DENVER – The University of Denver women's basketball program has finalized its 2023-24 non-league schedule that includes seven home games inside Hamilton Gymnasium, head coach
Doshia Woods announced on Wednesday.
"This schedule was designed to best prepare us for the Summit League schedule," Woods said. "I think we have a good combination of facing programs that we are familiar with, while also adding some new faces to give us a wide array of teams to go up against before the league schedule begins. It is important for our programs that we continue to elevate what we can control and continue to make progress towards the goals this program believes it can attain. This schedule will help prepare us to do just that."
Denver opens the season with a trip down I-25 to take on the Air Force Falcons on November 6. The Pioneers then visit Northern Alabama (Nov. 10) before beginning a three-game homestand to open its Hamilton calendar.
The Pioneers begin that home schedule against Wyoming on November 14, before taking on South Alabama (Nov. 24) and Central Arkansas (Nov. 25) in the University of Denver Classic Thanksgiving Weekend.
Following the holiday weekend, Denver will play three of its next four away from home, starting with a weekend trip to California to take on LMU (Nov. 30) and UC Irvine (Dec. 2).
Stetson returns Denver's visit last season and comes to the Mile High City on December 9 before the Pioneers head south to take on Texas State on December 14.
Denver begins a three-game homestand on December 19 when the Pioneers welcome Colorado Christian. St. Mary's (Calif.) is the middle game in the homestand before the Pioneers begin their Summit League calendar against Omaha (Dec. 29).
A visit to Oral Roberts (Dec. 31) closes out the calendar year before the Pioneers host Idaho in the first of two games of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge on January 3. Denver rounds out the mid-season special event with the short trip to Greely to battle Northern Colorado on January 6.
DU resumes the double round robin Summit League slate on January 13 and concludes the regular season on March 2 against St. Thomas.
The nine-team Summit League Tournament will once again visit Sioux Falls, starting with the first round on March 8.
2023-24 Denver Pioneers:
Denver returns Summit League Defensive Player of the Year
Makayla Minett, one of three returning starters for Woods' squad this season. In total, the Pioneers return nine players that saw action a year ago, including six that made starts in at least five games last season.
The Pioneers five new faces join the nine newcomers to round out Denver's roster. Denver's two new transfers see
Laila McLeod from Grand Canyon join the program ahead of her sophomore year and
Lauren With brings four years of collegiate experience from Cal Baptist and UIndy to Woods' squad.
A pair of All-State honorable mention selections in
Emari Doby (Kansas) and
Reagan Pahl (Wisconsin) join 1,000 point scorer and All-Region pick
Alaisha Brown (Texas) to make up Denver's 2023-24 freshman class.
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of Denver's NCAA Division I sports.-
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Women's Basketball on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Whoops on Twitter
Follow @denverpioneers and @du_whoops on Instagram
