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Contributed by Christopher Macaluso, ACU Assist. Director of Media Relations
ABILENE - Road games against recent NCAA Champions Baylor and Texas A&M plus three guaranteed contests in the Preseason WNIT are part of a menacing 2016-17 slate for the defending Southland Conference regular season champions from Abilene Christian.
The Wildcats enjoyed a historic 2015-16 season by going 26-4 in only their third year of NCAA DI competition and earning the Southland's automatic bid to the WNIT after finishing 17-1 vs. league opposition. And it was in the midst of a 14-game winning streak in early January they started to gain national attention, first moving into 12th on the RPI rankings and then cracking the CollegeInsider.com Top-25 Mid-Major Poll for the first time in program history.
And now that the Wildcats have close to everyone's attention, they've become scheduling targets for two of the premier programs in the Lone Star State in addition to being bracketed alongside Missouri and Nebraska in the preseason WNIT.
"Baylor and Texas A&M are two of the most prestigious and talented teams in the entire state, and I would not have accepted their challenges if not for this tremendous group of seniors (Lizzy and Suzzy Dimba, Alexis Mason, Sydney Shelstead) we have coming back," said fifth-year head coach Julie Goodenough. "I'm very thankful they (Bears and Aggies) want to play us, and I'm sure they're excited to see who we are and what we're all about."
The Wildcats visit College Station on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. and face Baylor less than a week later on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.
Texas A&M and Baylor were NCAA Championship qualifiers a year ago and the most recent women's champions prior to Connecticut's current four-year winning streak. Gary Blair and his Aggies won the national championship in 2011, and the following season Kim Mulkey's Bears were a perfect 40-0.
Before the Wildcats face those two juggernauts, they'll first play at Missouri in the WNIT on Friday, Nov. 11 and then come home for a Nov. 15 date vs. Howard Payne.
ACU's result vs. Missouri will determine when and where they play their remaining WNIT games. A win moves the Wildcats into the quarterfinals vs. the winner of Nebraska and UTRGV for Nov. 13 or 14, but a loss drops them into pod play against two other schools. Those games are to be played Nov. 18 and 19.
The WNIT semifinals are set for Nov. 17 and the championship game for Nov. 20.
The Preseason WNIT also features Central Michigan, Colorado State, Eastern Washington, Elon, Fordham, Furman, Green Bay, Little Rock, North Texas, Notre Dame, Omaha, and Washington.
"We're one of just 16 teams nationwide in this tournament, so being selected for the WNIT is both an honor and privilege," said Goodenough. "Our team has a tall task ahead in taking on Missouri - a SEC school - in our season opener … it's an extreme challenge but I'm positive we'll be prepared as possible."
Following the WNIT and in between battles with the Aggies and Bears, ACU will play UTSA for the fourth-consecutive season with hopes of evening the all-time series at 2-2. The Roadrunners won the series' first two games in San Antonio in 2014 and 2015, but the Wildcats thrashed them, 79-60, at Moody Coliseum last November.
Additional non-conference competition for the Wildcats includes UMKC, Harding, Wichita State, Murray State and Sul Ross. ACU will play host to UMKC, Harding and Sul Ross in December, and visit Wichita Dec. 16 and 17 for a two-day, two-game tournament against the Shockers and Pacers.
Southland Conference season begins Dec. 31 for the Wildcats at Southeastern Louisiana, and from there ACU will play host to four-straight league games vs. New Orleans, Central Arkansas, Stephen F. Austin and Lamar.
The Wildcats also will welcome McNeese, Sam Houston State, Northwestern State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Incarnate Word to the Key City this season with the home finale set for Wednesday, March 1.
Teams ACU will see twice during the Southland's regular season are NCAA Championship qualifier Central Arkansas, plus Incarnate Word, Northwestern State, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Of these six schools, four made the league tournament including second-place UCA, third-place Northwestern State, fourth-place SFA, and seventh-place Sam Houston State, which reached the finals vs Central Arkansas.
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ABILENE - Road games against recent NCAA Champions Baylor and Texas A&M plus three guaranteed contests in the Preseason WNIT are part of a menacing 2016-17 slate for the defending Southland Conference regular season champions from Abilene Christian.
The Wildcats enjoyed a historic 2015-16 season by going 26-4 in only their third year of NCAA DI competition and earning the Southland's automatic bid to the WNIT after finishing 17-1 vs. league opposition. And it was in the midst of a 14-game winning streak in early January they started to gain national attention, first moving into 12th on the RPI rankings and then cracking the CollegeInsider.com Top-25 Mid-Major Poll for the first time in program history.
And now that the Wildcats have close to everyone's attention, they've become scheduling targets for two of the premier programs in the Lone Star State in addition to being bracketed alongside Missouri and Nebraska in the preseason WNIT.
"Baylor and Texas A&M are two of the most prestigious and talented teams in the entire state, and I would not have accepted their challenges if not for this tremendous group of seniors (Lizzy and Suzzy Dimba, Alexis Mason, Sydney Shelstead) we have coming back," said fifth-year head coach Julie Goodenough. "I'm very thankful they (Bears and Aggies) want to play us, and I'm sure they're excited to see who we are and what we're all about."
The Wildcats visit College Station on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. and face Baylor less than a week later on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.
Texas A&M and Baylor were NCAA Championship qualifiers a year ago and the most recent women's champions prior to Connecticut's current four-year winning streak. Gary Blair and his Aggies won the national championship in 2011, and the following season Kim Mulkey's Bears were a perfect 40-0.
Before the Wildcats face those two juggernauts, they'll first play at Missouri in the WNIT on Friday, Nov. 11 and then come home for a Nov. 15 date vs. Howard Payne.
ACU's result vs. Missouri will determine when and where they play their remaining WNIT games. A win moves the Wildcats into the quarterfinals vs. the winner of Nebraska and UTRGV for Nov. 13 or 14, but a loss drops them into pod play against two other schools. Those games are to be played Nov. 18 and 19.
The WNIT semifinals are set for Nov. 17 and the championship game for Nov. 20.
The Preseason WNIT also features Central Michigan, Colorado State, Eastern Washington, Elon, Fordham, Furman, Green Bay, Little Rock, North Texas, Notre Dame, Omaha, and Washington.
"We're one of just 16 teams nationwide in this tournament, so being selected for the WNIT is both an honor and privilege," said Goodenough. "Our team has a tall task ahead in taking on Missouri - a SEC school - in our season opener … it's an extreme challenge but I'm positive we'll be prepared as possible."
Following the WNIT and in between battles with the Aggies and Bears, ACU will play UTSA for the fourth-consecutive season with hopes of evening the all-time series at 2-2. The Roadrunners won the series' first two games in San Antonio in 2014 and 2015, but the Wildcats thrashed them, 79-60, at Moody Coliseum last November.
Additional non-conference competition for the Wildcats includes UMKC, Harding, Wichita State, Murray State and Sul Ross. ACU will play host to UMKC, Harding and Sul Ross in December, and visit Wichita Dec. 16 and 17 for a two-day, two-game tournament against the Shockers and Pacers.
Southland Conference season begins Dec. 31 for the Wildcats at Southeastern Louisiana, and from there ACU will play host to four-straight league games vs. New Orleans, Central Arkansas, Stephen F. Austin and Lamar.
The Wildcats also will welcome McNeese, Sam Houston State, Northwestern State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Incarnate Word to the Key City this season with the home finale set for Wednesday, March 1.
Teams ACU will see twice during the Southland's regular season are NCAA Championship qualifier Central Arkansas, plus Incarnate Word, Northwestern State, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Of these six schools, four made the league tournament including second-place UCA, third-place Northwestern State, fourth-place SFA, and seventh-place Sam Houston State, which reached the finals vs Central Arkansas.
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