UT will host Saint Francis (PA) in its season opener in the first round of the 24th-annual Preseason WNIT on Nov. 10.
Photo by: Toledo Athletics
Toledo Announces 2017-18 Women’s Basketball Non-League Slate
8/1/2017 2:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
TOLEDO, Ohio – The 2017-18 Toledo women's basketball non-conference slate was released on Tuesday, highlighted by an appearance in the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Mid-American Conference schedule will be announced later this summer.
"It's certainly an honor to play in the Preseason WNIT," said Head Coach Tricia Cullop. "It's a great way to create some buzz and enthusiasm for our program, as we will compete against some very good teams."
UT will host Saint Francis (PA) (17-15, 13-5 Northeast) in the first round of the 24th-annual Preseason WNIT on Nov. 10 in Savage Arena.Â
"I have a lot of respect for Saint Francis (PA) and their head coach Joe Haigh," Cullop said.
The Rockets, who will take part in the Preseason WNIT for the fourth time in program history, are one of eight teams in the field that qualified for post-season play in 2016-17. The Preseason WNIT will feature at least three games for all squads with all contests are hosted by participating schools.
"All of the teams that will participate in the Preseason WNIT are there for a reason," said Cullop, whose team also took part in the Preseason WNIT during the 1994-95, 1998-99 and most recently 2010-11. "We're very excited to be included in this event and even more excited to start the season at home."Â
The winner of the UT-SFU contest will face either nationally ranked Louisville or Southeast Missouri in the second round, at a site to be determined on Nov. 12 or Nov. 14.Â
"If we're fortunate to win against Saint Francis (PA), there's the possibility for us to take on a very talented Louisville team in the second round," said Cullop. "Even though that game would be on the road, it would be a great opportunity to square off against a nationally ranked opponent."
Following the Preseason WNIT, Toledo will host 2017 NCAA Championships participant Dayton (22-10 (13-3 A-10), Nov. 22) before hitting the road for six of its final eight non-league contests. That stretch of road games includes match-ups at Iona (18-13, (12-6 MAAC), Nov. 27), St. Bonaventure (9-20, (4-12 A-10), Dec. 4) and Duquesne (18-16, (8-8 A-10), Dec. 6).Â
"We're so excited to continue our series with Dayton and St. Bonaventure and begin new ones with Iona and Duquesne," Cullop said. "The Flyers are an experienced NCAA Championship team and the Bonnies have also have had some recent post-season success. As far as Iona and Duquesne go, both programs have also experienced recent post-season runs." Â Â
The two non-league home games during this stretch are against Maine (18-16 (9-7 AEC), Nov. 30) and Cleveland State (14-16 (9-9 Horizon), Dec. 9).
"It will be nice to get back home and play in front of our great fans against Maine and CSU," said Cullop, whose squad led the MAC in attendance for an unprecedented 27th-consecutive season in 2016-17 and ranked No. 27 in the NCAA (3,744 fans per home game). "Playing Maine and Cleveland State will be very beneficial for us as we get ready for conference play."
UT will then venture back to the road for a pair of neutral-court games against Northern Kentucky (9-22 (5-13 Horizon), Dec. 17) and 2017 NCAA Championships participant Western Kentucky (27-7 (16-2 C-USA), Dec. 18) at the West Palm Invitational before wrapping up non-conference action at Detroit Mercy (18-14 (12-6 Horizon), Â Dec. 21).
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"Life on the road is never easy and we will be tested at the West Palm Invite," said Cullop, whose squad's 2016-17 win total tied for fifth-most in school history. "One positive thing about the Florida tourney is we'll play on a neutral floor, and one tough thing is we'll take on an improving NKU team and a NCAA Championship experienced WKU squad. Then we wrap up non-conference play against UT alum Bernard Scott and the Titans, and he has done a terrific job building up that program."
UT is coming off a memorable 2016-17 campaign that saw the Midnight Blue & Gold capture its eighth MAC title in program history and advance to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2001. The Rockets finished the year with a 25-9 overall ledger and a 12-6 mark in the league. (Not sure you need this last sentence since they aren't ranked among Top 25) They  wrapped up the year ranked unofficially No. 26 in the country among mid-major programs, according to the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.
Two-time All-MAC honoree senior Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott (11.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg), 2016-17 third-team All-MAC selection junior Mikaela Boyd (12.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.0 spg), junior Kaayla McIntyre (10.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg) and 2016-17 All-Freshman recipient sophomore Mariella Santucci (7.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.6 apg) will lead the Rockets in 2017-18.
"It's certainly an honor to play in the Preseason WNIT," said Head Coach Tricia Cullop. "It's a great way to create some buzz and enthusiasm for our program, as we will compete against some very good teams."
UT will host Saint Francis (PA) (17-15, 13-5 Northeast) in the first round of the 24th-annual Preseason WNIT on Nov. 10 in Savage Arena.Â
"I have a lot of respect for Saint Francis (PA) and their head coach Joe Haigh," Cullop said.
The Rockets, who will take part in the Preseason WNIT for the fourth time in program history, are one of eight teams in the field that qualified for post-season play in 2016-17. The Preseason WNIT will feature at least three games for all squads with all contests are hosted by participating schools.
"All of the teams that will participate in the Preseason WNIT are there for a reason," said Cullop, whose team also took part in the Preseason WNIT during the 1994-95, 1998-99 and most recently 2010-11. "We're very excited to be included in this event and even more excited to start the season at home."Â
The winner of the UT-SFU contest will face either nationally ranked Louisville or Southeast Missouri in the second round, at a site to be determined on Nov. 12 or Nov. 14.Â
"If we're fortunate to win against Saint Francis (PA), there's the possibility for us to take on a very talented Louisville team in the second round," said Cullop. "Even though that game would be on the road, it would be a great opportunity to square off against a nationally ranked opponent."
Following the Preseason WNIT, Toledo will host 2017 NCAA Championships participant Dayton (22-10 (13-3 A-10), Nov. 22) before hitting the road for six of its final eight non-league contests. That stretch of road games includes match-ups at Iona (18-13, (12-6 MAAC), Nov. 27), St. Bonaventure (9-20, (4-12 A-10), Dec. 4) and Duquesne (18-16, (8-8 A-10), Dec. 6).Â
"We're so excited to continue our series with Dayton and St. Bonaventure and begin new ones with Iona and Duquesne," Cullop said. "The Flyers are an experienced NCAA Championship team and the Bonnies have also have had some recent post-season success. As far as Iona and Duquesne go, both programs have also experienced recent post-season runs." Â Â
The two non-league home games during this stretch are against Maine (18-16 (9-7 AEC), Nov. 30) and Cleveland State (14-16 (9-9 Horizon), Dec. 9).
"It will be nice to get back home and play in front of our great fans against Maine and CSU," said Cullop, whose squad led the MAC in attendance for an unprecedented 27th-consecutive season in 2016-17 and ranked No. 27 in the NCAA (3,744 fans per home game). "Playing Maine and Cleveland State will be very beneficial for us as we get ready for conference play."
UT will then venture back to the road for a pair of neutral-court games against Northern Kentucky (9-22 (5-13 Horizon), Dec. 17) and 2017 NCAA Championships participant Western Kentucky (27-7 (16-2 C-USA), Dec. 18) at the West Palm Invitational before wrapping up non-conference action at Detroit Mercy (18-14 (12-6 Horizon), Â Dec. 21).
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"Life on the road is never easy and we will be tested at the West Palm Invite," said Cullop, whose squad's 2016-17 win total tied for fifth-most in school history. "One positive thing about the Florida tourney is we'll play on a neutral floor, and one tough thing is we'll take on an improving NKU team and a NCAA Championship experienced WKU squad. Then we wrap up non-conference play against UT alum Bernard Scott and the Titans, and he has done a terrific job building up that program."
UT is coming off a memorable 2016-17 campaign that saw the Midnight Blue & Gold capture its eighth MAC title in program history and advance to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2001. The Rockets finished the year with a 25-9 overall ledger and a 12-6 mark in the league. (Not sure you need this last sentence since they aren't ranked among Top 25) They  wrapped up the year ranked unofficially No. 26 in the country among mid-major programs, according to the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.
Two-time All-MAC honoree senior Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott (11.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg), 2016-17 third-team All-MAC selection junior Mikaela Boyd (12.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.0 spg), junior Kaayla McIntyre (10.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg) and 2016-17 All-Freshman recipient sophomore Mariella Santucci (7.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.6 apg) will lead the Rockets in 2017-18.
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