LANGLEY, B.C. - Amy Donovan's second season as the Nanooks women's basketball head coach begins this Friday at the DII Canadian Tip-Off Classic. The 'Nooks will face three out-of-region teams in the six-team classic featuring three GNAC schools (Alaska, SFU, CWU), two Lone Star schools (Texas A&M Int'l and UT Tyler) and one RMAC school (Colorado Mesa).

Friday, Nov. 3
vs. Texas A&M Int'l | 2:00 p.m.
Langley Events Centre | Langley, B.C. 
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Saturday, Nov. 4
vs. UT Tyler | 9:00 a.m.
Langley Events Centre | Langley, B.C. 
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Sunday, Nov. 5
vs. Colorado Mesa | 9:30 p.m.
Langley Events Centre | Langley, B.C. 
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Live Stats | Tickets | Tournament Central

Last Time Out
The 'Nooks have not been on the court since last season. Last season the Nanooks went 4-21, 1-17 GNAC. Despite finishing 10th in the GNAC standings, the Nanooks proved their home-court a tough place to play. They went 4-9 in the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium, defeating Multnomah twice, Salem University in the 2022 Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational and claiming a big 61-56 victory over the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves for their first win over UAA since January 2007. 

New Faces
Alaska welcomes a handful of new names and faces to Fairbanks. Ekko Hopkins, Anna Nevison and Halle Waram headline the incoming freshman class. Hopkins is a 5'11" forward from Denver, Colo. who joins the 'Nooks after playing at Skyview Academy. Nevison joins the Nanooks from Itchen Sixth Form College as the Halifax, UK native travels across the pond for school. She is a 5'9" shooting guard. The final incoming-freshman is Halle Waram. Waram is a 6'0" forward from Edmonds, Wash. who last played at Edmonds-Woodway High School. Two transfers wrap-up the incoming class for this year as Taryn Lindsey joins the team from McCook Community College. The R-So. is a 5'5" guard who hails from Fountain, Colo. The final addition for the Nanooks was Tristian Martin. The Fairbanks native returns home after spending two years at Miami Dade College. She is a 5'10" forward and played her high school ball at Lathrop High. 

GNAC Preseason Poll
The Nanooks were selected to finish 10th in the 2023-24 GNAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. They received 17 points and finished 10th a year ago. Montana State Billings was selected to win the GNAC this season, receiving 94 points and five of the 10 first-place votes. They edged out Western Washington by three points as WWU received 91 points and received four first-place votes. Alaska Anchorage took third and received the only other first-place vote. They did not crack 80 points, receiving 75 points for third. Simon Fraser followed in fourth with 68 points, beating Central Washington who received 66 points. Seattle Pacific took sixth and was the final GNAC school with over 50 points, getting 51. Northwest Nazarene took seventh with 42 points, Saint Martin's took eighth with 27 points and Western Oregon beat Alaska out for ninth with 19 points. 

Returning Starters
Alaska is welcoming back seven returners, including four starters. Emma McKenney, the Nanooks' leading-scorer from a year ago, returns to the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center after averaging 12.8 points while posting a 44.6% shooting clip from the field. Ellen Silva also returns for her junior season; she led Alaska with 7.7 rebounds per game. Kayla Johnson and Destiny Reimers also return from the starting lineup. Johnson played in 25 games, starting in 24 a year ago. She averaged 9.9 points per game while adding 5.4 rebounds per game and 34 total assists on the year. Reimers also returns after a strong season in 2022-23. She averaged 9.2 points per game while shooting 41.6% from the floor. She nearly added five boards a game with a 4.9 rebounds per game average and added 60 assists, 25 steals and eight blocks. 

Meet the Opponents

Texas A&M Int'l (13-17, 6-16 LSC)
Head Coach: Nate Vogel (6th Season)
Player to Watch: Raiana Brown, Senior: 19.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 60.1 FG%, 32 assists, 45 steals, 12 blocks
2023-24 Roster

Univ. of Texas at Tyler (27-8, 18-4 LSC)
Head Coach: Rebecca Alvidrez (3rd Season)
Player to Watch: Destini Whitehead, Senior: 12.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 40.7 FG%, 82 FT%, 66 assists, 51 steals, 6 blocks
2023-24 Roster

Colorado Mesa (13-16, 12-10 RMAC)
Head Coach: Taylor Wagner (12th Season)
Player to Watch: Olivia Reed, Sophomore: 12.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 61.6 FG%, 42 assists, 21 steals, 47 blocks
2023-24 Roster

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