After a one-year absence, Rainy River Community College is bringing back its women’s basketball program in 2011-12.

The Voyageurs’ nine-player roster includes two players who won’t be able to appear in games until after the fall semester concludes in December when they become eligible to play, leaving the team able to suit up seven for the time being.

One player who will have to wait until January is on RRCC head coach Dieter Humbert’s list of top incoming players.

Sophomore Lanae Rash, a guard who scored more than a 1,000 points in high school at Milwaukee Rufus King, played in 2009-10 for Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she was part of an NJCAA Division II national championship team.

Being that the Voyageurs didn’t have a women’s basketball team last season, Rash is RRCC’s only player in her sophomore year of eligibility.

Another top incoming player is forward Sabrina Budziszewski, who played in high school for the Northern Freeze, which placed fourth at the 2010 MSHSL Class A state tournament.

It was only until this week when all nine players were able to practice together. Two of RRCC’s tallest players — 5-11 Haylee Gates and 6-0 Deanna Reed — were part of the Voyageurs’ volleyball team this fall.

While there aren’t enough players on the roster to go 5-on-5 in practice, for example, Humbert noted some RRCC baseball players practice with the women’s basketball team to help fill in the void in numbers.

Humbert, who is in his 20th year as a head coach, had coached the men’s team last year when the Voyageurs didn’t have a women’s team.

“I’m excited about returning to coach women’s basketball,” he said. “I am optimistic about the chemistry and determination of this team.”

The 2011-12 women Voyageurs are young and have no returning experience, but Humbert said he finds them to be “very coachable players.”

While injuries are his biggest concern this season, Humbert said he looks forward to “watching these athletes work together and play hard for each other.”

“I believe we will improve progressively and finish strong,” he said.

Humbert said the teams to watch out on the schedule include Northland, Mesabi Range and Anoka Ramsey.

RRCC opens the season next Friday at the Mesabi Range Tourney in Virginia.

The Voyageurs don’t host a home game until Dec. 9 when they play Fergus Falls.