ve needed. Alicia Bunton obviously brings the size and strength as well as Muna in the post with their physical play and their ability to beat and bang.”

Reach David Harten at sports@wkuherald.com.