SIOUX FALLS – Continuing the four-game home stand to open the 2016-17 season, University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball will host a four-game tournament and square off with this season's first Division II opponents this weekend. The Cougars (1-0) take on South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0-2) on Friday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. then host William Jewell (1-0) on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Stewart Center.
 
How to watch/listen
All of USF's home games and NSIC contests will be streamed live via Stretch Internet and are available at USFCougars.com/watch. Veteran broadcaster Tom Frederick is on the call for tonight's game on KWSN AM 1230 or FM 98.1 with pregame starting 15 minutes prior to tip-off. Links for all USF home games are available at USFCougars.com/livestats and links to road contest live stats are available on the USF Women's Basketball schedule.
 
Newcomers make immediate impact in season opener
With five seniors departed, including four of the top five leading scorers from last year's team, the Cougars needed to turn over several new offensive leaves this season. USF showed a glimpse of the future as well as a nod to their recent past in the 74-57 season-opening win over Presentation. Leading returning scorer Sam Knecht led USF with 16 points, while freshman Kaely Hummel and newcomer Brooke Smith each poured in 14 points. Hummel showcased her outside shooting with a 3-for-6 night from behind the arc and Smith made her money in transition, snagging six steals and converting many into fast break points. Making her first career start after averaging just 4.2 minutes in 21 games last season, Jacey Huinker added six points and was active on the glass as well, picking up six rebounds. Freshman post Andi Mataloni was solid off the bench, scoring five points, including a three.
 
Cougars coming off historic season
In just their fourth year as a member of NCAA Division II, USF Women's Basketball made a splash in both the league and the national scope of D2 Women's Basketball. The Cougars posted a 27-6 record, tying the mark set by the 2010 team, which advanced to the NAIA Elite Eight. In conference play, the Cougars finished with a 17-5 record, a four-win improvement from their previous best NSIC record. With four wins by eight or more points, Sioux Falls rolled to the NSIC Tournament championship, ensuring their first trip to the NCAA Tournament. During the season, USF earned their first top-25 ranking in the WBCA Coaches Poll, checking in at 25th after receiving votes all season. Individually, Taylor Varsho was the first NSIC Player of the Year for the Cougars and she was named the NSIC Tournament MVP while collecting D2CCA All-Region honors after the completion of the season.
 
Handing out helpers
One season ago, Sioux Falls were one of the most generous teams in the country as they led the league in three different assists categories and were named the NCAA Division II statistical champions as the top team in D2 with a 1.37 assist-to-turnover ratio on the season. The Cougars were up to their old tricks in the opener, handing out 21 dimes for a 70 percent assist rate. Last year, the Cougars totaled 557 assists while committing 407 turnovers for their top a/t/ mark. USF committed 10 turnovers on Tuesday to finish with a 2.1 assist-to-turnover mark. In league play last season, USF had the top mark in the NSIC with 370 assists and a 1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio in their 22-game NSIC schedule. USF's 557 total assists were the sixth most in the country last season and their average of 16.9 assists per game ranked 11th in all of Division II.
 
Entering her senior season, point guard Madi Robson returns as the top passer in the league, dishing out 105 assists in the NSIC season and 144 on the year. Her 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio in NSIC play was fifth last year and she was the only non-senior in the top seven. Backcourt partner Alyson Johnsen was also a key cog in the Cougars' assist-happy offense, handing out 49 assists on the season and finishing just under 2.0 in assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
Knecht named player to watch, enters senior season as featured senior
Three years ago 6-foot-2 center Sam Knecht was named the NSIC Freshman of the Year and now she enters her senior season as the focal point of the Cougar offense. In her debut, the Platte, S.D. native was solid, leading the Cougars with 16 points and 13 rebounds for her 15th career double-double. Knecht averaged a career-high 11.8 points per game last season and grabbed 6.7 rebounds per game, and she enters the season with the title of NSIC player to watch. With a blistering finish to the regular season, Knecht increased her scoring average by nearly two points in the final month of games. She scored 20 or more five times and had four more games with at least nine points in her final 10 games of the season. In her career, Knecht has 897 points in 86 games, averaging 10.4 points as a starter in all 86 games of her career.
 
USF picked to finish ninth overall in NSIC, sixth in loaded south division
After finishing a program-best second place in 2015-16 and rolling to the NSIC Tournament title, Sioux Falls was slotted to finish ninth in the NSIC preseason coaches' poll released two weeks before the season kicked off. USF collected 108 total points in the 16-team poll while grabbing 24 points in the eight-team division, which placed them sixth. Winona State was the favorite in the overall poll, earning 201 points with the most first-place votes (7). Northern State (3), Augustana (4) and Minnesota State (2) all received first-place votes and were slotted second, third, and sixth, respectively, in the overall poll.
 
Leader of the pride: Traphagen continues Cougars' climb in D2
In his ninth season as head coach of the USF Women's Basketball program, Travis Traphagen has taken the Cougars to the NAIA Elite Eight and the NCAA Division II national tournament. A 1999 graduate of Black Hills State, Traphagen owns a 157-82 career record, a .657 winning percentage. In league play – his first three years as a member of the GPAC and the last four in the NSIC – he owns a record of 79-63.