Sophomore guard Rebecca Carmody arrived at Binghamton last season with the goal of making the starting five. This may have seemed like a lofty ambition for a rookie, but Carmody’s undeniable athleticism, coupled with an untimely injury to then-sophomore guard Jasmine Sina, allowed her to start all 31 of BU’s games last season.

“[Being in the starting five] definitely gave me experience,” Carmody said. “I worked hard enough to be in there. It’s helped me [with] the intensity and just a lot more this year; I kind of know what to expect now.”

In her first collegiate game, the Bearcats traveled to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan. The huge stage did little to intimidate Carmody, as she stuffed the stat sheet, pouring in 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals.

“I wasn’t scared,” Carmody said. “[It’s] the first game; I’m just going to go out there and do what I can for my team. Once you make one shot, you continually make them because you get confidence.”

Carmody’s versatility, which allows her to play four positions, is what takes her game to the next level. In her freshman campaign she averaged 7.9 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. She also put up two assists per game and 1.5 steals per game. Her prowess on both ends of the floor earned her a spot on the America East (AE) All-Rookie team after the conclusion of the regular season.

“It’s a great honor,” Carmody said. “But I’m staying humble and I’m going to go out there this year with the same mentality to work hard for my team, for myself, to try to win a championship.”

The highlight of Carmody’s first year in a Bearcats’ uniform came in a matchup against New Hampshire in early January. With just four seconds left on the clock, Carmody grabbed a clutch board before hitting a putback layup to give the Bearcats a 51-50 victory and send the Events Center into a frenzy.

“[The buzzer beater] was awesome,” Carmody said. “I was doing everything I possibly could so we couldn’t lose. I just had an opening and took advantage of it.”

As a freshman, Carmody averaged 32.4 minutes per game. The large role she played for BU in 2015-16 will only help her as she embarks on what she hopes will be an even more successful sophomore season. Carmody follows in the footsteps of Sina and junior guard Imani Watkins, who, like Carmody, started every game of their freshman years.

With Sina healthy and Watkins set for another dominant season, Carmody will likely see more time in the frontcourt but can be called upon to play up to four positions.

The Bearcats exceeded expectations last season, finishing in fifth with an 8-8 AE record. They advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament before falling to eventual champion Albany. While Carmody recognizes the strides that her team made last season, she has no qualms about letting everyone know her goal for this season.

“I 100 percent agree with [my teammates], we could definitely take it all,” she said.

The level of competition within the team was fierce during the preseason, as five talented freshmen have been added to the roster. Carmody’s play last season proved that she thrives under pressure, both during games and on the practice floor.

“The five freshmen are extremely talented; all five of them bring something different to the team, which is great,” Carmody said. “Every day they push me and even though they are underclassmen they have made me better already this year.”

Carmody had a freshman year most players would dream about, but she believes it was only the beginning. Her sophomore year will be another opportunity to prove herself as a versatile player who makes a difference whenever she is on the floor.

Although Carmody wants to have another successful year personally, she knows that this season won’t be about herself. Her selfless nature is what makes her so successful on the court, and she is out to prove that BU is ready to be a conference power.

“I kind of want to prove to the America East that we are ready — we’re ready for the next step,” Carmody said. “We are ready to take that championship.”