FULTON, Mo. - A total of 13 home games highlight the Westminster women's basketball schedule for the upcoming season as the squad looks to return to the SLIAC championship.
"I am excited about our 2018-19 schedule," said Westminster Head Coach James Arnold. "I think it's a great balance of home and road games combined with some terrific opponents for us to really be tested early and often. The most important thing about our noncon is the opportunity for us to prepare for what's sure to be another tough year in the SLIAC. Playing our best basketball in late February is the ultimate goal and I think this slate will help us get there."
The schedule kicks off Oct. 20 with the alumni game at the Historic Gym at 7 p.m. All alumni of the program are welcome to return to campus to play in the game.
Westminster then travels to Southern Illinois University Nov. 2 for an exhibition game, marking the second straight season that the Blue Jays will face an NCAA Division I opponent. SIU is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.
The team opens up at home Nov. 12 against Kansas Christian before traveling to Jacksonville, Illinois, for the Tip-Off Tournament to face host Illinois Colllege and Milliken University Nov. 16 and 17. The Blue Jays complete the three-game road trip by heading to Central College Nov. 20 before the Thanksgiving break.
The SLIAC season begins at home Nov. 28 with a matchup against Iowa Wesleyan to close out the month of November.
December features three conference games including away at Blackburn (Dec. 1) and Eureka (Dec. 8), and home against Fontbonne (Dec. 15).
The Blue Jays continue the nonconference schedule in December with home games against Central Christian College of the Bible (Dec. 3), Washington University in St. Louis (Dec. 6), and Nebraska Wesleyan (Dec. 17). The game against Nebraska Wesleyan will be played at 11 a.m. for the inaugural School Days Game, in which the stands will be filled with students from local grade schools.
The nonconference schedule is concluded with a home and away series with Principia, who will return to being a full member for women's basketball in the SLIAC for the 19-20 season. Westminster faces the Panthers at home Feb. 9 and away Jan. 8.
The rest of the Blue Jay schedule in January and February features 12 SLIAC games, six home and six away. The home games are against Spalding (Jan. 3), Greenville (Jan. 12), MacMurray (Jan. 16), Blackburn (Jan. 23), Eureka (Jan. 26), and defending SLIAC Tournament champions Webster (Feb. 6).
The final conference road games for Westminster are at Webster (Jan. 5), Iowa Wesleyan (Jan. 19), Fontbonne (Jan. 30), Spalding (Feb. 2), Greenville (Feb. 13), and MacMurray (Feb. 16).
The SLIAC Tournament will be held Feb. 21 and 23 and hosted by the regular season champion.