SIOUX FALLS -- The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball Team, which won its first-ever Northern Sun Intercollegiate South Division title and earned a bid in the NCAA DII Central Regional in 2019-20, will open the 2020-21 season against U-Mary at 6 pm Jan. 2 at the McDowell Activity Center in Bismark, N.D. The Cougars and Marauders, which were both picked fourth in their respective divisions in preseason coaches poll, will also play at 4 pm on Sunday, Jan. 3.

In a year already impacted by the Co-VID-19 Pandemic, the Cougars, will open the season with four straight road games as they head to Upper Iowa on Jan. 8-9. USF will then return for their home opener against Winona State on Jan. 15-16 at the Stewart Center.

Follow USF - Social Media/Broadcast Info
Follow USF Women's Basketball on twitter at @USFcougars_wbb. All USF's home & road games are streamed for free through Blue Frame on the NSIC Network by clicking here. Veteran announcer Tom Frederick will provide play-by-play for USF home games while veteran broadcaster John Gaskins will handle road games, which will be streamed on Blue Frame. USF Women's Games will be available @KELQ 107.9. Live stats for home games are available at www.sidearmstats.com/wbball. 

USF WBB picked to finish fourth in NSIC Coaches Preseason Poll
The Cougars have been picked to finish fourth in the 2020-21 league coaches preseason poll released on Wednesday, Dec. 15. USF, which lost seven seniors but returns experience and several talented newcomers, will look to win a second straight NSIC South Division title. 

USF, which has earned votes in the D2SIDA Preseason National Poll and ranked fifth in its Central Region Poll, received 27 ballot points but one of the seven first place ballots. Minnesota State received 43 points and three first place votes while Augustana and Winona State each had 35 ballot points and two first place votes. Minnesota Duluth was picked to win the North Division title after earning 49 ballot points and seven of eight first place votes. St. Cloud State was second with 41 points and MSU Moorhead third with 37 ballot points. 

USF will play 16-game regular season schedule
The NSIC schedule will be 16-games played over 8 weeks with teams playing the same opponent at one site on back-to-back days. The season will start with two non-conference games against one NSIC out-of-division opponent. The conference schedule will then consist of 14 games with teams playing each member of its division twice. For this season, the NSIC will only crown a North Division and South Division Champion.  The NSIC / Sanford Health Men's & Women's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships are set to take place Thursday-Sunday, February 25-28 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  The top for teams from each division will make up the eight-team field for the 2021 tournament.  

Cougars won NSIC South for first time a year ago and advanced to regionals
USF finished 26-6 a year ago with a 17-5 NSIC mark, directed by all-time wins leader Head Coach Travis Traphagen (243-117). The Cougars return senior Anna Goodhope (10.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 705 career points and 97 threes), who can score inside and from the perimeter as well as juniors Hannah Jones (191 points and167 rebounds in her career), who adds speed, defensive quickness with ability to get to the basket. At the post, Kiara James (166 points and 74 rebounds in her career) and Krystal Carlson (235 points and 124 rebounds in her career), have started games and both can score inside while knocking out medium range jumpers.

USF also added DI transfer & junior Anne Brecht (3.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 161 career points, 60 rebounds, 51 three pointers), from DI Green Bay-Wisconsin. Another DI transfer is Emily Petersen (142 career points, 38 3s) from Nebraska Omaha, who is a three-point three. Point guard Dallie Hoskinson (9.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 5.1 apg, 425 career points, 367 rebounds and 222 assists) led Johnson County Community College to a 28-5 record and a national ranking.  Hoskinson had 20 double digit scoring games, 12 double-digit rebound contests and recorded three triple doubles at JCCC. She adds balance on both sides of the floor with the ability to dish, score and rebound.

The Cougars also return senior three-point artist Lauren Sanders (359 career points, 91 career threes), & Amanda Dagostino with additions including freshman Madison Wuebben (15.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg) of Yankton, S.D., Megan Fannin (16.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg) from Watertown, S.D., among others. 

Brecht, a 6-0 junior media studies major from Sioux Falls, S.D., was named USF's Player to Watch.  During two years at DI Wisconsin-Green Bay, she led the Phoenix to 41-28 record. A player with ability to knock down threes while scoring inside, Brecht has totaled five double digit games with career-high 15 vs Oakland on Jan. 9, 2020. Brecht is a former prep player of the year in South Dakota and all-time leading scorer at Lincoln HS in Sioux Falls with 1,662 points.

Mary Notes - Marauders will feature All-NSIC forward Lauren Rotunda

Mary set a program-DII mark with 22 wins a year ago under the direction of Head Coach Rick Neumann. They were 15-7 in the NSIC which was third in the NSIC North.  They will open the 2020-21 season with the return of four starters after being picked fourth in the NSIC North in the Preseason Coaches Poll.  The Marauders return All-NSIC forward Lauren Rotunda, who supplied 13.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Also back is four-year starter Macy Williams with 8.3 points and 4.0 assists per game Senior guard Coral Gillette, who hit 84 three-pointers at 36.4 percent, added 9.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Mary also returns forward Lexie Schneider at 9.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while sophomore guard Megan Voit, who started 10 games and hit 45 triples, provided 5.2 points and 1.2 rebounds per game.

Other key players will be Raquel Doll, Carly Kottick and transfer guard Claire Borot from Miles COmmunity College. The Marauders, w, which ranked fourth in the NSIC at 74.2 points and led the NSIC at 45.0 percent on field goals, lost the services of All-NSIC standout Cassie Askvig (21.0 ppg). 

Series Notes - Marauders lead, 5-4

U-Mary has a 5-4 edge in the overall series but USF has won four of the last six games. The Marauders is 2-2 at home and 2-3 in Sioux Falls.

Jan. 17, 2020: USF 80 Mary 62 @ Bismarck

Game Notes: Cougars outscored Marauders, 48-30 in the second half to rally for the win as Jessie Geer scored 21 points with four triples. Mariah Szymanski had 18 points while Jacey Huinker added eight points and 16 rebounds. U-Mary had 17 points from Cassie Askvig while Lauren Rotunda added 16 points and eight rebounds.

Jan. 18, 2019: Mary 70 USF 63 @ Sioux Falls

Game Notes: The Marauders took a 28-19 lead at halftime and hung on against USF at the Stewart Center. USF rallied but fell short despite 19 points from Kaely Hummel. Gabbie Bohl led UM with 22 points and 14 rebounds while Cassie Askvig had 19 and Coral Gillette had 16 with four threes.  

Feb. 21, 2018: USF 65 U-Mary 60 @ Sioux Falls - NSIC Tourney 1st Rd. 

Gae Notes: After trailing 28-20 at halftime, #3 seeded Cougars outscored #6 seeded Marauders, 40-22 in second half to claim a 60-50 victory. USF had 20 points from Kaely Hummel and Mariah Szymanski. Gabbie Bohl had 21 points and 11 rebounds while Lauren Rotunda had 10 points and eight boards. 

Feb. 2, 2018: U-Mary 76 USF 71 @ Sioux Falls

Game Notes: UMary took a 40-28 lead at halftime and held off USF second half rally (43-36).Marauders placed five in double digits with Cassie Askvig providing 18 points, 7 rebounds  and Gabbie Bohl had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Kaely Hummel  had 19 points and Mariah Syzmanski added 17.

Feb. 3, 2017: USF 65 UMary 60 @ Bismarck
Andi Mataloni came off the bench to score 19 points and lead USF to a road win. Mataloni hit 7-of-13 field goals, including a career-best 5-of-10 from three-point range. Alyson Johnsen added 11 points as USF had 11 triples and scored 30 points off turnovers. Gabbie Bohl had 26 points and Lauren Rotunda added 14.

Dec. 12, 2015: USF 69 UMary 67 @ Sioux Falls

Alysen Johnson scored 18 points and Taylor Varsho had 17 points as the Cougars won. After USF trailed, 37-36, at halftime, the Coo had a 33-30 second half edge. Brittney Dietz had 22 to lead the Marauders. 

Dec. 13, 2014: UMary 62 USF 58 @ Bismarck

Brittney Dietz had 13 points and Hannah Laur had 10 points and 12 rebounds to lead UM to win. Taylor Varsho had 18 while Sam Knecht provided 12 points and 9 rebounds.

Feb. 15, 2014 - UMary 78 USF 75 @ Bismarck

U-Mary took a 40-35 halftime lead and held on despite a 40-38 USF second half edge. McKenzie Foster had 22 while Linda Murray had 21 points and 16 rebounds for UM. USF had 18 points and 8 rebounds  from Taylor Varsho while Laura Johnson had 11 points.

Feb. 9, 2013 - U-Mary 76 USF 65 at Sioux Falls

In the first meeting between the schools, USF had 20 points from Laura Johnson (4-6 from 3) and eight rebounds and Jaicee Ulmer added 13 with Bailey Bouman providing 14 but the Marauders prevailed. UM had 18 points from Laura Petersen and 15 points and 12 rebounds from Ali Collins. Marauders led, 45-31 at the halftime break while USF had a 34-31 second half edge.