The Colorado College women's basketball team officially tips off the season this weekend in Grand Rapids, Mich. CC enters the year looking to make back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in program history.
On The Road
The Tigers begin the 2025-26 campaign with a trio of games against Hope College, Calvin University and Aurora University. They will battle Hope first in a neutral game in Grand Rapids on Friday, Nov. 14th at 4:30 p.m. MT, before facing the Knights on Saturday at 3 p.m. MT.
From there, CC travels to Aurora on Monday to round out the road trip against the Spartans.
Last year, the Tigers were 6-2 on the road and 4-2 at neutral sites.
In The Standings
Released on Oct. 22nd, the Tigers were picked to finish second in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The Tigers, last season's SCAC Blue Division Champions, return two-time All-SCAC performer senior
Kayla Mackel. Last season, Mackel averaged 14.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest and is the league's leading returning three-point shooter, finishing third last season with 70 made threes.
2025-26 SCAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses, followed by total points) |
| 1. |
Texas Lutheran University (7) |
117 |
| 2. |
Colorado College (4) |
110 |
| 3. |
University of St. Thomas |
100 |
| 4. |
McMurry University (1) |
91 |
| 5. |
Concordia University (Texas) |
77 |
| 6. |
Austin College |
62 |
| 7. |
University of the Ozarks |
60 |
| 8. |
Schreiner University |
52 |
| 9. |
Hendrix College |
42 |
| 10. |
LeTourneau Univeristy |
38 |
| 11. |
University of Dallas |
29 |
| 12. |
Centenary College |
14 |
CC is also receiving votes in the WBCA and D3Hoops.com preseason polls. Last year, the Tigers were ranked for the first time in program history and made it as high as No. 21 in both respected polls.
At The Helm
Head coach
Katherine Auguste returns for her 10th season as the head coach of the Tigers. Last season, she became the all-time winningest coach in program history and enters the 2025-26 campaign with 123 career victories. Auguste is sixth all-time in SCAC history with 83 career league wins, and her .619 career conference winning percentage ranks ninth all-time.
Along with assistant coaches
Drew Mitchell and
Lisa Guhl, former player and now grad assistant
Healy Bledsoe joins the staff after graduating in the spring. Bledsoe was an All-SCAC honorable mention for basketball. In lacrosse, she was an All-WIAC and IWLCA All-Region First-Team selection. Bledsoe was also named a finalist for the SCAC Woman of the Year.
Roster Construction
This year's roster consists of one fifth-year, three seniors, five juniors, two sophomores and six freshmen.
Senior guard
Andie Will returns after missing the 2024-25 season due to injury.
Kayla Mackel was the second-leading scorer on the team last season and
Avery Johnson, who averaged 18.3 minutes and 3.8 points per game last year, rounds out the senior class.
CC also has two transfers on the roster. Junior guard
Naiya Kurnik transferred from Vassar College, where she averaged 21.7 minutes and 6.5 points per game. Fifth-year
Lexi Garcia joins her sister, Juju Garcia, for her final year after playing three seasons at the University of Northwestern in Roseville, Minn.
