SIOUX FALLS— The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball will start their eighth regular season as a part of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference at home, hosting the USF Classic at the Stewart Center on Friday and Saturday.

The Rundown (2019-20 Record)- 
(USF games in bold)
Fri., Nov. 15, noon Chadron State vs Bemidji State
Fri., Nov. 15, 2 p.m. vs William Jewell Cardinals (1-1)
Sat., Nov. 16, 3 p.m. William Jewell vs Bemidji State
Sat., Nov. 16, 5 p.m. vs Chadron State Eagles (1-1)

William Jewell Cardinals (1-1)-
The Cardinals, led by 24th-year head coach Jill Slominski, have already taken the court for regular season games, going 1-1 in Romeoville, Ill., the home of the Lewis Flyers, during the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) / Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Crossover last Saturday and Sunday. The ninth-year GLVC member started the season with a 60-33 loss to the Northern Michigan Wildcats (1-1) before coming back Sunday and getting a key 75-71 win over the Michigan Tech Huskies (1-1), a team receiving votes to be nationally ranked.

Kiara Bradley has led the offense on the young season, averaging 9.5 points per game. Sydney Offield and Macyn Wilbers have also been a crucial part in the offense, averaging 5.5 points per game a piece. Rachel Schon has spearheaded the Cardinal defense, recording 14 rebounds already in two games.

Chadron State Eagles (1-1)-
For the third straight year, Chadron State, led by fourth-year Janet Raymer, has faced the Texas A&M International Dust Devils (2-2) and Texas A&M Kingsville Javelina (1-1) in an early-season series. For the second straight year, the Eagles won their first game against the Dust Devils (66-63) before falling to the Javelina (63-57).

Taryn Foxen, Melisa Kadic, and Jori Peters have all averaged in the double-digits in points. Foxen has led the way with 14 points per game, with Kadic and Peters averaging 11 points a game each. Defensively, Jessica Lovitt has recorded a team-leading 14 rebounds (seven rebounds per game), with Jordan Morris just behind with 12 rebounds (six rebounds per game).

The Eagles will have to clean up their game before they face a very daunting Cougar team, as CSC has already recorded 47 team turnovers, including two players in double digits. The Cougars a year ago, who lost only one player and returned multiple key players from injury, forced 17.4 turnovers per game. The Cougars were also able to capitalize on those opportunities, averaging 19.1 points per game off turnovers.

Cougars go bird hunting (the history)-
The Cougars and Cardinals had faced each other one time prior, with the Cougars winning their Nov. 19, 2016 match by the score of 68-53. USF has also had success in their previous two games against the Eagles, beating CSC 78-60 two years ago at the Stewart Center, and a 90-44 victory at the Chicoine Center in 2018. 

Sioux Falls Cougars (23-8, 16-6 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in 2018-19)-
Led by Hummel and a deep and talented roster, USF advanced to the NSIC Postseason Tournament for the fourth straight year in 2018-19. USF won the tournament in 2015-16 and finishing runner-up in 2016-17. USF lost to MSU Moorhead in the league semifinals a year ago.

With the top nine of the 10 top returning scorers back, USF will look to win their first-ever NSIC regular season title. USF returns 13 letter winners and five starters along with the addition of several talented transfers and freshmen standouts. 

Exhibition vs Waldorf (Fri. Nov. 8)-
The Cougars, which placed 16 players in the scoring column, defeated Waldorf College, 104-39, in exhibition play at the Stewart Center.

The Cougars, which will officially open the season against William Jewell at 2 p.m., at the USF Classic on Friday Nov. 15, was led by senior guard Jessie Geer with 15 points. Senior guard Kaely Hummel, who was earlier named the NSIC Preseason South Player of the Year, added 11 points while senior gard Augusta Thramer chipped in with 10 points. In addition, sophomore guard Jasmine Harris supplied nine points as did freshman forward Ashley Wells and senior forward Jacey Huinker scored eight.

USF opened up a 28-8 lead and extended the margin to 50-20 at halftime after a 22-12 second quarter run. The Cougars had a 19-10 edge in the third quarter and then put together a 36-9 fourth quarter advantage to build their lead to 104-39.

USF Women's Basketball opens 2019-20 with votes in WBCA Top 25 Preseason Poll-
USF, directed by head coach Travis Traphagen, received votes in the 2019-20 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll released by the WBCA on Oct. 31.

The Cougars, who were 23-8 a year ago, received nine votes to be nationally ranked after being picked to finish first in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) South Division, second overall, only behind MSU Moorhead (27-7 in 2019) in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll.

USF Women's Basketball picked 2nd in NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll, 1st in South-
USF has been picked to finish second overall and the favorite in the South Division in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, according to the NSIC Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll which was released on Oct. 17. Senior guard Hummel was named the NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year.

The Cougars earned six of 16 first place ballots and totaled 214 ballot points to earn the second spot in the preseason rankings. USF picked up seven of eight first place ballots and 49 points to earn the top spot in the South Division Poll for the second straight year. USF was 10 points better than second place Augustana at 39. Minnesota State was third with 35 points and the other first place vote. In the overall rankings, MSU Moorhead and USF was followed by Minnesota Duluth with 194 points and a first place vote while Augustana was fourth at 169 points and Minnesota State, fifth at 156 points, which was just one point ahead of St. Cloud State at 155 ballot points.

Hummel earns first-ever Preseason Player of the Year nod:
Hummel, a business administration major at USF, was picked to the All-NSIC first team after she ranked seven in the NSIC in scoring at 15.6 ppg. Hummel, who was named to the Academic All-NSIC squad for a second straight year, earned her second straight All-NSIC nod as she was second team two years ago. She ranked third in the NSIC in free throw percentage at 86.7 percent after knocking down 72-of-83 charity tosses in 31 games.  She was eighth in three point percentage at 39.9 after making 71-of-178 treys. With the 71 treys, she ranked third in the NSIC at 2.3 per game. She ranks fourth all-time at USF with 192 made three-points and just 16 behind Chelsey Nelson (2002-06) with 208. With 71 treys a year ago, she had the eighth most in a season. With 485 points a year ago, she had the 13th best points in a season performance.