Lady Hornet Basketball Schedule Released

Women's Basketball | 9/10/2025 5:08:00 PM

September 10, 2025-The first schedule of the MJ Baker era of Lady Hornet basketball has been announced and will feature 14 home dates at White Auditorium. As part of the Emporia State's Year of Celebration all general admission seating is free at White Auditorium this season. To guarantee a seat, reserved season tickets are on sale now at esuhornets.com. Returning season ticket holders have until the first game to claim their seats from last year.

Emporia State will open the season on November 14 against Wayne State (Neb.) followed by a game against Minnesota State-Moorhead on November 15 in a pair of neutral site games at the D2 Central Regional Challenge at Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.  Their first true road game will come on Tuesday, November 18 when they travel to former MIAA member Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Mo.
 
The Lady Hornets will make their home debut on November 13 when they play host to another former MIAA school Missouri S&T in White Auditorium.  The Lady Hornets have won 41 of their last 46 home openers in White Auditorium. The game against the Miners will be the first of a three game home stand on Slaymaker Court.  Emporia State will play host NCAA Tournament participant Quincy on Tuesday, November 25. The home stand will wrap up with a Sunday matinee when the Saint Mary Spires come to White Auditorium.
 
Emporia State will begin MIAA play on Thursday, December 4 at Northwest Missouri in Maryville, Mo. In one of the quirks of the MIAA schedule, the Lady Hornets will then return to White Auditorium on Saturday, December 6 to play Missouri Western.
 
After commencement exercises in White Auditorium on December 12 and 13, Emporia State will continue their three game home stand starting with former MIAA member Lincoln on Sunday, December 14. NAIA foe Bellevue will be the opponent on Wednesday, December 17 in the final home game in White Auditorium for 2025 and will be a part of a double header with the men's team. The Lady Hornets will travel to San Angelo, Texas on December 20 to take on Angelo State in the final action before the NCAA Division II Life in the Balance break.
 

The new year will start with two MIAA road games.  Emporia State will travel to Central Missouri on January 1 to take on the Jennies before the first Turnpike Tussle of the basketball season against Washburn on January 3 in Topeka, Kan.
 
The Lady Hornets will enjoy a four game home stand in the middle of January. It will start out with the first of two games this season against NCAA Tournament team Fort Hays State on Thursday, January 8 followed by Neb.-Kearney on Saturday, January 10. The second Turnpike Tussle will take place just 12 days after the first when Washburn comes into White Auditorium on Thursday, January 15. Central Missouri makes the return trip to Emporia on Saturday, January 17 to wrap up the home stand.
 
Emporia State will spend the next two weeks on the road in  a tour of the southern MIAA schools.  The Lady Hornets travel to Tahlequah, Okla. on Thursday, January 22 before making their first trip as conference foes to Ark.-Fort Smith on Saturday, January 24.  The next weekend will be a return trip to Oklahoma with games at Rogers State on Thursday, January 29 followed by a trip to Edmond, Okla. on Saturday, January 31 to play Central Oklahoma.
 
February will begin in White Auditorium as Emporia State plays host to Pittsburg State on Thursday, February 5.  Missouri Southern will be the weekend opponent as they come to Emporia on Saturday, February 7.
 
It's back on the road for the western swing of the MIAA starting on Thursday, February 12 when the Lady Hornets play at Fort Hays State followed by a Valentine's Day trip to Neb.-Kearney.
 
Emporia State will have a full week off from competition before playing two of their final three games in White Auditorium. Newman will be the opponent on Saturday, February 21 in the only game that week.  The Lady Hornets will take their final road trip of the regular season on Wednesday, February 25 when they travel to Missouri Western.  The final game of the regular season will be a Senior Day contest against Northwest Missouri on Saturday, February 28.
 
The MIAA Tournament is scheduled for March 3-8 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, Penn. from March 24-28. The women's Elite Eight will be held in conjunction with the Division II men's quarterfinals on March 25 and semifinals on March 27.
 
All general admission seating is free this year as part of the Emporia State Year of Celebration, however reserved seating is still available for sale along with passes to the Hornet Halftime Room. Season tickets will ensure a seat at all Emporia State men's and women's regular season basketball games in White Auditorium. New this year is the VIP Experience combo package of a reserved seat and admission to the Hornet Halftime Room.  The combo pricing is a ten percent saving compared to purchasing each separately.  

Information on special promotional dates and activities as well as single game reserved ticket information will be announced at a later date.
 
MJ Baker will be in her first season with the Lady Hornets in 2025-26.  She comes to Emporia State after an eight year run at Eastern Florida State College.  She went 183-58 with three conference championships and three trips to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament during her time in Florida.