Queens remain the team to beat next season despite the attack looking depleted after the departure of Topista Situma to Simba Queens this week.
Coach Boniface Nyamunyamu admitted the move will no doubt limit their options going into the new season but assured they are still up to the challenge.
Situma, who bagged the Golden Boot in the just concluded season after scoring 17 goals to help the county-sponsored side win their fourth title in five years, terminated her contract on Saturday.
She became Vihiga's third striker to seek greener pastures overseas in less than seven months and the fourth overall player to quit the western-based side.
Jentrix Shikangwa plies trade in Turkey after joining Fatih Karagumruk in January while Tereza Engesha turns up for South Korean side Hyundai Steel Red Angels.
Goalkeeper Lilian Awour plays in France for top-tier side ASJ Soyaux-Charente.
"Vihiga are still a strong team. Everybody expected us to struggle after Engesha and Shikangwa departed but Situma took the mantle. We are, however, shocked that she decided to terminate her contract without first informing the club," Nyamunyamu highlighted.
"We are less worried because we have a lot of young attackers who are up to the task.
"Those who think that we will not be a strong outfit next season are misguided.
"We won't go for big names in the market but for players who will buy into our playing philosophy to help us successfully defend our title."
The Bishop Njenga Girls' alumnus joined the Cecafa Club champions in 2014. She was part of the team in the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League held in Cairo, Egypt in November last year.
Nyamunyamu maintained that Situma's decision was externally influenced.
"It is very unprofessional to wake up one morning and terminate your contract without engaging the management. I am hugely disappointed with her and as a club, we are convinced that somebody must be behind the motive."
Stima will become the second Kenyan player to join Simba after Gaspo's Corazon Aquino inked a deal with the Dar-es-salaam-based side. Simba play in the Tanzanian Premier League known as the Serengeti Lite Women’s Premier League.
