FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University women's basketball team is ready for its 2015-16 home season opener on Tuesday night, at the Owls host Tabor College for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.
 
The Owls (0-0),  are coming off yet another 20-win season, as they finished the 2014-15 campaign with 23 wins, making it seven consecutive years' the team has won at least 20 games, while capturing an 18-6 record in the American Midwest Conference (AMC)
 
After collecting the No.3-seed in the conference, the Owls defeated the No.-6 seed Park University in the Quarterfinals of the AMC Postseason Tournament, before falling 65-46 to the No.2-seeded and No.16 ranked Lyon College. However, the Owls still earned an at-large bid to qualify for the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Tournament.
 
At Nationals, where the Owls were no strangers too, the team drew the No. 5 ranked Bethel University in opening round. With a large task at hand, WWU played as well as they could but didn't have in it the cards to pull the monumental upset against the Wildcats, as a BU three pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining helped Bethel University escape 62-61 and end the Owls season.
 
This season, with the return of its core inside players and senior leadership, along with impactful new comers, WWU looks to soar to new heights. The Owls were picked fourth in the AMC Preseason Poll, as No. 2 ranked Freed-Hardeman comes in for another straight season at No. 1., followed by No. 17-ranked Lyon College picked second and Columbia College in third.
 
Looking to lead the way this year for the Owls are seniors Nia Lateju, Marissa Webb, Julia Wells and junior Kennedy Volkart.
 
Lateju, a Norwalk, California native, is coming off a stellar first season in an Owls jersey, as the Cerritos CC transfer was named to her first All-AMC third team, after averaging 11.5 points on 45.1 percent shooting from the field. She was also second on the team with 159 rebounds and 16 blocks.
 
Wells, with three years in an Owl jersey under her belt, looks to end her career on a high note, as the Springfield, Missouri native is coming off a junior year, which saw her average four points per game and set new career-highs, in steals (27) and assists (41).
 
Webb, also a junior college transfer (Three Rivers CC), quickly earned a starting position for WWU, as the guard was an offensive threat from beyond the arc, collecting a team-high 38 three-pointers, ending the year averaging 7.2 points per game, shooting a 36.8 percent from the floor. She also posted 130 rebounds on the year, which was third best on the team.
 
Volkart, meanwhile, continues to look to make a huge impression in the paint, as the Russellville, Missouri native, returns after being selected to her first All-AMC honorable mention team, ending her sophomore season setting new career-highs, averaging 9.9 points per game, while shooting 42.9 percent from the floor, 73.6 percent from the free-throw line and totaled a team-high 202 rebounds and 32 blocks.
 
The team will also be looking to returners Kendra Vernatti and Kelsey Scherder, to make a big impression on the season, while transfer April Gabke (Illinois Central Community College) has already made strides in the beginning of the season.
 
This will be just the second time the Owls have met up against Tabor College, as the Blue Jays are affiliated with NAIA Division II women's basketball association. Tabor enters the season ranked No. 9 in the nation, while picked first in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Preseason Poll.
 
The Blue Jays, are coming off a 2014-15 season with an overall record of 21-13 and 15-3 in the KCAC, while capturing the KCAC regular season title, the Blue Jays earned a spot at the NAIA National Championship Tournament, where its season ended in the hands of Briar Cliff (62-53) in the semi-finals.
 
Tabor College, this season, are without service of their leading scorer from a year ago, Tonisha Dean, who was named third team All-American honoree, after posting 12.8  points per game, while leading the team shooting a 45.4 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from beyond the arc.
 
However, the Blue Jays return seniors Kayla Wilgers, Taylor Hurd and juniors Tina Loewen and Kaleigh Troxell. All of which played key roles for Tabor last season, as Wilgers and Troxell each averaged eight points a game, while Wilgers led the team in assists (70) and steals (51). Loewen, grabbed a team-high 188 rebounds on the year and will be a player the Owls will have to keep an eye on.
 
Fans check back on wwuowls.com for a full recap and score of the Owls first home game inside Anderson Arena tomorrow night.

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