Marquette Hosts Winona State Saturday in Exhibition

Saturday, October 26

Milwaukee, WI

2 P.M. CT

Marquette University

Winona State (Exhibition)

Marquette Hosts Winona State Saturday in Exhibition

10/25/2019 3:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball

The Golden Eagles officially open the 2019-20 season on Nov. 5

By: Communications

MILWAUKEE – The Marquette women's basketball team will open up its 2019-20 campaign at home on Saturday, Oct. 26 when the Golden Eagles host Winona State at 2 p.m. CT for an exhibition at the Al McGuire Center.

The squad takes on an almost completely new look this season as they bring in six freshmen and one sophomore transfer, as head coach Megan Duffy begins her first season at the helm of the Golden Eagles after a successful two-years at Miami (Ohio).

The talented freshmen class includes Claire Kaifes, Jordan King, Nirel Lougbo, Destiny Strother, Camryn Taylor and Taylor Valladay. Antwainette Walker is the lone transfer, coming to Marquette after spending one year at Arkansas-Little Rock. Walker will sit out this season due to the NCAA transfer policy.

Marquette returns seniors Altia Anderson and Isabelle Spingola, juniors Lauren Van Kleunen and Selena Lott, and sophomore Chloe Marotta.

Regular season action begins on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 11:30 a.m. CT when the Golden Eagles take on Morgan State at the Al McGuire Center for MPS Day.

OPPONENT:

WINONA STATE: Winona State is a Division II school in the state of Minnesota guided by head coach Scott Ballard, who is in his 16^th season with the program. The Warriors posted a 15-13 overall record last year, including 12-10 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NCIC). Without any seniors on the team this season, junior Allie Pickrain will lead the charge, averaging 10.8 ppg a season ago.

STORYLINES:

NEW TEAM, NEW LOOK: New head coach Megan Duffy comes to Marquette after spending the last two seasons at the University of Miami (Ohio). She left Oxford with a record of 44-20 (.687), leading her team to a pair of Women's National Invitation Tournament appearances and back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the 1980's.
PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Junior Selena Lott and freshmen Jordan King were honored by the BIG EAST as they dished out their preseason awards. Lott was tabbed to the preseason All-BIG EAST squad as she is Marquette's most prominent scorer from last season, averaging 9.0 ppg in BIG EAST play. She has also asserted herself as one of the best defenders in the conference totaling 67 steals and 17 blocks last season. Freshman Jordan King was named as the preseason BIG EAST freshman of the year. The Rockton, Illinois native scored 2,505 points in her time on Hononegah High School, setting a NIC-10 Conference record.