The Murray State women’s basketball team begins its season on Thursday, Nov. 10 against Christian Brothers University.

The expectations are high for Murray State this year, as the Racers tied a school record in the 2021-22 season by finishing with 21 wins. The 21-10 record landed Murray State third in the OVC. The Racers are hoping some of that momentum from last year will carry over to this season. 

The Racers have nine players returning this season, including junior forward Katelyn Young, who dominated throughout her 2021-22 campaign, earning OVC Player of the Year. She averaged 20 points and eight rebounds per game last season.

Other returners to the roster include redshirt senior guard Macey Turley, redshirt senior forward Alexis Burpo,  junior guard Bria Sanders-Woods, junior forward Hannah McKay, junior center Lucia Operto, sophomore guard Cayson Conner, sophomore forward Jaidah Black and junior forward Charlee Settle are all returning from last year’s team.

Young, Turley, Burpo and McKay all started for the Racers last season. Sanders-Woods and Conner also filled in as starters throughout the season. 

The Racers brought in three transfers for the upcoming season. Redshirt senior guard Jordyn Hughes transferred from Eastern Illinois University. Sophomore guard Jenna Walker transferred from Western Kentucky University. Junior forward Fruzsina Horvath transferred from St. Francis College.

Freshman guard Briley Pena, freshman forward Julia Puente, freshman guard Zoe Stewart and freshman forward Halle Langhi make up Murray State basketball’s freshman recruits. 

To help prepare the Racers for the 2022-23 season, Hughes, McKay, Turley, Young and Burpo all played over 20 minutes in the exhibition game against Bethel University. Though this may not be the set-in-stone starting five, it gives an idea of what the starting lineup will look like.

Sanders-Woods, Horvath, Conner, Black and Pena all played over 10 minutes in the exhibition game. This makes it seem like those in this group will be the first ones off the bench in relief of the starters.

After the Racers’ matchup with Christian Brothers University, the team will travel to compete against Purdue University at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12. 

Other key nonconference matchups include a roadtrip to play UT Martin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 30, a home game against Austin Peay at 5 p.m. on Dec. 13 and a battle against University of Kentucky at 6 p.m. on Dec. 16.

The Racers’ final nonconference game is at 6 p.m. on Dec. 20 at Bellarmine. Conference play for the Racers will start just before the new year on Dec. 30 at 6 p.m. against UIC. 

Murray State will be facing some new competition this season, thanks to the relatively recent move to the MVC. In their first season of the conference, the women’s basketball team was picked fourth in the preseason polls, barely trailing behind Drake University, Illinois State University and Belmont University. 

The University of Northern Iowa will host Murray State at 6 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2023. UNI was picked fifth to win the MVC, trailing behind Murray State. The Racers will meet Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa at 2 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2023. Drake was picked third to win the MVC in the preseason polls. 

The Racers will then come home to play their next game against Belmont University at 6 p.m. on Jan. 11, 2023. The Bruins were picked to win the MVC in the preseason polls, and they will host Murray State at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 2, 2023. Illinois State, who was picked second in the preseason polls, will host Murray State at 2 p.m. on Feb. 5, 2023. 

Murray State will host Drake at 6 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2023 in their second meeting of the season. UNI will travel to play in Racer Arena at 2 p.m. on Feb. 25, 2023. 

The Racers’ final regular season game will be at 2 p.m. on March 4, 2023 at UIC. The 2023 Hoops In The Heartland MVC Women’s Basketball Championship will start on March 9, 2023. 

The expectations are high for Head Coach Rechelle Turner’s squad. With these high expectations and a new conference, it should be an interesting 2022-23 women’s basketball season for the Racers. 

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