CROOKSTON, Minn. -   • THE MINNESOTA CROOKSTON women's basketball enters a new era in 2023-24 under Head Coach Natalie Moynihan. She replaces long-time Head Coach Mike Roysland, who coached the program for 17 years and led the team to five NSIC Tournaments. Moynihan is the first female to serve as head coach since Sheila Roux was interim during the 2005-06 season, and first permanent female head coach since Brenda Krogstad (1994-99). The Golden Eagles are a blend of returnees and newcomers. Minnesota Crookston has seven returners who saw the court last season. Hope Dudycha (R-Fr., G, Austin, Minn.) is an eighth returner, but she redshirted last season. The Golden Eagles have four newcomers to the roster this season with Olivia Walsh (Fr., F, Austin, Minn.), Riley Jenkins (R-Fr., G/F, Galesburg, Ill.), Rayna Klejeski (Fr., F, Barnum, Minn.), and Ainsley McLain (Fr., G, Grafton, N.D.). The Golden Eagles got to 10 wins for the first time since 2018-19, last season. They are looking to build on the positive trajectory of the program heading into Moynihan's first season.

• AGAINST THE OPPOSITION. The Golden Eagles have played the Lopers and Bearcats four times in the last five seasons. Nebraska Kearney leads the series 3-1, winning the last three. Minnesota Crookston defeated the Lopers, 71-59 November 9, 2018. The Golden Eagles are also 3-1 against Northwest Missouri State, with the Bearcats taking the last three. Minnesota Crookston defeated Northwest Missouri State 79-71 on November 10, 2018. 

·   MILLER TIME. Emma Miller is the top returner for the Golden Eagles heading into the 2023-24 season. Miller was the NSIC Freshman of the Year, and was Minnesota Crookston's first All-NSIC First Team pick since Isieoma Odor (2018-19). Miller was electric for the Golden Eagles in her debut year, infusing the program with her energy. Miller is a player who gives outstanding effort, and nobody works harder in the gym, and out of it. She averaged 18.1 points per game as a freshman for the Golden Eagles. Miller is the top scorer returning in the NSIC with the graduation of Brooke Olson. Miller shot 39.1 percent from the field last season, and 35.4 percent from beyond the arc. She was a 78.3 percent free-throw shooter. Miller notched 4.2 rebounds per game, and 3.1 assists per tilt. She will be the straw that stirs the drink for the Golden Eagles. Miller had 12 games with 20 or more points this season. She scored a school-record 37 points December 17, 2022 against Bemidji State University. 

·  JANIE IN THE PAINT. Janie Tormanen is a key cog returning for the Golden Eagles in the post. Tormanen, a sophomore from Menahga, Minn., returns after appearing in 29 games, with two starts as a freshman in 2022-23. She averaged 5.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Tormanen had 18 points against Minnesota Duluth February 16 last year. she tallied 8.0 points per tilt in the last 10 games of the season for the Golden Eagles. She will be a crucial player down low for the Golden Eagles. 


• TARYN UP MY HEART. Taryn Frazer returns in the back-court for the Golden Eagles for Minnesota Crookston, heading into her sophomore season. As a freshman, the Cass Lake, Minn., product, notched 5.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. She shot 30.9 percent from beyond the arc in her debut season. Frazer had a season-high 25 points in a non-conference play against Palm Beach Atlantic University. She will look to have a strong sophomore season in the backcourt for the Golden Eagles.

·  TWINNING IT. Emma Dudycha played in 21 games for the Golden Eagles last season, starting two. Her twin sister Hope Dudycha redshirted last season and will look to make an impact in her second campaign. Both players had strong prep careers in Austin, Minn.

• AUSTIN NOT BOSTON. Some might call Austin, Minn., the Boston of Southern Minnesota, some might not. The small town has produced players for the Golden Eagles in recent years with the Dudycha twins, and now freshman Olivia Walsh. The newcomer will look to make her presence known this season. 

• WATCH OUT FOR NIKKI. Nicole Hernandez is back and will bring her 6-2 frame with her to help in the post as the Golden Eagles look to fill the gap left by All-NSIC performer Bren Fox. Hernandez tallied 3.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last season. The glass is a big place she will be a crucial piece for the Golden Eagles with Fox's 10.3 rebounds per game now in medical school. Hernandez played in 28 games, starting 17 in her first season with the Maroon and Gold. 

• SHOOTING THE ROCK. A big reason Natalie Mikrot, the Willow River, Minn., native, was brought in was her shooting prowess. She showed some promise last season, hitting at a 30.8 percent clip. Mikrot hit 3-of-4 from beyond the arc against Northern Michigan. She will look to make a major impact from deep for the Golden Eagles, and improve her consistency for U of M 
Crookston. 

• LILY. Lily Orazem returns after playing in 18 games last season. Orazem shot only nine times from deep, but hit at a 44.4 percent clip. Her best game came with six points against Michigan Tech. 


• NEWCOMERS. In addition to Walsh, Minnesota Crookston has added Illinois-Springfield transfer Riley Jenkins, Barnum, Minn., native Rayna Klejeski, and Grafton, N.D. product Ainsley McLain. All will look to see their time on the court and make an impact for Minnesoat Crookston.

NEBRASKA KEARNEY. Nebraska Kearney went 28-5 in the 2022-23 season becoming the MIAA Regular Season Champions and making it to the first round of the NCAA tournament. Nebraska Kearney was able to average 24.9 field goals per game along with an average of 38.5 rebounds. Their team was led by McCool who averaged the highest points per game with 11.9 and rebounds per game with 7.1 in 33 games played, Law who had 64 points off of rebounds and Moore who had 42 of her 51 rebounds come on the defensive end. 

I'M PRETTY MCCOOL, I MUST SAY SO MYSELF. Shiloh McCool led Nebraska Kearney in points with 394, had a FG percentage of .521, a free throw percentage of .701, was second on the team in rebounds with 233 and was top five on the Nebraska Kearney with 21 steals and top four in blocks with 14. McCool, a 5-11 fifth-year player, was a Second Team All-MIAA pick last seaosn. She will be a key player for the Lopers this season.

I AM THE LAW.  Trinity Law is back for her fifth-year for the Lopers. The 5-9 guard had a free throw percentage of .824, was fifth on the team in points with 214 and was second on the team with points off of turnovers. Law averaged 7.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game, a season ago. 

WE WANT SOME MOORE.  Samantha Moore played a more limited role off the bench for Nebraska Kearney last season, but appeared in 26 games. Moore had 67 points in 294 minutes, had 18 assists, six steals and five blocks. She will look to have a bigger impact this season. She is a six-foot junior from Mullen, Neb.

NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE. Northwest Missouri State University went 15-15 in the 2022-2023 regular season while averaging 62 PPG, which is 1.8 more points on average than they allowed their opponents to have. Northwest Missouri State's Hartnett led them in minutes per game with 29.4 and overall points with 398. Fields is another player who stood out averaging 9.2 rebounds with a total of 276 rebounds on the season. They return the majority of their roster for the 2023-24 season. 

GOOD GOLLY, MISS MOLLY. Molly Hartnett returns to lead the Bearcats after guiding the team with 13.3 points per game, while hitting 34.8 percent from beyond the arc last season. She played in 881 minutes to lead Northwest Missouri State, led the team with free throw percentage at 90.7 percent, and paced the team in assists with 91 and points with 398. The 5-9 junior was named to the All-MIAA Third Team. 

FIELDS FOREVER. Kelsey Fields, a 6-2 forward from Creston, Iowa, returns to anchor the Bearcats interior. Fields had a field goal percentage of 50.8, led the team in rebounds with 276 while averaging 9.2, had 17 blocks and 19 steals all while being second on the team with 223 points. She averaged 7.4 points per game a season ago. 

ONE OF TWO KELDERMANS. Peyton Kelderman is one of two Kelderman sister's on the roster for the Bearcats. She had the second most field goal attempts with 195 only trailing Hartnett who had 331, led the team in three pointers with 47, and was third on the team in points with 191.

GAMEDAY

Minnesota Crookston vs. Nebraska Kearney
DATE: Friday, November 10
TIME: 3 p.m.
SITE: Marshall, Minn.
ARENA: R/A Facility
Watch Live: https://nsicnetwork.com/smsumustangs/
Live Stats: https://smsumustangs.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
TWITTER: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonWBB

Minnesota Crookston vs. Northwest Missouri State
DATE: Saturday, November 11
TIME: 5 p.m.
SITE: Marshall, Minn.
ARENA: R/A Facility
Watch Live: https://nsicnetwork.com/smsumustangs/
Live Stats: https://smsumustangs.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Live Stats: https://northernsun.org/sidearmstats/bball/summary
TWITTER: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonWBB


WEEKLY SNAPSHOT

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Returnees
So. G 1 Emma Miller (5-1, Albertville, Minn.) 18.1 PPG, 4.2 PPG, 3.1 APG
So. G 3 Taryn Frazer (5-4, Cass Lake, Minn.) 5.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG
So. F 15 Janie Tormanen (6-0, Menahga, Minn.) 5.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG
R-Jr. C 4 Nicole Hernandez (6-3, Oak Creek, Wis.) 3.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG
So. G 11 Natalie Mikrot (5-6, Willow River, Minn.) 3.1 PPG, 0.7 RPG
Jr. G 24 Lily Orazem (5-9, Onamia, Minn.) 1.2 PPG, 0.8 RPG
So. G 0 Emma Dudycha (5-5, Austin, Minn.) 1.0 PPG, 0.4 RPG
Newcomers
R-Fr. G 2 Hope Dudycha (5-5, Austin, Minn.) Redshirted as a freshman
Fr. G 13 Ainsley McLain (5-7, Grafton, N.D.) Grafton H.S.
Fr. F 14 Rayna Klejeski (6-0, Barnum, Minn.) Barnum H.S.
R-Fr. G/F 20 Riley Jenkins (5-10, Galesburg, Ill.) Transferred from Illinois-Springfield
Fr. F 31 Olivia Walsh (5-10, Austin, Minn.) Austin H.S.

NEBRASKA KEARNEY
Top Returnees
R-5th F 25 Shiloh McCool (5-11, Pleasant Hill, Iowa) 11.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG
5th G 23 Trinity Law (5-9, Brandon, S.D.) 7.6 PPG, 1.9 RPG
R-Jr. G/F 33 Meg Burns (5-11, Ankeny, Iowa) 6.0 PPG, 2.1 RPG
Jr. G/F 12 Samantha Moore (6-0, Mullen, Neb.) 2.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG
Jr. G 10 Halle Duft (5-8, South Weber, Utah) 1.4 PPG, 0.6 RPG
Top Newcomers
Gr. F 15 Kia Wilson (6-1, St. George, Kansas) Transferred from Fort Hays State
Fr. F 20 Brinly Christensen (6-0, Lincoln, Neb.) Southwest H.S.
Fr. F 21 Jordan Sears (5-10, McPherson, Kan.) McPherson H.S.

 
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE
Top Returnees
Jr. PG 5 Molly Hartnett (5-9, Overland Park, Kan.) 13.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG
Jr. SG 10 Peyton Kelderman (5-9, Waukee, Iowa) 6.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG
So. 3G 11 Ella Moody (5-11, St. Joseph, Mo.) 5.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG
Sr. SF 32 Jayna Green (6-0, Omaha, Neb.) 5.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG
Jr. PF 15 Kelsey Fields  (6-2, Creston, Iowa) 7.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG
Jr. G/F 23 Emma Atwood (5-10, Leon, Iowa) 6.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG
Jr. G 13 Caely Kesten (5-8, Lawrence, Kan.) 5.8 PPG, 1.9 RPG
Top Newcomers
Fr. G 2 Anastyn Pettlon (5-5, Maryville, Mo.) Maryville H.S.
R-Fr. G 21 Laini Joseph (5-9, Winamac, Ind.) Redshirted 2022-23 Season