CHICAGO -- The University of Chicago women's basketball team will open its 2025-26 campaign participating in the Nicolet National Bank Tip-Off Invitational at St. Norbert. The Maroons will play back-to-back days starting Friday night. They'll take on the host first at 7 p.m., then turn around to face #3/5 UW-Oshkosh Saturday at 1 p.m.
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO NOTES:
* UChicago finished the 2024-25 season with a 15-10 overall record and a 5-9 conference record.
* The Maroons closed out last season with a 65-55 win over WashU.
* The 2025 freshman class features four newcomers from two states, including two from the California area, one from Maryland, and one from Wisconsin.
* UChicago has three of last year's starting five returning to the team this season. With a senior class of five, the Maroons return one of their most experienced squads in the past few years.
* Among the returners is senior
Kate Gross. After finishing the 2024-25 season with the third-highest scoring average on the team (8.3), Gross is set to make a bigger impact on the Maroons' offense.
*
Kasi Samuda ranked top-15 in the UAA with 154 total rebounds last season. She also ranked top-15 in blocked shots for the UAA and averaged 7.0 points in her second year with the team.
* The Maroons haven't made the NCAA Tournament since reaching the Sweet 16 in the 2022-23 season. They'll be looking to go dancing for the first time in three years.
* After the Nicolet National Bank Tip-Off, UChicago returns home to host the annual Midway Classic from November 14-16, facing Marian (WI) and Tufts.
ST. NORBERT NOTES:
* St. Norbert posted a 22-5 record and a 15-1 record in the NACC in the 24-25 season, reaching its fifth straight NACC Championship game since COVID.
* The Green Knights were picked second in the NACC Preseason Poll after falling to Wisconsin Lutheran in the championship last season.
* St. Norbert returns its reigning NACC Coach of the Year in Amanda Leonhard-Perry. Leonhard-Perry will embark on her sixth season with the program, holding a 92-43 overall record with the Green Knights.
* D3Hoops.com Third Team Preseason All-American Taylor Thirty will return for her final season with St. Norbert. The reigning NACC Player of the Year averaged 15.8 points and 6.6 rebounds a game throughout the 2024-25 campaign.
* After facing the Maroons, the Green Nights will face Carroll University Saturday afternoon to close out their tip-off tournament.
#3/5 UW-OSHKOSH NOTES:
* UW-Oshkosh is ranked #3/5 nationally after finishing 27-5 overall and making it to the Final Four in the 2024-25 season.
* The Titans are the preseason favorites in the WIAC after winning the regular-season title last year but falling to UW-Whitewater in the tournament championship.
* Head Coach Brad Fischer is returning for his 14th season with the Titans. The 2024-25 WBCA College Division III Public Coach of the Year is looking to improve on his 287-76 program-best record for UW-Oshkosh and another run at the title.
* Throughout the 2024-25 season, UW-Oshkosh scored an average of 64.1 points per game, recording the fifth-highest scoring average in the WIAC. The Titans also recorded a scoring margin of 14.4 against their opponents.
* Junior Sammi Beyer returns as a D3hoops.com Fifth Team Preseason All-American selection after averaging 11.0 points, 1.7 assists, and shooting a team-high 43.9% from the field last season.
* After facing the Maroons, the Titans will head to Concordia University Wisconsin for their first regular-season midweek matchup on Wednesday night.
HISTORY:
* The Green Knights the all-time 5-6 record over the Maroons.
* It's been a while since UChicago and St. Norbert have matched up. In their last meeting in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Maroons gritted out the hard-fought win 65-52.
* This will be the first meeting between UChicago and UW-Oshkosh in over 40 years.
* In that singular meeting, taking place in the 1986-87 season, the Titans earned the win.
* The Maroons hold a record of 7-7 in games against opponents from the WIAC.
