Kearney, Neb. – The 2020-21 NCAA Division II basketball season tips off Thursday night when the MIAA begins play.

The league is one of the few in D2 (23 conferences overall) playing during the 2020 calendar year; the majority of D2 schools start after January 1. The hope for the MIAA is to get all 22 games in between now and the end of February. The MIAA Tournament will once again be in Kansas City the first week of March; the NCAA Tourney field will be altered in some capacity. Information on that event will be announced in the coming months.

Due to recent COVID protocols, the general public will not be able to attend Loper home games first semester. Fans can watch all the action via The MIAA Network as well as listen to the basketball games on The River 93.1 FM and 106.9 FM. A basketball season pass for The MIAA Network costs $100 with a daily pass (all available games for 24 hours) being $10. 

The Lopers are coming off a 26-6 campaign in which it was regionally and nationally ranked, had several long winning streaks and placed third in the league standings. Just missing out on the NCAA Tourney, UNK returns its entire roster. Added for good measure is the return of forwards Shiloh McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) and Alexus Moes (Smithville, Mo.) from medical redshirts and three talented true freshmen.

Head coach Carrie Eighmey and her staff saw the 2019-20 starting five earn some type of All-MIAA honor. That now veteran group is graduate student Haley Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.), fellow guard Kelsey Sanger (Crofton), wings Maegan Holt (Council Bluffs, Ia.) and Klaire Kirsch (Rapid City, S.D.) and post Brooke Carlson (Elkhorn). Off the bench forwards Madison Dreckman (Le Mars, Ia.) and Elisa Backes (Salina, Kan.) also appeared in all 32 games.

UNK posted a 14-1 record last winter and had a +17.6 scoring margin (+ 6.8 in the MIAA). Also plus seven on the glass, the Lopers ranked in the MIAA top two in nine different categories.

A large roster during the "COVID year" is a must and the Lopers also welcome back veteran guards Adreon Bell (Independence, Mo.), Aspen Jansa (Wahoo), Kaleigh Kummer (North Platte St. Pat's), Shelby Megyeri (Green Mountain Falls, Colo.) and Trinity Law (Brandon, S.D.). Each appeared in at least 10 games last year, combined for 77 made threes and provided some key moments.

Also back is forward Adrienne Falk (Pleasanton) with Moes set to back her Loper debut after missing her freshman season. McCool had a solid freshman season in 2018-19, averaging 10.2 points and a team-best 7.0 rebounds per game. Finally, the newcomers are post Maddie Wiltse (Timken, Kan.), forward Meg Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) and guard Mallie McNair (Imperial).

Picked second in the MIAA, UNK ironically starts the year with preseason No. 1 Emporia State. The two split last year's regular season series, each winning at home, with the Hornets taking the rubber match in the MIAA quarters in K.C. Washburn comes to down Saturday afternoon and after the Loper football game vs. Missouri Western. UNK won the only contest between the two last year, 69-53 in Kearney.


Emporia State (24-7, 15-4)
Top Returners: Tre'Zure Jobe (R-So., G, 5-7, 17.3 points, 3.5 assists, 3.1 rebounds 2.5 steals per game); Fredricka Sheats (Sr., G, 5-9; 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals pg); Kali Martin (Sr., G, 5-8; 6.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists pg)

Notable Newcomer: Maary Lakes (Jr., C, 6-4; transfer from Kansas State)
 

Washburn (18-12, 11-8)
Top Returners: Hunter Bentley (Sr., G, 5-9; 13.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.0 steals pg) Abby Oliver (So., G, 5-10, 4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds pg)

Notable Newcomer: Nuria Barrientos (Jr., G, 5-11; transfer from Idaho State)