Women's Basketball | 11/12/2025 1:25:00 PM

• THE MINNESOTA CROOKSTON women's basketball team went 9-20 and 7-15 in conference a season ago. They look to improve and make a dent in the NSIC North in Natalie Moynihan's third year as head coach. The Golden Eagles open the season on the road in Kearney, Neb., November 14 and 15 against Nebraska Kearney and Pittsburg State. Minnesota Crookston will be propelled by NSIC North Preseason Player of the Year, and All-Region selection Emma Miller. They also return All-NSIC Second Team pick Riley Jenkins, and starter Hope Dudycha. After that, it will be a mix of newcomers and returners who will look to fill the remaining roles for the Golden Eagles. Minnesota Crookston notched 67.3 points per game, and allowed 75.2 to their foes. They shot 39.4 percent from the field, 31.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 77.5 percent from the stripe.

• IT'S EMMA. Miller, the 5-1 senior from Albertville, Minn., has made a name for herself in the NSIC, regionally, and nationally. The two-time All-NSIC First Team selection, and All-Region honoree, returns after averaging 22.7 points, 5.1 rewbounds, and 2.8 assists as a junior. Miller shot 41.1 percent from the field, and 33.2 percent from distance. She is 61 points from surpassing Jamie Zelinsky for the scoring record at Minnesota Crookston. She is also chopping down the all-time list in the NSIC as she is currently 10th all-time in conference scoring with 1,275 points. She is six points from moving past Zelinsky on the NSIC charts for ninth all-time. Miller needs 341 points in conference play to break Brooke Olson's mark set for Minnesota Duluth from 2018-23 with 1,615 conference points. Olson has the record by 130 points and did it with an extra COVID year.

• JENKINS JOTTINGS. Riley Jenkins, a 5-10 wing from Galesburg, Ill., has a breakout season in 2024-25 for the Golden Eagles, earning All-NSIC Second Team accolades. Jenkins started all 19 games, averaging 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game., Jenkins shot 41.5 percent from the field, and 29.9 percent from distance. She was an 82.3 percent shooter from the stripe. Jenkins had a big week in February last year with 23 points against Bemidji State, and 26 versus Northern State. She will be looked to take the next step in 2025-26.

• GIVE ME HOPE. Hope Dudycha, a 5-5 guard from Austin, Minn., has been a staple for the Golden Eagles. Dudycha is coming off averaging 6.8 points, and 2.2 boards per game in 2024-25. She played 28.1 minutes per game, and shot 38.7 percent from the field, and 31.5 percent from beyond the arc. Dudycha shot 81.3 percent from the foul line a season ago. She tallied 21 points on 7-of-12 from the field against Winona State, and had 20 points against Southwest Minnesota State. She will be relied upon for the Golden Eagles in 2025-26.

• FIRE AND RAYNA. Rayna Klejeski, a six-foot junior from Barnum, Minn., will look to take the next step as a player after averaging 3.5 points and 2.3 boards per game as a sophomore last season. Klejeski played in all 29 games, starting five. She notched a season-high 13 points on 5-of-9 from the field against Northern Michigan. Her best game on the glass came with six boards against both Sioux Falls, and Concordia-St. Paul.

• LOCAL GIRL. Halle Winjum, a native of Crookston, returns after playing in 28 games and starting 11 as a freshman for her hometown Golden Eagles. Winjum averaged 2.6 points and 1.5 boards per game in her debut season in the maroon and gold. Winjum was a 37.5 percent shooter from beyond the arc. She had a pair of double-digit games last season with 10 points against Northern State, and UMary.

• TRANSFER BIGS. Tayden Hanks and Caleigh Adams join the Golden Eagles to help in the post for the 2025-26 season. Hanks, a 5-11 forward from Los Lunes, N.M., played for NJCAA Division II runner-up Pima Community College. Hanks averaged 1.7 points and 1.9 rebounds as a sophomore at Pima. The Golden Eagles also bring in six-foot San Francisco State University transfer Caleigh Adams, who played in six games last season notching 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. Both players will look to supplement the Golden Eagles at the four and five.

• FRESHMEN CLASS. The Golden Eagles bring in three freshmen for the 2025-26 campaign with Taylor Dirkes (G, Osakis, Minn.), Emma Pierson (G, Cherry Valley, Ill.), and Anna Westby (F, Eveleth, Minn.). Dirkes was the Prairie Conference MVP for Osakis H.S., last season, and will look to find her way into a role. Pierson averaged 22.4 points, and 7.4 rebounds per game and was an All-State Honorable Mention pick in Illinois as a senior. Westby, a 5-11 forward from Rock Ridge H.S., was an All-State Honorable Mention selection in Minnesota, scoring 1,000 points in her career. All three will look to make their mark on the Golden Eagle lineup.

• MORE RETURNERS. Natalie Mikrot, a 5-6 senior guard, and Brynlea Mahlen, a 5-9 sophomore guard, also return to the fray and have been great teammates and members of the squad for the Golden Eagles. Mikrot played in 25 games as a junior, averaging 2.1 points per game. She shot 25.6 percent from distance on 43 attempts. Mahlen played in 23 games, with 15 points as a freshman. She also had 13 boards in her debut season.

• MATCH-UP. Minnesota Crookston has made a tradition of playing Nebraska Kearney early in the season. The Golden Eagles and Lopers have met six times since 2018. The 2025 meeting will be the fifth-straight in the series. The Lopers have won the last five tilts, winning the 2024-25 meeting 99-53 in Aberdeen, S.D. Minnesota Crookston has one win in the series, defeating Nebraska Kearney 71-59 in Wayne, Neb., November 9. 2018. The Golden Eagles will play Pittsburg State for a second-consecutive season. They played the Gorillas tough throughout last season, falling 93-79 in Aberdeen.

• THE FIRST GAMES. Minnesota Crookston is looking to set the tone early against Nebraska Kearney and Pittsburg State. They have struggled to get the season off on a winning note for the last six seasons. Minnesota Crookston has been 0-2 in every season since 2018-19 when they opened the season with back-to-back wins over Nebraska Kearney and Northwest Missouri State. The Golden Eagles went on to win five-straight to commence the 2018-19 season. They ended with 10 wins that year.

• REPLACING NICOLE. The big player to replace for the Golden Eagles from last season is Nicole Hernandez, who was crucial especially on the glass and defensively. Hernandez had 80 blocked shots in 2024-25, and led the team with 8.1 rebounds per game. She also had 8.0 points per tilt. All three stat categories will be areas where Minnesota Crookston will look to a
combination of new players and returners to fill the void.

NEBRASKA KEARNEY. The Lopers are coming off a 20-9 mark. They are in their third season under Head Coach Drew Johnson. Nebraska Kearney will have a little bit of a different look from the 2024-25 roster as they graduate three starters. They will be run through Jillian Aschoff, their leading scorer from a season ago. They also bring back Brinly Christenson, who started and averaged 6.6 points per game, and Bailee Sobczak who came off the bench for 9.3 points per tilt. The Lopers notched 71.8 points per game a season ago, allowing 59.8 to their foes. They shot 30.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 42.7 percent from the field.

A JOLT FROM JILLIAN. Aschoff will be a key player returning for the Lopers. She was Second Team All-MIAA in 2024-24, and led Nebraska Kearney notching 12.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Aschoff shot 44.2 percent from the field, 28.8 percent from distance, and 77.8 percent from the line. She also had 49 steals as a junior. She will be the straw that stirs the drink for the Lopers.

DIVISION I TRANSFER. Paige Horne, a native of Scottsbluff, Neb., comes over after a season at Division I Omaha. The six-foot forward appeared in 14 games for the Mavericks notching 1.1 points and 1.1 rebounds, and looks factor in some way for the Lopers in her first season at Nebraska Kearney.

A TRANSFER FROM WITHIN THE MIAA. Malgorzata Byczkowska jumps over from within the MIAA and Missouri Western. She appeared in 29 games, and started five last season for the Griffons. Byczkowska averaged 2.2 points, and 2.3 boards per game. She shot 32.4 percent from the field, and 28.8 percent from beyond the arc.

PITTSBURG STATE. The Gorillas have a brand new look after posting a 33-4 mark and making the 2024-25 NCAA Division II Elite Eight. They are in their eighth season under Head Coach Amanda Davied, but they must replace 77 percent of their scoring. They graduated All-Region player Karenna Gerber, and All-American Grace Pyle. They will look to 5-11 wing Macie Mays to guide the team after averaging 13.7 points and 3.8 boards last season. Harper Schreiner is also back after notching 6.9 points, 4.8 boards, and a team-high 4.4 assists per game. From there the rest of the lineup will be new. Clara Swearingen played 7.1 minutes per game in 27 games, Ja'Miya Brown played in 19 games, and Hannah Miller averaged 4.9 minutes in 23 games. Every other player did not see the court in 2024-25 for the Gorillas. They have a host of transfers and freshmen who will look to fill the void.

SHE MAYS OR MAY NOT. Macie Mays had an impressive season as the tertiary scorer for the Gorillas in 2024-25. She averaged 13.7 points per game, and shot 51.3 percent from the field, and 33.8 percent from beyond the arc. Mays was an 84.6 percent free throw shooter. She poured in a season-high 30 points on 10-of-10 from the field versus Northeastern State.

A LITTLE MORE YOW. Ashlyn Yow, a 5-6 senior guard from Wauwatosa, Wis. comes over from Metropolitan State
University. Yow started 26 games last season, averaging 7.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. She shot 34.8 percent from the field, and 30.0 percent beyond the arc. She should factor in for the Gorillas in some way.

NEW TRANSFERS IN THE POST. The Gorillas have some new players in the post including a pair of transfers. Amanda Byrnes comes over with Yow from Metro State. The 6-3 native of Brighton, Colo., played in 27 games averaging 2.9 points and 3.0 boards per game. They also bring in a 6-4 transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Marie Wembadjonga from Libreville, Gabon. She is coming off averaging 7.8 points, and 7.8 rebounds per game last season.

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON GOLDEN EAGLES
Head Coach: Natalie Moynihan
Career Record: 18-39 (Third Season at Minnesota Crookston)

NEBRASKA KEARNEY LOPERS
Head Coach: Drew Johnson
Career Record: 39-20 (Third Season at Nebraska Kearney)

PITTSBURG STATE GORILLAS
Head Coach: Amanda Davied
Career Record: 148-62 (Eighth Season at Pittsburg State)

WEEKLY SNAPSHOT
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Returning Starters
Sr. G 1 Emma Miller (5-1, Albertville, Minn.) 22.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.8 APG
R-Jr. G 2 Hope Dudycha (5-5, Austin, Minn.) 6.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.0 APG
R-Jr. G/F 30 Riley Jenkins (5-10, Galesburg, Ill.) 11.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.4 APG
Top Bench Returners
So. G 10 Halle Winjum (5-6, Crookston, Minn.) 2.6 PPG, 1.5 RPG
Jr. F/C 14 Rayna Klejeski (6-0, Barnum, Minn.) 3.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Sr. G 11 Natalie Mikrot (5-6, Willow River, Minn.) 2.1 PPG, 0.4 RPG
So. G 20 Brynlea Mahlen (5-9, Fosston, Minn.) 0.7 PPG, 0.6 RPG
Newcomers to Watch
Fr. F 12 Anna Westby (5-11, Eveleth, Minn.) All-State Honorable Mention
Jr. F 4 Tayden Hanks (5-11, Los Lunes, N.M.) 1.7 PPG, 1.9 RPG at Pima C.C.

NEBRASKA KEARNEY
Returning Starters
R-Sr. G 22 Jillian Aschoff (5-7, Lincoln, Neb.) 12.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 4.8 APG
Jr. F 20 Brinly Christensen (6-0, Lincoln, Neb.) 6.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG
Top Bench Returners
R-Jr. F 44 Bailee Sobczak (6-1, Rapid City, S.D.) 9.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG
Jr. F 21 Jordan Sears (5-10, McPherson, Kan.) 7.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG
Sr. G 1 Saniya Simmons (5-2, Olathe, Kan.) 4.8 PPG, 2.1 APG
Jr. C 31 Tara Biocanin (6-3, Krusevac, Serbia) 2.3 PPG, 1.5 RPG
Newcomers to Watch
So. F 15 Paige Horne (6-0, Scottsbluff, Neb.) 14 games at Omaha
Sr. G/F 33 Malorzata Byczkowska (5-11, Gdynia, Poland) 5 starts, 2.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG at Missouri Western

PITTSBURG STATE
Returning Starters
Jr. G/F 13 Macie Mays (5-11, El Dorado Springs, Mo.) 13.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG
Sr. G 15 Harper Schreiner (5-8, Eudora, Kan.) 6.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.4 APG
Top Bench Returners
So. G 3 Clara Swearinger (5-7, Nevada, Mo.) 1.9 PPG, 0.4 APG
Jr. G 22 Ja'Miya Brown (5-11, North Little Rock, Ark.) 1.1 PPG, 0.6 RPG
R-So. G 0 Hannah Miller (5-8, Philadelphia, Pa.) 0.7 PPG, 1.0 RPG
Newcomers to Watch
Sr. G 11 Ashlyn Yow (5-6, Wauwatosa, Wis.) 7.0 PPG, 2.2 APG at Metro State
Jr. C 21 Marie Wembadjonga (6-4, Libreville, Gabon) 7.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
Jr. C 33 Amanda Byrnes (6-3, Brighton, Colo.) 2.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG at Metro State

GAMEDAY
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON AT NEBRASKA KEARNEY
DATE: Friday, November 14
TIME: 11 a.m.
SITE: Kearney, Neb.
ARENA: Health and Sports Center
LIVE STATS: https://lopers.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
LIVE VIDEO: https://themiaanetwork.com/unklopers/
TWITTER: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonSOC

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON VS. PITTSBURG STATE
DATE: Saturday, November 15
TIME: 12 p.m.
SITE: Kearney, Neb.
ARENA: Health and Sports Center
LIVE STATS: https://lopers.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
LIVE VIDEO: https://themiaanetwork.com/pittstategorillas/
TWITTER: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonSOC


KEYS TO THE WEEKEND

- Can the Golden Eagles get off on the right foot for the 2025-26 season?

- Can Emma Miller make a dent toward the Golden Eagle scoring record?

- What newcomers can make a positive impact this weekend?

- Can the Golden Eagles control the glass this weekend?

- Who will knock down three-pointers for Minnesota Crookston?