SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball program will begin the era of Head Coach Christy Smith by making the drive up I35 for a season-opening matchup against TCU at 8:30 p.m. on Friday in Fort Worth.
 
OPENING TIP
 
Smith takes over a program that is entering its fourth and final year of the transition process from NCAA Division II to Division I. The Cardinals return just 47.8 percent of their scoring from the previous season and will need newcomers to take up a prominent role in the offense.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNED FROGS
 
2015-16: 18-15
Last Game: W 84-60 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (exhibition), 11/5/16
Head Coach: Raegan Pebley (3rd season)
Key Returners:
#23 Jr. G AJ Alix – 31 GP, 11.9 PPG, 4.0 APG, 2.8 RPG, 1.4 SPG
#15 Sr. G Jada Butts – 33 GP, 8.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.9 SPG
#22 So. C Jordan Moore – 33 GP, 7.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.8 BPG
Key Losses:
#14 Sr. G Zahna Medley – 33 GP, 16.3 PPG, 3.8 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG
#03 Sr. G Veja Hamilton – 30 GP, 10.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.8 SPG
#31 Sr. F Destynee Hives-McCray – 25 GP, 5.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG
Summary: The Horned Frogs are entering their third season under head coach Raegan Pebley and coming off of back-to-back 18-win seasons. TCU earned the Big 12's automatic berth to the WNIT and advanced to the third round in 2015-16.
 
The Horned Frogs were picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll this season. Eight freshmen and sophomores will look to make contributions for TCU with only two seniors on the team's roster in 2016-17.
 
The Horned Frogs lost their all-time leading scorer and 3-point shooter, Zahna Medley, who is playing professionally in Romania. TCU expects its first McDonald's All-American, Amber Ramirez, to fill a leadership role. A point guard from San Antonio, Ramirez is TCU's highest-rated basketball recruit ever, the 12th overall prospect in the class of 2016.
 
THE CARDINAL FILE
 
2015-16: 6-23
Last Game: L 64-46 at Houston Baptist (3/5/16)
Head Coach: Christy smith (1^st Season)
Key Returners:
#12 Jr. G Melina Merritt – 29 GP, 6.3 PPG, 2.9 APG, 2.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG
#10 Jr. G Haley Frias – 29 GP, 4.8 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.3 APG
#23 Sr. F Celia Garcia Paunero – 29 GP, 4.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.0 APG
Key Losses:
#20 Sr. PG Aricka Adams – 26 GP, 12.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.4 SPG
#05 Jr. G Brianna Williams – 28 GP, 11.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 APG
#25 Sr. F Yvonne Maosa – 28 GP, 9.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG
Summary: The Cardinals finished the 2015-16 season with a 6-23 overall record and a 3-15 mark in Southland Conference play. UIW enters its 2016-17 campaign under new leadership and a new mindset after the hiring of Head Coach Christy Smith and a new coaching staff that includes Betsy Adams, John Clark and Marvin Walker.
 
The Cardinals return just 47.8 percent of their scoring from the previous season and will need newcomers to take up a prominent role in the offense.
 
The team is excited to play near full strength with the return of redshirt-senior Cheyenne Berry, who missed the entire 2015-16 campaign due to injury. In 2013-14, Berry redshirted after transferring from Tarleton State. As a junior at Tarleton, she played in 29 games and averaged 8.6 points and 4.2 rebounds with a .449 field goal percentage.
 
Junior guard Melina Merritt will serve as an upperclassman leader and floor general. Last season she averaged 6.3 points per game and shot .316 percent from the field. Merritt had a team high 85 assists and was one of only four players to see the floor in all 29 games last season.
 
The 2016-17 campaign will serve as the final dress rehearsal for the UIW women's basketball program as the Cardinals play their final season as a team and overall athletic department in transition from Division II to Division I. Starting in 2017-18, UIW will be eligible for postseason play and Coach Smith is hopeful to have the program ready to compete for a Southland Conference Championship.
 
SERIES HISTORY


The Cardinals and Horned Frogs have met just once in program history. TCU earned a narrow 67-61 victory back on Dec. 2, 1997 when the teams met in Fort Worth.
 
UP NEXT
 
UIW will see its next action a bit closer to home as the squad heads to Texas State for a 7 p.m. contest on Tuesday in San Marcos.
 
STAY TUNED
 
The Cardinals will head to Missoula, Mont. to face Montana and Utah State at the Lady Griz Classic. UIW will take on the host Griz at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23 and the Aggies at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 25.
 
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics visit uiwcardinals.com. Be sure to follow UIW Athletics on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.