ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Lewis University's women's basketball heads north to Michigan's Upper Peninsula this weekend to tip-off its 2021-22 season. The Flyers open the season on Saturday morning (Nov. 13) against Michigan Tech at 10 a.m. (CST) at Northern Michigan and then on Sunday will take on the Wildcats at 1:15 p.m. (CST).

Lewis At A Glance – The Flyers return 14 players from last year's squad including GLVC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-GLVC selection Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) and All-GLVC second team selection Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central). Schmidt led the team in scoring and rebounding last season with 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while Badali was second with 12.5 points per outing and led the team with 76 assists and 69 steals. Also back are junior guard Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) and sophomore guard Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) who each averaged 9.0 points per contest. Among the returners are senior guard Stephanie Hart (Geneva, Ill./Geneva), redshirt-junior forward Lindsay Harrison (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville), junior guards Ryann Ogarek (New Lenox, Ill./Providence Catholic) and Zarrea Coleman (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) and forward Kae Barth-Lofton (St. Paul, Minn./Maranatha Christian Academy), redshirt-sophomore guards Shawnton Brown (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Central) and Lauren Ramsey (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley), sophomore forwards Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township), Jayla Turchin (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) and Emma Brand (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock).

Joining the team this season are freshmen Tara Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) and Alana Terry (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) and graduate transfer Amelia Motz (Canton, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary). Motz played four seasons at Division I Iona College and then transferred to Alaska-Anchorage where she helped lead the Seawolves to a school-record 31-2 season in 2019-20 and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles.

The Flyers were picked to finish second behind Southern Indiana in the GLVC's East Division in the GLVC Preseason Coaches Poll and will be led by first year head coach Matt Nelson. Nelson spent the last three seasons as an assistant at Lewis and will take the reigns from Samantha Quigley Smith.

About Michigan Tech – The Huskies finished 20-2 overall, including 17-1 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) last season and unseated perennial powerhouse Ashland in the GLIAC Tournament Championship game 74-63 to earn the number one seed in the Midwest Regional at Drury.

Tech brings a mix of experience and youth into 2021-22 and are led in part by captains Ellie McKay, Jordan Ludescher and Katelyn Meister. All three were integral starters last year and will share a heavy workload this season following the departure of seniors Bailie McGirk and Cassidy Trotter.

The Huskies were picked to win the GLIAC's North Division this season and received votes in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll.

About Northern Michigan – The Wildcats return all but one player from last year's squad that went 10-9, 10-8 GLIAC including First Team All-GLIAC member Makaylee Kuhn. Kuhn had a breakout year for the 'Cats in 2020-21 as she was named the GLIAC Player of the Week three separate times. Kuhn averaged 19.5 points per game a season ago. Sophomore guard Samantha Potter ranked in the top five in the GLIAC for rebounds (140) and rebounds per game (7.4).

Northern ranked third in the GLIAC in scoring defense, second in rebound margin and third in field goal percentage defense last season and looks to continue that this season. Ana Rhude ranked in the top five in the GLIAC in blocked shots with 22 and averaged 1.29 blocks per game.

Series Stuff – Lewis trails the all-time series against Michigan Tech 8-4 and has lost four of the last five contests including a 73-63 decision in the 2019-20 season opener at Neil Carey Arena.

Sunday's contest marks the 16th meeting all-time between the Flyers and Northern Michigan with the Wildcats holding an 8-7 advantage in the series. However, Lewis has won four of the last five contests in the series including a 65-41 decision at Neil Carey Arena on Nov. 10, 2019.

Up Next – The Flyers host Ferris State in their home opener next Wednesday (Nov. 17) at 5 p.m. at Neil Carey Arena. It'll be the start of a five-game homestand for Lewis.