EDMONTON, Alta. – The NAIT Ooks women's basketball team is set to open up their 2019-2020 campaign this weekend as they host the Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves in two games.
The Ooks are coming off a year where they saw a lot of veterans leave, and a lot of fresh faces join the program. The young team ended up finishing third in the ACAC north division regular-season standings. They would then go on to lose a close game at the ACAC Championship tournament to the eventual CCAA National Champion Olds College Broncos.
"Last year was an invaluable learning year for a very young team who showed they could compete with the best in the country by the end of the season," said head coach Todd Warnick in regards to last season.
This season Warnick is returning ten players (4 of 5 starters) from last season, including 1st team all-conference and all-time NAIT three-point Leader Sydney Hurlburt for the fifth and final year of her collegiate career. The Ooks have added four new faces including, 2018-2019 Southern Alberta High School Basketball Player of the year, Lauren Payne from Magrath, AB. Other recruits include forward – Kaya Vandermeer (St.Albert, AB.), guard – Sara Coleman (Calgary, AB.), and guard – Austen Robbins (Taber, AB.).
"This is an exciting young group with lots of team chemistry and the willingness to learn and get better. I am excited by their potential and look forward to seeing what we can achieve this season," said Warnick.
Head Coach Todd Warnick enters his 10th season (188-86 record) as the Ooks bench boss on Friday night when he will take on the GPRC Wolves at 6:00 pm.