Women's Basketball | 10/3/2024 3:09:00 PM

October 3, 2024-The Lady Hornets 2024-25 schedule was released today and Emporia State will have eight games against teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season, starting with the defending national champions.
 
Emporia State will open the season on November 8 against defending national champion Minnesota State followed by a game against Sioux Falls on November 9 in the Hillyard Classic at Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.  In their history the Lady Hornets have won three contests against teams that were defending national champions at the time with wins over Central Missouri in 2019 in Warrensburg, Mo., Lubbock Christian in 2016 in White Auditorium and then #1 ranked and 2005 national champion Washburn in 2006 in Topeka. The Lady Hornets also have four wins against teams ranked #1 at the time, including a win in the Civic Arena against then #1 Gannon in the semifinals of the 2010 NCAA Elite Eight in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
The Lady Hornets will make their home debut on November 13 when they play host to Wayne State (Neb.) in White Auditorium.  The Lady Hornets have won 40 of their last 45 home openers in White Auditorium. The game against the Wildcats will be the first of a four game home stand on Slaymaker Court.  Emporia State will play host to Newman in a non-conference matchup on November 19 before taking on East Central (Okla.) on November 22. The home stand will wrap up on November 25 when the Ottawa Braves come to White Auditorium.
 
The Lady Hornets will then take their furthest non-conference road trip of the season as they head to Rolla, Mo. to play Missouri S&T on November 27.
 
After taking the Thanksgiving break off from competition, Emporia State will begin MIAA play on Thursday, December 5 against Northwest Missouri in White Auditorium. After the one home game, the Lady Hornets will travel to Missouri Western on Saturday, December 7 in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
Emporia State will wrap up the non-conference part of the schedule starting with a home game against Bellevue (Neb.) on December 17 before going to former MIAA member Lincoln on December 21 in the final action before the NCAA Division II Life in the Balance break.
 
The new year will start with two MIAA games in White Auditorium.  The Lady Hornets will play host to Central Missouri on January 2 before welcoming Washburn into White Auditorium for the Turnpike Tussle on January 4.
 
A quirk in the schedule due to conflict at White Auditorium will see the Lady Hornets travel to Fort Hays State on January 9 before returning to Slaymaker Court on January 11 to take on Neb.-Kearney.
 
The Lady Hornets and Ichabods will then meet for the second time in 11 days when Emporia State travels to Topeka on January 15.  The rematch with Central Missouri then takes place on January 18.
 
The road trip is followed by a four game home stand against the conferences southern tier of schools. The Lady Hornets play host to Northeastern State on January 23 before welcoming Ark.-Fort Smith to White Auditorium on Sunday, January 26 for the first time as an MIAA member school. Rogers State comes to Emporia on January 30 with a contest against Central Oklahoma wrapping up the home stand on Sunday, February 2.  The Ark.-Fort Smith and Central Oklahoma games are being played on Sundays due to the Flint Hills League and Lyon County League High School Tournaments in White Auditorium.
 
The Lady Hornets will hit the road for games at Pittsburg State on February 6 and at Missouri Southern on February 8 before returning home for a game against Fort Hays State on February 12.  Emporia State will then travel to Neb.-Kearney on Saturday, February 15 due to the Emporia Arts Council's presentation of Iconic, a Michael Jackson tribute show playing in White Auditorium.
 
Emporia State will travel down the turnpike to Wichita to take on Newman on February 22 before returning to White Auditorium on February 26 for their final home game of the regular season against Missouri Western.  Thanks to another quirk of the MIAA schedule, the Lady Hornets will travel to Northwest Missouri two days later for the final game of the regular season on March 1.
 
The MIAA Tournament is scheduled for March 5-9 at Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.  The NCAA Regional tournaments will be the next weekend on campus sites followed by the Elite Eight at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh, Pen. From March 24-28.
 
The Lady Hornets were 14-16 last season with a win over a nationally ranked Pittsburg State team and a win in the MIAA Tournament. In their second year under coach Brian Osterman, the Lady Hornets are set to return six players including their top three scorers, three of their top four rebounders, the top three players in assists as well as the top player in steals and blocks.