ARLINGTON, Texas - The standard for what it means to be a part of Lady Maverick basketball has been set. Leaving behind a legacy of excellence both on and off the court, seniors Rebekah VanDijk, Shelby Richards and Miranda LeJune are perfect examples of what it means to win as a student-athlete.

The senior class may not have been able to raise a banner in the rafters of College Park Center, or achieve the goal of getting to dance, but the trio are winners. VanDijk departs as UTA coach Krista Gerlich's first four-year graduate in the program, taking Lady Maverick basketball to new heights. Prior to joining, UTA had just four wins - the Lady Mavs picked up 17 in her freshman season. The culture of winning wasn't just on the court. The team picked up Sun Belt Academic awards, Community Service awards, and simply raised the standard that championships are the expectation to be competed for.

"Rebekah has done a great job in helping us build culture here and help us just show what we want women's basketball to be like," Gerlich said. "We really looked to Rebekah for an example of a student-athlete and someone that gives back to the community, gives back to the University and is great in the classroom. She takes a lot of pride in anything she puts her name on. Then the fact that she was able to do so well on the court, she just embodies everything that we want Lady Maverick basketball to be about and the culture she helped us build."

The Lady Maverick record books have been re-written by the Nazareth, Texas native with VanDijk seeing her name at the top, or near the top, in just about every category.

VanDijk became the first player in program history to record more than 1,000 points and rebounds in a career on the way to setting the all-time rebounding record with 1,117, breaking a record that stood since 1979. Her 1,658 points finish third all-time, 9.2 rebounds per game fifth, 661 field-goals made in second, 354 free-throws made third, 502 attempted first and 203 blocks second. Her 46 double-doubles are most in program history.

Destiny appeared to be set for VanDijk to make a run at the Sun Belt crown in her senior season, joining with UTA's only other four-year player and reigning SBC Defender of the Year Cierra Johnson. However, the dream of getting together for a crown ended with Johnson going down in the third game of the year with injury. Johnson will return after a medial redshirt to play a full season in 2018-19. Also returning, Crystal Allen - who set a three-point percentage record in 2016-17 - will be back. Gerlich looks at the group for what they have helped build and what the tradition of being in the program will mean going forward.

"They certainly made it easier to establish the culture and expectation," Gerlich said. "They believed in everything that we were saying and held their teammates accountable for that, even as freshmen they held them accountable. They did a great job of continuing to help us build it from a low point to a very high point. We are challenging our team now to take it even further to become great. Rebekah and Cierra did such a great job of really taking us to a point to where we can be a contender and recognized on campus for being a great program."

The group that joined VanDijk on Senior Day were just as selfless in everything they did. LeJune and Richards both held a big role with the team and embraced the position thrust upon them. LeJune battled through injury at UTA to help lead the offensive attack in the point guard spot. Despite not receiving many opportunities to start, when her number was called off the bench, she made the most of every opportunity.

Richards was similar, but saw her number called in the starting lineup with Johnson going down. Richards jumped at the opportunity and ran with it, running off a string of double-digit performances in which she poured it in from 3-point range - including a game-winning shot at Louisiana to end the 2016-17 regular season that was featured on the SportsCenter Top-10.

"They did a great job," Gerlich said. "They were so selfless and really were fighters. Miranda and Shelby did a great job of coming into their own. Miranda was really patient. She did whatever we needed her to do. She was injured for the whole year and career, and she gave us so many great minutes and never became somebody that was all about her, or poor pitiful her, she never felt sorry for herself and enjoyed being a part of it and took pride in her role.

"Shelby really came into her own. When we lost Cierra, Shelby became the defensive stopper that we needed. She became a better scorer for us and really improved on her leadership. The growth we saw in her as a person was tremendous and that is what is so exciting to be able to see someone go through our program and be so much for confident throughout their time with us."