FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team officially begins its season this week at the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium with two games against the Pacific Union College Pioneers.

Friday, Nov. 6 - Jersey Jam
vs. Pacific Union | 1 p.m.
Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center | Fairbanks

Saturday, Nov. 7 - Pajama Night and Postgame Poster Signing
vs. Pacific Union | 5:30 p.m.
Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center | Fairbanks

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Jersey Jam
This Friday's game is Alaska's Jersey Jam game, where all fans wearing a sports jersey get in free to both the men's and women's basketball games.

Pajama Night
Saturday's game is Alaska's Pajama Night game, where fans are invited to wear their best matching set as the Nanooks take on the Pioneers. There will also be a postgame poster signing, so fans are encouraged to stick around after the game to get a signed Nanooks women's basketball schedule poster from the team.

#NookNotes

• The Nanooks are returning five players from last year's squad: Sophomore guard Alyica Shelley, junior guard Grace Gillespie, senior forward Marney Rees, Sophomore guard Sophia Lachenmayer and sophomore guard Desiree Redfox.
• Alaska has 12 newcomers to this season's roster, four freshmen and eight transfers. The freshmen include Siri Lindsey, a 5-3 guard from Portland, Ore., Brandi Stanford, a 5-6 guard from Lacey, Wash., Ava Wiley, a 5-3 guard from Anaheim, Calif., and Addie Prisciandaro, a 5-5 guard from Prescott, Ariz. Also suiting up for the Blue and Gold for the first time are Oakley Homer, a 5-9 junior out of Big Bend Community College, Chloe Parker, a 5-5 junior out of Neosho County Community College, Denae Skelton, a 5-8 junior out of Merrimack College, MaKayla Figuereo, a 5-9 junior out of Lemoore Community College, Khamryn Hopkins, a 5-5 junior out of Lincoln Trail College, Mandi Pham, a 5-9 junior out of William Jewell College, Shannel Kovalsky, a 5-11 sophomore out of Bellevue College and Aysha Peter, a 5-9 junior out of Bellevue College.
• Head coach Michael Ricks and assistant coach Chad Dyson both return for their second season leading the Nanooks women's basketball team.

Meet the Opponent
Pacific Union College Pioneers, 0-0, 0-0 Cal Pac
Head Coach: Ronnie McGee

Pacific Union, an NAIA team in the Cal Pac conference, is also playing in its season opener this week. The Pioneers went 6-15 overall last season and 1-6 in conference. Their leading scorer from last season, Mataya Amen-Sherman, returns to the Pioneers this season. The guard/forward averaged 10.9 points per game in 18 games played, shooting 25.7% from the field and 24.8% from three. Also returning is forward Krystal Pineda, who also averaged double-digit points in 2025-26. She posted 10.7 points per game on 40.7% shooting.

What's Next
The Nanooks head down to Hawaii next week for three games in the Aloha State. They begin with a midweek contest against Hawaii Hilo on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 5:30 p.m. AKST. They then face Hawaii Pacific on Friday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. AKST, and Chaminade on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 2 p.m. AKST.

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