After Maryland women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese secured the 12th top-10 recruiting class in her career Wednesday, she hoped the remnants of her sophomore class — once rated the best incoming unit in the nation — can step up in the team’s season opener against Albany on Friday.

The second-year unit is without Big Ten Freshman of the Year Destiny Slocum and former No. 16-ranked recruit Jenna Staiti, both of whom transferred during the offseason.

Senior All-Big Ten members Brionna Jones and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough graduated.

So the No. 15 Terps will turn to sophomore guard Kaila Charles to guide their young nucleus. Charles, one of only two returning starters on the squad, will be the focal point of the team moving forward.

“Our most vocal leader that probably drives this team the most is Kaila Charles,” Frese said Oct. 27. “She’s a sophomore but talk about how she commands a room and the respect she has from her teammates.”

[Read more: Maryland women’s basketball vs. Albany: Game time, how to watch and what to watch for]

The 6-foot-1 guard has accepted the role. She likes to be a leader, and said she took on the same position in her sophomore year of high school.

But Charles doesn’t believe it’s her job to lead alone. Walker-Kimbrough, her former roommate, has given her leadership tips, and the rest of the squad has helped her through the process.

“I have the support of my teammates,” Charles said Thursday. “It’s not like it’s only me, it’s the whole team. I like challenges, we like challenges, so going through this year, taking that bigger role won’t be as hard.”

Along with Charles, guard Blair Watson and forward Stephanie Jones were ESPN top-100 players from the class of 2016.

Though Frese said the starting lineup might change throughout the season based on matchups, the four sophomores and senior guard Kristen Confroy are slated to be in the starting five to begin the campaign. Myers, Watson and Jones all started both of Maryland’s preseason exhibitions, while Charles started one and missed the other while on bereavement leave.

[Read more: Maryland women’s basketball signs the nation’s fourth-best 2018 recruiting class]

Guard Sarah Myers, who averaged 7.8 minutes per game last season and is a converted shooting guard, has competed with freshman Channise Lewis for the point guard spot vacated by Slocum, the star member of that No. 1 class.

“Everybody has to step up and fill those roles,” Myers said at the team’s media day Oct. 24. “I see myself playing the role of, like, the energy and leading our team … pushing the tempo and keeping everybody involved on the court.”

Watson and Jones came in as freshmen both recovering from injuries, both averaging close to 10 minutes per game.

But they flourished with expanded roles in the team’s preseason scrimmages. Jones scored 27 points against Glenville State and Watson notched a double-double with 30 points and 11 rebounds against Bowie State.

Frese expects that production to carry over into the season opener, lauding the duo’s perseverance and growth.

“Blair and Stephanie are playing at a level that wasn’t afforded to them last year with their injuries, coming in with an ACL and shoulder surgery,” Frese said. “I’m excited about those two because they’ve made that jump that you oftentimes see from freshman to sophomore year.”

After spending part of the summer playing in the World University Games in Taiwan, the Terps are ready to get on the floor behind the core of sophomores.

Watson described Maryland as versatile and solid all around. Charles said they’re simply determined.

“We had that tease in Taiwan … and now we’re ready to start our season,” Charles said. “We’re all just excited to get out there and start playing.”