No Erica Beverly, no problem.

The Hartford Hawks (22-7, 15-1 AE) lost their star sophomore forward in their eighth game of the season, a 60-43 win over then-No. 23 Brigham Young University. Recognized as a first-team preseason selection, conventional wisdom dictated that the Hawks would drop back to the rest of the conference pack without their top rebounder and most imposing physical presence.

But the Hawks haven’t skipped a beat.

Since losing a 66-64 overtime decision to Vermont on Jan. 10, the two-time defending champions have felt only the thrill of victory, never tasting the bitter agony of defeat. Led by their other first-team forward, junior Danielle Hood, the Hawks proceeded to rip off 13 consecutive wins to capture another regular season title.

Hartford smoothly replaced last year’s Player of the Year, point guard Erika Messam, with Penn State transfer Lisa Etienne. They relied on sophomore Katie Kelley and freshman Diana Delva to fill Beverly’s vacated spot. Through it all, this Hartford version is perhaps just as good as last year’s team, which defeated Temple as a No. 11 seed in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Resiliency and a nationally ranked defense defines these Hawks, and a monumental effort will be required to keep Jen Rizzotti’s crew from pulling off the three-peat.