Arizona Athletics released the women’s basketball schedule Monday for its upcoming 2015-2016 season. Pac-12 Networks will televise 12 of the 31 regular season games.
The Wildcats went 11-20 last season, with most of their losses coming in Pac-12 Conference play. Arizona’s schedule features 18 conference games, including one home and one road game against ASU, Washington, UCLA, USC, Stanford, California and Washington State.
The Wildcats bring in four freshman, A’Shanti Coleman, Destiny Graham, Michal Miller and Eugenie Simonet-Keller. The freshman Wildcats will look to rejuvenate the women’s basketball program.
Simonet-Keller comes from La Biot, France and is the tallest player in UA program history at 6-foot-8. She’s also the second tallest player in the Pac-12, behind Savanna Trapp who is 6-foot-9. Simonet-Keller has also been selected for the French women’s national team three times.
Experience may be one aspect that the Wildcats may struggle in. They return only one senior in guard Keyahndra Cannon. Luckily for them, their leadership will come from Arizona head coach Niya Butts, who is entering her ninth season with the Wildcats.
In addition, the Wildcats brought in Alli Gloyd as the assistant coordinator of operations. Gloyd previously was with the team as a starting forward.
Overall, Arizona will play 16 games in McKale Center. The Wildcats schedule includes the Puerto Rico Classic in San Juan, Puerto Rico against SMU, Florida Gulf Coast and Gardner-Webb. Two of Arizona’s fellow Pac-12 schools finished in the USA Today coach’s poll.
The Wildcats open their season Nov. 10 against Eastern New Mexico in McKale Center.
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