SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball program opens the 2023-24 season against Our Lady of the Lake University on Tuesday, November 7 for an 11 a.m. tip. The Cardinals then host New Mexico State University on Sunday, November 11 at 1 p.m.
 
UIW

• The Cardinals are heading into this season ranked as No. 4 in the Southland Preseason Poll, the highest preseason rank to date.
• The team returns 12 student-athletes from last season while adding three freshmen – Mallory McQuietor, Destiny Whitaker, and Raimi McCrary – to the mix.
• Newcomer of the Year, SLC All-Defensive Team honoree and Second Team All-Conference Player Nina De Leon Negron returns for her second season with UIW. She led the team in points (12.1), assists (109), and steals (59).
• Last season, the young squad rode a six-game win streak to close the regular season and exceed expectations by finishing fourth in the Southland Conference standings. The 15-14 record marked UIW's first overall winning record since making the transition to Division I.

 
SAINTS

• Former UIW assistant coach, Tanya Ray, heads into her second season as head coach of the Saints
• OLLU finished the 2022-23 season with a 15-13 overall record and a 12-8 mark in the Red River Athletic Conference.
• The team ranked in the NAIA top five by limiting opponents' three-point percentage to 23.1.
• The Saints qualified for the conference postseason tournament and lost to Xavier University of Louisiana in the quarterfinals to end the season.

 
AGGIES

• New Mexico State University opens the season hosting Arizona, the 2021 national runners-up, on November 6 and then faces off at UITSA on Friday, November 10 before coming to UIW on Sunday. 
• The Aggies won 77-55 in an exhibition match against Eastern New Mexico and were picked to finish six in the 2023-24 CUSA Women's Basketball Preseason Poll.
• Senior guard Molly Kaiser is entering her fourth season at New Mexico State. The Watauga, Texas native was the lone Aggie selected to the CUSA All-Conference Preseason Team after averaging 13.0 points per game and starting all 35 games.

 
FOLLOW ALONG  
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook.  
   
Follow the team on Twitter @UIWWBB and on Instagram @uiw_womenshoops