The memories live on, but the time for savoring last season’s championship has passed.

Coming off a Big West title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the University of Hawaii women’s basketball team entered the first official practice of the season focused on the task ahead rather than carrying over the celebration of March.

“I’d say (it’s) more of a fresh start,” UH guard Olivia Davies said before Tuesday’s session in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. “(Coach Laura) Beeman has done a really good job of saying last year was last year, and this year it’s going to be a different year for everybody. I think that’s a really good outlook to have.”

Davies is among 11 returnees off of last season’s 20-10 team that captured the Big West regular-season and tournament championships and closed the campaign with a loss to Baylor in Waco, Texas.

While the Rainbow Wahine will enter the season as defending champions, Beeman wants them “to work like we’re not” as they prepare for the Nov. 7 opener at Oregon State.

“That’s how they have to approach practice, that’s how they have to approach the locker room, that’s how they have to approach competition,” Beeman said.

“If they start really dwelling on ‘Oh, we’re champions,’ we won’t be in the top three this year. Our conference is too good and it’s too easy to get beat if you are arrogant, and that’s not what this group is going to do.”

Nine of UH’s top 11 scorers are back, with the notable exceptions of Big West Player of the Year Amy Atwell and guard Nae Nae Calhoun, and the returnees integrated five newcomers — including the former ‘Iolani All-State backcourt of sisters Lily Wahinekapu and Jovi Lefotu — into the program’s culture over the summer.

“We’ve had Friday meetings where we’ve gotten to talk about team culture and the things we want to instill within our program,” graduate forward Kallin Spiller said. “We’ve really put an emphasis on bringing us together and spending that extra time off the court so we all get to know each other and that will translate really well on the court.”

Wahinekapu was named the Big West Freshman of the Year at Cal State Fullerton last season, and joins her sister in making the transition into the program, along with transfer forward Meg Jefferson (Virginia) and freshman forwards Avery Watkins and Imani Perez.

“I’m just very blessed to be able to come back home and play,” Wahinekapu said. “Not a lot of people get a chance to play at home and I got the opportunity Coach Beeman allowed me to. I’m very excited to play with my sister, who I’ve been playing with for 13 years plus.”

Guard Daejah Phillips is UH’s top returning scorer after averaging 10 points an 5.1 rebounds per game. She also led the team with 73 assists. Davies averaged 8.3 points and Spiller added 7.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in the post.

Atwell, now playing professionally in Australia after a stint with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, led the Wahine with 17.8 points per game, and Beeman spoke of her “gravity” on the court in influencing opposing defenses. The Wahine are also looking to replace the presence of Calhoun’s leadership following her transfer to California Baptist.

“Nae had a huge voice for us as far as just energy, and she had such a great basketball IQ that not only did she bring energy but she could also say, ‘This is what we need to do,’” Beeman said. “We’re missing that right now. We need to find that voice.

“As far as our locker room, it’s fantastic. How these guys deal with conflict, how they push each other, how they compete, it’s great. We’re missing a voice and we need to find that.”