Ball State University Athletics
Women’s Basketball Season Has Begun; Cardinals Wrap up Week One of Practice
September 29, 2023 | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State women's basketball team has a lot to look forward to this season after a record-breaking successful 2022-23 campaign. The Cardinals are wrapping their first official week of practice which began Wednesday afternoon at the Shondell Practice Center.
Ball State head coach Brady Sallee and his staff have put together an array of challenging non-conference opponents which are highlighted with a Nov. 24 home game on Black Friday in Worthen Arena against Atlantic Coast Conference foe and nationally prominent Notre Dame.
The Cardinals tip off the exhibition season on Nov. 1 at home against Trine University and open the season officially on Monday, Nov. 6 by welcoming Tennessee Tech at 11 a.m. as part of Ball State's annual "Field Trip Day."
Sallee, beginning his 12th year at Ball State, returns 10 players from a record-setting squad that saw the Cardinals finish 26-9 with a 14-4 Mid-American Conference ledger.
The Cardinals' 26 wins tied the program record for most wins in a season. Ball State advanced to the semifinal round of the MAC Tournament and the second round of the postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the first time since 2018. The 20-win season also marked the sixth time in the last eight years Sallee reached the 20-win plateau.
One of the league's top point guards and postseason All-MAC honoree Ally Becki returns to the court for her junior season. Joining Becki are veteran's seniors Estel Puiggros, Sydney Shafer and Annie Rauch along with juniors Madelyn Bischoff, Marie Kiefer and Alex Richard. Also coming back for the Cardinals are Ana Barreto, Sydney Bolden and Hana Mühl.
The Cardinals welcome newcomer Nyla Hampton who transferred from Bowling Green this past summer. The three-time MAC Defensive Team recipient enters her first season with Ball State while nearing the 1,000-point plateau with 865 career points. She has also pulled down 131 career rebounds and dished 278 assists with 243 steals.
Other new faces joining Hampton are twins Hailey Smith and Olivia Smith, along with Ashlynn Brooke. All three true freshman played at Indiana high schools.
Season tickets for one of the most highly anticipated season in program history are available by calling 1-888-BSU-TICKET or by clicking here.
