By: Clint Neumann
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball team officially opens the 2025–26 season this weekend at the MIAA/NSIC Challenge, hosted in St. Joseph, Missouri. The Cougars will face Northwest Missouri State on Friday, November 14 at 1:00 p.m., before closing the event against perennial power Fort Hays State on Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m.
Fresh off an early exhibition test at Utah, USF now turns its attention to the start of official play with two key nonconference matchups against proven MIAA competition.
Series Snapshot
Friday's matchup marks just the second meeting all-time between USF and Northwest Missouri State, with the Cougars winning the lone prior contest 76–54 back in 2015.
USF and Fort Hays State have faced off twice previously, with the Tigers holding a 2–0 edge in the series. Their most recent meeting came in 2022, a 66–50 FHSU victory in Sioux Falls.
Scouting the Bearcats (0–2, 0-0 MIAA)
Northwest Missouri State opened its 2025–26 campaign with two competitive neutral-site losses, falling to Adams State (56–51) and West Texas A&M (67–51). Despite the setbacks, the Bearcats showed balance and grit under eighth-year head coach Austin Meyer, who ranks third in program history with 97 career wins and led the team to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024.
Through two games, junior Andrea Lopreato has paced the Bearcats with 13.0 points per game on 45.8% shooting while adding 3.0 rebounds per outing. Senior Ella Moody and redshirt-freshman Kenzie Melcher have also provided steady scoring, each averaging 9.0 points. Moody adds 4.0 rebounds per game, while Melcher leads the team in three-pointers made (3).
The Bearcats are averaging 51.0 points per contest on 35.3% shooting while holding opponents to 61.5 points. They'll look to clean up their 20 turnovers per game and improve a 62-78 rebounding deficit to find their first win of the season.
Scouting the Tigers (0–0, 0-0 MIAA)
Under third-year head coach Talia Kahrs, Fort Hays State enters 2025–26 after a dominant 28–5 campaign that featured a 16–3 MIAA record, a top-15 national ranking, and a trip to the NCAA Central Region semifinals.
The Tigers return multiple All-MIAA performers, led by junior guard Talexa Weeter, who averaged 14.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 53% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc last season. Senior guard Brooke Loewe orchestrates the offense after dishing out an MIAA-best 7.3 assists per game in 2024–25, while the team looks to replace the production from graduated guard Katie Wagner DeGarmo (17.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG) and forward Olivia Hollenbeck (16.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG).
Last year, Fort Hays State ranked among the nation's most efficient two-way teams—averaging 75.8 points per game, shooting 46.5% from the field, and holding opponents to just 59.7 points. The Tigers also posted a +5.9 rebounding margin and a 1.35 assist-to-turnover ratio, emphasizing disciplined execution and size inside.
Cougar Spotlight
The Cougars showed encouraging flashes in their 88–62 exhibition loss at Utah on Monday, including a 25-point fourth quarter surge led by Anna Vaaler (14 points), Landree Wilson (11 points), and Alexis Rose (10 points). That late push showcased the team's balanced scoring and ability to generate offense from multiple spots on the floor.
USF returns a strong nucleus that includes junior guard Ayla Brown, sophomore sharpshooter Alexis Rose, and sophomore wing Anna Vaaler — each of whom played key roles in one of Division II's most efficient offenses a season ago. Brown continues to set the tone at the point, averaging 9.1 points and 4.7 assists last year while ranking among the NSIC's most accurate three-point shooters at 44.3%. Rose adds reliable scoring and perimeter spacing after hitting nearly 40% from deep and averaging 10.3 points per game. Vaaler rounds out the trio as a versatile threat on both ends, contributing 8.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as a freshman.
The Cougars will be looking for contributions from both their returning core and some of the new faces in the rotation, as they continue to develop depth and versatility throughout the lineup.
With improved balance and emerging contributors throughout the lineup, the Cougars enter opening weekend focused on pace, ball movement, and togetherness — key traits that defined their late-season surge and set the tone for another competitive campaign.
Numbers Game
- From Deep Range: Sioux Falls led all of NCAA Division II in three-point percentage last season at 38.2%, connecting on 8.3 triples per game. The Cougars' perimeter shooting will again be a major key in early nonconference play.
- Ball Movement & Balance: USF averaged 14.7 assists per contest with a near-even assist-to-turnover ratio (0.98), reflecting strong spacing and teamwork throughout the lineup.
- Steady at the Line: The Cougars shot 76.7% from the free-throw line a year ago — fourth in the NSIC — and hit 16-of-20 (80%) in their exhibition at Utah.
- Glass Work: USF held a +2.4 rebounding margin last season and grabbed 36.5 boards per game, showcasing effort on both ends despite size disadvantages.
- Bearcat Pressure: Northwest Missouri State has averaged 7.0 steals per game through its first two contests while forcing 33 turnovers — an early test for USF's ball security.
- Glass Chances: Northwest Missouri State shot 35.3% from the field through two games but grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, showing a focus on second-chance opportunities USF must box out.
- Tiger Toughness: Fort Hays State ranked among the nation's defensive leaders in 2024–25, allowing just 59.7 points per game and holding opponents to 36.4% from the field.
- Passing Power: The Tigers averaged 18.7 assists per game last season — No. 1 in the MIAA — a mark that will challenge USF's defensive communication and rotations.
Coach's Corner
On Northwest Missouri State:
"Excited to get the season started against a very good MIAA opponent in Northwest Missouri State. I'm good friends with their coach, which always makes these games more fun. We've had a great preseason against some very good opponents, which I believe has prepared us for this season. We'll rely on some veterans this year but also need some young kids to step up because of injuries on our team.
Northwest Missouri will provide a challenge for us. They run a lot of ball screens and do a nice job of spacing the floor. They'll also make us earn every basket we get — a very disciplined team that often won't beat themselves.
This team's togetherness is our strength, and I'm looking forward to helping them achieve their goals."
On Fort Hays State:
"Fort Hays has a high national ranking and a tradition of excellence. They played the University of Kansas tough in their preseason exhibition. They did lose a lot from last year's team, but it seems they always reload with remarkable talent. We'll have to be at the top of our game to give ourselves the best chance to knock them off." — Head Coach Travis Traphagen
Inside the Gym
Tipoffs:
- Friday, Nov. 14 – 1:00 p.m. vs Northwest Missouri State
- Saturday, Nov. 15 – 2:00 p.m. vs Fort Hays State
Location: Civic Arena – St. Joseph, Missouri
Broadcast: Watch on the MIAA Network
Live Stats: Available at USFCougars.com
Next Up: USF hosts Nebraska–Kearney on Nov. 18 in its home opener at the Stewart Center.
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