SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Angelo State University women's basketball team will open the 2026-27 home season by hosting the South Central Conference Crossover at the Junell Center-Stephens Arena. Due to Belles volleyball hosting the Lone Star Conference Championship Tournament, the matchups have been rescheduled to Saturday, Nov. 14 against Regis and Sunday, Nov. 15 against Adams State.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
GAME THREE - Saturday, Nov. 14
vs. Regis Rangers
Junell Center-Stephens Arena – San Angelo, Texas
6:30 p.m.
Watch  |  Live Stats  |  Tickets

GAME FOUR - Sunday, Nov. 15
vs. Adams State Grizzlies
Junell Center-Stephens Arena – San Angelo, Texas
5:30 p.m.
Watch  |  Listen  |  Live Stats  |  Tickets

D2CCA REWIND
The Rambelles began the season in the D2CCA Tip Off Classic, going 2-0 in matchups against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) opponents New Mexico Highlands and MSU Denver. Taylor Grona made 16 of her 17 free-throw attempts to lead the Blue and Gold to an overtime victory against the Cowgirls before Majik Esquivel dropped 26 points as ASU cruised to a victory to conclude the weekend.

SCOUTING REGIS
Last Meeting: Nov. 15, 2025 (Denver, Colorado - ASU 61-51)
When the opening tip takes place, it'll have been nearly one year since ASU faced off against Regis for the first time. The Blue and Gold won 61-51 on the road in the South Central Conference Crossover last season.

Regis, a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, enters the new year with a 2-21 overall record and 2-18 in RMAC play. The Rangers struggled to find the win column but did not go without their close calls, as they had dropped a few contests by as little as three points around their two wins against Westminster on Feb. 5 and MSU Denver on Feb. 28.

The Rangers were picked to finish last in the RMAC Preseason Poll, receiving 25 points. RU did not have a player selected for the 10-member Preseason All-RMAC Team.

Offensively, the Cowgirls averaged 56.7 points per game while shooting 36.4 percent from the field, 28.2 percent from beyond the arc, and 69.2 percent from the free-throw line.

Defensively, RU allowed 73.5 points per game last season, which included 45.1 percent of shots from the field. Furthermore, the Rangers averaged 33.7 rebounds per game.

RU HEAD COACH JASON KOHLER
The Rangers are guided by Jason Kohler, who enters his second season at the helm. In his first season, he accumulated a record of 2-21.

SCOUTING ADAMS STATE
Last Meeting: Nov. 14, 2025 (Alamosa, Colorado - ASU 79-62)
Over the previous two matchups, the Rambelles have had their fair share of adversity against the Grizzlies, losing in the two previous matchups dating back to 2024.

Adams State, a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, enters the new year off a 22-11 overall record and 15-5 in conference play to earn a spot in not only the RMAC Postseason Tournament, but also in the NCAA South Central Regionals, where both runs would fall short in matchups against UCCS.

Due to a new staff and relatively new team, the Grizzlies were picked to finish ninth in the RMAC Preseason Poll, receiving 87 points. ASU did not have a player selected for the 10-member Preseason All-RMAC Team.

ASU HEAD COACH NIC CANTRELL
The Grizzlies are guided by Nic Cantrell, who is set to begin his first season as a head coach at the helm for ASU. He spent the previous three seasons as an assistant coach at UCCS, helping guide the Mountain Lions to one of the most successful stretches in program history, capturing two RMAC Championships, earning two NCAA Division II National Tournament appearances, and recording 63 victories while averaging more than 20 wins per season.

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 4 wins away from reaching 100 victories at Angelo State University. The former Texas Tech Lady Raider has compiled an impressive career record of 285–108 over 12 full seasons, including a 96–56 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.

On Tuesday, Nov. 2, Esquivel was named Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the fourth time in her career. She averaged 21.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists to lead the Rambelles to a 2-0 start at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic in Canyon, Texas. She also knocked down seven 3-pointers and recorded two steals across the two victories.

Esquivel notched 17 points in an 86-81 overtime victory against New Mexico Highlands  before scoring a game-high 26 points in ASU's 89-56 win over MSU Denver. She scored four points in the extra period, including the opening basket, and went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line against the Cowgirls.

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.