A year ago, there was not much pressure on Oregon State, and the squad made a memorable dash to the Final Four.
This season is a bit different because there are expectations for the Beavers to return to that lofty level.
Second-seeded Oregon State (29-4) begins its tourney journey on Friday when it hosts No. 15 seed Long Beach State (23-10) in the Stockton Regional.
A program that didn't once reach the NCAA Tournament between 1996-2013 is making its fourth consecutive appearance. Last season's historic sprint ended with a loss to eventual champion Connecticut but the lessons linger and have helped fueled the program's third consecutive regular-season Pac-12 title.