SIOUX FALLS— The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball Team, which has been tabbed the favorite in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference preseason rankings, will open the season against Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State in the Southwest Baptist Classic on Nov. 9-10 in Bolivar, Mo.
 
Directed by the program's career wins leader in 11th year head coach Travis Traphagen (194-103 wins), the Cougars earned nine of 16 first place ballots and totaled 208 ballot points to earn the top spot in the preseason rankings for the first time in program history. The Cougars open the season on Friday at noon against Ouachita Baptist at the Southwest Baptist Classic in Bolivar, Mo. USF also faces another Great American Conference team in Henderson State on Saturday at noon, also in Bolivar, Mo.
 
USF picked first in NSIC Preseason Poll
In the NSIC South Division Poll, USF, which finished 16-13 a year ago, was also the favorite after they received five of eight first place votes and totaled 47 ballot points. The Cougars, who finished third in the NSIC South and seventh overall a year ago, finished ahead of CSP, which had two first place votes and 40 ballot points.   
 
USF highlights veteran experience along with youthful talent
USF has advanced to the NSIC Postseason Tournament three straight years. In 2015-16 USF captured the league tourney title and earned the program's first-ever NCAA DII Tournament bid. A year later, USF was runner-up as they lost to Northern State in the finals. A year ago, the Cougars advanced to the league tourney semifinals. With the top seven returning scorers back, USF will look to win their first-ever NSIC regular season title. USF returns 11 letter winners and four starters along with the addition of several talented transfers and freshmen standouts.
 
USF's junior guard Kaely Hummel, a business administration major at USF, is one of two returning All-NSIC players on the USF squad. Hummel and junior guard Mariah Szymanski was picked to the All-NSIC second team.  A year ago, Hummel ranked fifth in the NSIC in scoring at 15.9 ppg. In 2017-18. Hummel, who was named to the Academic All-NSIC squad, ranked third in the NSIC with 2.3 three pointers per game and her 67 treys were third in the NSIC. She recorded 20 games with 15 or more points a year ago with seven of 20 points or more. In her career, Hummel has 703 career points and 53 career double digit scoring games. In addition, she has made 121 three pointers, which ranks third on USF all-time DII list.
 
Szymanski, who was named second team All-NSIC a year ago, returns after averaging 13.0 points per game a year ago. A nursing major, Szymanski has recorded 18 career double digit scoring games. Of that total, she has 10 games of 15 points or more and seven over 20 points. She has scored in 27 straight games and owns USF's school record for points in a game with 43 against Concordia St. Paul on Jan. 22, 2017. In that game she made a school record nine three points in 10 attempts and had a school record 14 field goals in 20 attempts. The 43 points by Szymanski against Concordia St. Paul on the road was the best in the NSIC in 2017-18 and tied with two others for the single best game total in NCAA DII a year ago. Szymanski made 59 three pointers a year ago and scored 376 points.
 
Freshman guard sensation Jasmine Harris (13.0 points per game, 3.3 rebounds per game, 2.7 assists per game), who is  a sports management major, returns after producing a pair of game-winning shots before injury derailed her first season in 2017-18.  USF added to its roster several talented newcomers, including Anna Goodhope, a former Sioux Falls Washington and North Dakota State transfer; Jessie Geer, a transfer from Utah State; Gloria Mulumba (10.2 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per game) from Arizona Western Community College; as well as three outstanding freshmen in guard Hannah Jones, and forwards Krystal Carlson, and Ke James.
 
Inside the opponent—Ouachita State
The Lady Tigers, directed by 24^th year head coach Gary Crowder, are led by returning upperclassmen in Alivia Huell and Madison Brittain. Last season, Brittain averaged 9.3 points per contest and shot .383 from the field. Huell was the "sixth man" for the Lady Tigers last season after averaging 7.7 points per contest and shooting .432 from the floor last year. Starting point guard Maija Gertsone started 26 games for the Lady Tigers and shot .458 from the field last season.  
 
Inside the opponent – Henderson State
Henderson State is led by junior guard Pink Jones, a first team All-GAC selection last season who averaged 16.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, as well as junior guard Hailey Estes, who averaged 10.8 points and eight rebounds per game in 2017-18. Led by Jill Thomas, who enters her sixth season as head Coach of Henderson State, the Reddies were picked fourth in the 2018-19 Great American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Series Histories
USF has never played either Ouachita State or Henderson State in program history.
 
Traphagen leads USF Program
Travis Traphagen is in his 11th season as the head coach of the University of Sioux Falls women's basketball team.
In his 10 seasons at the helm of the USF Women's Basketball program, Traphagen owns a 194-103 overall record which makes him the school's career leader. He has led USF to four 20-win seasons, including back-to-back 20-win campaigns in 2015-16 and 2016-17, and to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in USF Women's Basketball history in 2015-16. Traphagen, who has directed USF to four straight winning seasons, has twice guided the Cougars to the NSIC Tournament title game. The 2015-16 team won the tournament to earn USF's first trip to the NCAA DII National Tournament.