NAU women's basketball prepares for 2022-23 after successful campaign last season
NAU women's basketball is coming off a successful 2021-22 season with a winning record. Here is what to watch for from the Lumberjacks this season:
Previous Record:
17-14, 12-8 in Big Sky Conference play
Key Players:
Montana Oltrogge (graduate student, forward): First year with the Lumberjacks, played four years at Idaho State, averaged 7.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Has 85.5% success rate from the free throw line.
Regan Schenck (senior, guard): Started all 31 games this past season for the Lumberjacks, averaging 6.5 points, 5.9 assists and 5.2 rebounds. Ranked second in the Big Sky in assists per game.
Emily Rodabaugh (junior, guard/forward): Played in 30 out of 31 games in 2021-22, averaging 10 points, 4.4 rebounds and 22.4 minutes per game. Shot 71.1% from the free-throw line.
Coaching Staff:
Head coach: Loree Payne
Assistant coach: Kellee Barney
Assistant coach: TJ Harris
Assistant coach: Ryan Freeman
Season Opener:
NAU takes on Arizona State in Tempe on Nov. 7.
Season Preview:
Coming off a successful 2021-22 campaign where the Lumberjacks had a 17-14 record and remained above .500, head coach Loree Payne will look for the same success this season.
NAU will spend majority of its non-conference schedule traveling between California, Nevada and Arizona. However, this season will also feature a tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands before conference play gets underway.
NAU must tackle 13 non-conference opponents, four of which made he NCAA tournament in 2022, before conference play starts.
After NAU opens Nov. 7 against Arizona State, the Lumberjacks wil travel to Tucson to play Arizona on Nov. 10.
The Lumberjacks will play at home for the first time in the 2022-23 season on Nov. 13 against UCSD.
Highlights for this season include the Paradise Jam at the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas. NAU is scheduled to play three games in the tournament at the end of November.
Following their return, NAU will open up Big Sky Conference play later than expected in late December, first playing in the Grand Canyon Challenge with Southern Utah. on Dec. 3.
The Big Sky Conference Tournament begins March 4.
More information: NAUathletics.com
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: NAU women's basketball welcomes 2022-23 season with familiar and fresh faces
