SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Angelo State University women's basketball team will open the 2026-27 season with a trip to Canyon to compete in the D2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Tipoff Classic, hosted by West Texas A&M, with matchups against New Mexico Highlands on Friday, Oct. 30 and MSU Denver on Saturday, Oct. 31.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
GAME ONE - Friday, Oct. 30
vs. New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls
First United Bank Center – Canyon, Texas
2:15 p.m.
Watch  |  Live Stats

GAME TWO - Saturday, Oct. 31
vs. MSU Denver Roadrunners
First United Bank Center – Canyon, Texas
12 p.m.
Watch  |  Live Stats

2025-26 REWIND
The Rambelles begin the year looking to build on a strong finish to conference play last year. Angelo State put together a 10-game winning streak spanning more than a month during the second half of the LSC schedule, finishing 15-12 overall and 13-7 in conference play to earn the No. 6 seed in the LSC Championship Tournament.

SCOUTING NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
Last Meeting: Nov. 24, 2007 (Canyon, Texas - ASU 91-47)
When the opening tip takes place, it'll have been 6,915 days, or 987 weeks and six days, or 18 years, 11 months and six days, since the Belles and Cowgirls last faced off. The Blue and Gold won 91-47 in a game that also took place at West Texas A&M's First United Center.

New Mexico Highlands, a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, enters the new year off a 13-14 overall record and 9-11 in RMAC play. The Cowgirls went 3-2 against Lone Star Conference opponents, defeating Cameron and Western New Mexico twice in Nov. of 2025 before falling to UT Permian Basin and West Texas A&M in the WT Thanksgiving Classic.

The Cowgirls were picked to finish seventh in the RMAC Preseason Poll, receiving 99 points and a third-place vote. NMHU had two players selected for the 10-member Preseason All-RMAC Team: Kapiolani Anitielu, who earned second-team postseason honors last season after averaging 16.4 points in 16 games played. Aniya Johnson was the second selection as she averaged 12.8 points per game and led the team with 136 rebounds last season.

Offensively, the Cowgirls averaged 69.4 points per game while shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 69.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Defensively, NMHU allowed just under 64.5 points per game last season, which included 39.4 percent of shots from the field. Furthermore, the Cowgirls averaged 34.3 rebounds per game.

NMHU HEAD COACH LINDSEY FEARING
The Cowgirls are guided by Lindsey Fearing, who enters her third season at the helm. In her first two seasons, she accumulated a record of 26-28 for a winning percentage of .481.

SCOUTING MSU DENVER
Last Meeting: Nov. 8, 2024 (Denver, Colo. - ASU 59-41)
When they tip off on Saturday afternoon, the Rambelles and the Roadrunners will have played in five of the last six seasons in the Ellis Era, dating back to November of 2021. The Rambelles have won three straight matchups by an average margin of 16 points.

MSU Denver, a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, enters the new year off a 15-14 overall record and 13-7 in conference play to earn a spot in the RMAC Postseason Tournament, where they fell to Adams State in the opening round.

The Roadrunners were picked to bounce back and finish second in the RMAC Preseason Poll, receiving 166 points courtesy of one first-place vote, five second-place votes and four third-place votes. MSUD had one player selected for the 10-member Preseason All-RMAC Team: Neveah Millard, who earned second-team postseason honors last season after averaging 12.6 points in 29 games played.

Offensively, the Roadrunners averaged 71 points per game while shooting 42.2 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 75.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Defensively, MSUD allowed just over 70 points per game last season, which included 38.6 percent of shots from the field. Furthermore, the Roadrunners averaged 40.9 rebounds per game.

MSUD HEAD COACH MARIO CAETANO
The Roadrunners are guided by Mario Caetano, who is set to begin his first season at the helm for MSUD. He spent the previous five seasons as the head coach at Adams State, guiding the Grizzlies to a third seed in the RMAC tournament last season and 99-56 overall record during his time in the Green and Black.

RAMBLINGS ABOUT THE RAMBELLES
ASU HEAD COACH ALESHA ELLIS
Head coach Alesha Ellis is on the brink of a major milestone as she enters her sixth season leading the Rambelles. She sits just 6 wins away from reaching 100 victories at Angelo State University. The former Texas Tech Lady Raider has compiled an impressive career record of 283–108 over 12 full seasons, including a 94–56 mark after five seasons at ASU.

THAT MAJIK-AL FEELING
Junior guard Majik Esquivel was recognized by the Lone Star Conference as a 'Player to Watch' after a 2025-26 campaign where she notched three Offensive Player of the Week honors en route to a First Team All-LSC nod and South Central Region honors from D2CCA. The Lubbock, Texas, native ranked second in the conference with 17.1 points per game and connected on 60 3-pointers during the 2025-26 campaign.

ROSTER CONSTRUCTION
The Rambelles go into the 2026-27 campaign with a unique combination of youth and game experience, having just one senior, Stevi Lockhart, while having a combined eight juniors and sophomores. The Blue and Gold also see an even split of its 13 players, featuring seven guards and six forwards.

RETURNING PRODUCTION
ASU is set to return 64.2% of their offensive production from last season, led by Esquivel and was followed by Taylor Grona and Stevi Lockhart, who scored 276 and 157 points, respectively.

NEW FACES, NEW VIBES
The Rambelles welcome six newcomers to the roster this season, highlighted by JUCO transfers Parfaite Elia Ando (Colby College) and Katy Elder (Western Texas College). They'll be joined by freshmen Anna Marie Whitworth, a standout from Mason High School, Rilyn Grona, sister of Taylor Grona, out of Fredericksburg High School, while being rounded out by Central Texas talents, Renee Stemmons, from Liberty Hill High School and Cece Flournoy-Walker from Glenn High School in Leander.

LONE STAR CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
The Belles were picked to repeat last season's sixth-place finish in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll. The Blue and Gold received 594 points in voting conducted by the conference's head coaches, sports information directors and one media representative from each institution. Texas Woman's, West Texas A&M, UT Tyler, Lubbock Christian and Eastern New Mexico occupied the top five spots in the preseason poll. St. Mary's, UT Dallas, UT Permian Basin and St. Edward's followed the Belles to round out the top 10.