Former Champaign Central basketball star Hope Elam, who played one season at St. Louis before transferring to Vincennes (Ind.)., could make a big impact for the Indiana Hoosiers this season, her coach says.

"(One) young lady that's going to be fun to watch is Hope Elam. She (was) a junior college player at Vincennes last year," Indiana coach Felisha Legette-Jack said of the 6-foot-1 junior, named a first team NJCAA All-American last winter. "We certainly didn't know she was going to play to a point where she was going to become an All-American. She averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds, and she should be our starting 4 (power forward), hopefully replacing Whitney Thomas, if that's at all possible."

Elam has big shoes to fill. Thomas averaged 11 points and nine rebounds and was named second team All-Big Ten a year ago.