SEWARD, Neb. – Hoops season has arrived. Just tabbed the NAIA Division II preseason No. 1, the Concordia University women’s basketball team is getting set to play three games in three days as part of the opening weekend of the 2018-19 campaign. Head coach Drew Olson’s squad will play an exhibition game Thursday at NCAA Division I South Dakota State University before tipping off the regular season Friday and Saturday at the Viterbo University NAIA Showcase.
This week
Thursday, Oct. 25 at South Dakota State, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Viterbo Showcase | La Crosse, Wisconsin
Friday, Oct. 26 vs. No. 15 Indiana Wesleyan, 3 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 26 vs. No. 22 Cardinal Stritch/Viterbo, 1:30/3:30 p.m.
Live coverage
Thursday at South Dakota State – AUDIO | STATS
Friday/Saturday at Viterbo – VIDEO/STATS
Preseason national rankings are nothing new for Olson’s program, the 2018 NAIA national runner up and winner of back-to-back GPAC regular-season and tournament titles. The Bulldogs have made a habit out of backing up the rankings. They have reached the national semifinals in three of the past four years and in four of the past seven. Understandably, expectations are high with the return of All-Americans Philly Lammers and Quinn Wragge from last season’s national runner up squad.
Additional key returners include guards Taylor Cockerill, MacKenzie Helman and Riley Sibbel and forward Colby Duvel. Cockerill is a budding star who poured in 17 points in the national championship game. Meanwhile, a host of newcomers will make their Concordia debuts. The standouts among them are NCAA Division II University of Nebraska-Kearney transfer Grace Barry and freshman Elsie Aslesen of Elk Point, S.D. Barry and Cockerill figure to be the primary options at the point.
This will mark Olson’s 13th season as head coach at his alma mater. He is the winningest coach in program history with an overall record of 318-93. Olson has led the Bulldogs to eight total GPAC championships (four regular season, four tournament). Following last season’s run, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association named Olson the United States Marine Corps/WBCA NAIA National Coach of the Year.
Following this weekend’s stay in Wisconsin, the Bulldogs will look forward to hosting the 19th annual Cattle Classic inside Walz Arena, Nov. 2-3. More info on the Cattle Classic can be found HERE.
This weekend’s opponents
South Dakota State University
Location: Brookings, S.D.
Head coach: Aaron Johnston (19th season)
2017-18 record: 26-7 (reached NCAA tournament)
Conference affiliation: The Summit League (NCAA Division I)
Leading returning scorer: Macy Miller (18.3 ppg)
Indiana Wesleyan University
Location: Marion, Ind.
Head coach: Ethan Whaley (2nd season)
2017-18 record: 25-9 (reached national tournament)
Conference affiliation: Crossroads League (NAIA Division II)
Leading returning scorer: Nicole Ignasiak (13.9 ppg)
*Ranked 15th in the NAIA Division II coaches’ preseason poll
Cardinal Stritch University
Location: Milwaukee, Wis.
Head coach: John Pfaffl (8th season)
2017-18 record: 19-11 (reached national tournament)
Conference affiliation: Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA Division II)
Leading returning scorer: Kelli Schrauth (18.8 ppg)
*Ranked 22nd in the NAIA Division II coaches’ preseason poll
Viterbo University
Location: La Crosse, Wis.
Head coach: Lionel Jones (1st season)
2017-18 record: 6-23
Conference affiliation: North Star Athletic Association (NAIA Division II)
Leading returning scorer: Alyssa Nilssen (12.5 ppg)