Women's Basketball October 21, 2026 Claire Gay, UMW Sports Information

Bulldog WBB Hosts Hope International, Travels to Northwest Crossover Classic

GAME NOTES (PDF)

DILLON, Mont. – The Montana Western women's basketball program (0-0) opens the season at home Thursday against Hope International (0-0) before traveling to Spokane, Wash., to compete in the Northwest Crossover Classic. At the Classic, they will take on Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) members Evergreen State (0-0) and (RV) LC State (0-0).

SCHEDULE
Thursday, Oct. 22
Hope International – 6 p.m. MT | Watch Live | Live Stats

Saturday, Oct. 24
vs Evergreen State – 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. MT | Live Stats

Sunday, Oct. 25
vs (RV) LC State – 6 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. MT | Live Stats

A LOOK BACK AT 2025-26
Montana Western finished 14-14 on the season and 11-11 in conference play. Season highlights include four wins over ranked or receiving-votes opponents and a trip to the Frontier Conference Tournament semifinals

THE PACK PERSPECTIVE
The Bulldogs averaged 66.4 points, 36.6 rebounds, 13.3 assists, 8.4 steals, and 2.9 blocks per game in 2025-26. They shot 40.9 percent from the floor, 32.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 70.3 percent from the charity stripe last season.

2026-27 ROSTER NOTES
UMW is returning eight from the 2025-26 squad.

2025-26 Frontier Sixth Woman of the Year and Second Team All-Conference honoree Bailee Sayler is back for her junior season. She led the Bulldogs in scoring last season with 13.5 points per game while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from distance.

Tayva Phillips and Ava Bellach return for their senior seasons with UMW. The duo ranked fourth and fifth on the team in scoring with 7.9 and 6.5 points per game, respectively.

Mila Hawk and Maile Wilcox join Sayler in the junior class. Hawk shot 46.6 percent from the floor and 62.5 percent from beyond the arc in 2025-26 and Wilcox shot 36.8 percent from the field and 77.8 percent from the charity stripe.

Brooke Deyak, Kyle Pancost, and Kasey Hendren are back with the team for their sophomore season. Pancost ranked second on the team with 5.4 rebounds per game last season while Deyak finished second in three-point percentage (45.0). Hendren was sidelined in 2025-26 due to injury.

The Bulldogs bolstered their 2026 squad with seven newcomers. Transfers Maddie Kaufman (sophomore) and Silivia Fonongaloa (junior) bring physicality and toughness while freshman Ava Blair, Reese Gustin, Kendyl Meinhold, Madeline Moline, and Marisa Snider add depth and versatility.

COACHES CORNER
Head Coach Ryan Sullivan returns for his second year in charge of the women's basketball program. Wes Knox also returns as assistant coach alongside first-year assistant Kiera Cox.

THE OPPONENTS
Hope International

The Royals went 24-5 overall and 15-1 in league play last season.
They returned seven players from the 2025-26 squad, including three starters.
HIU averaged 70.1 points, 40.9 rebounds, 13.4 assists, 8.6 steals, and 3.6 blocks per game.
2025-26 top scorers Amira Austin (13.7) and Nicole Chuang (13.6) are both back this season as well as fourth-ranked scorer Andrea Javier (7.9).
Austin also paced the team in rebounds with 10.4 per game while Faith Brinkman (fourth in rebounds, 3.7 per game) also returns for the Royals.
Javier and Brinkman ranked first and second on the team in assists at 3.9 and 2.0, respectively.
Austin tied for first on the team in steals (1.4) and led outright in blocks (1.4).

Evergreen State

The Geoducks went 1-22 overall and 1-19 in conference last season.
They returned six players from the 2025-26 squad, including two starters.
ESC averaged 51.1 points, 31.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 7.6 steals, and 3.1 blocks per game.
Amaya Afatasi (7.1 points per game) and Jesselle Victo Castillo (4.9 ppg) are both back this year after ranking third and fifth in scoring, respectively, last season.
The duo also ranked first and second in assists at 2.2 and 2.1, respectively, and fourth and fifth in rebounds last season at 2.9 and 2.3.
Sahara Soufi was third on the team last year in steals oer game (0.8)
McKenna Jacobs returns at the third-ranked shooter on the team in 2025-26 after posting 42.9 percent from the floor.

LC State

The Warriors open the season receiving votes in the NAIA Preseason Poll after a 25-9 overall record in 2024-26 (15-9 in CCC play).
They advanced to the 2026 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Round of 16.
They returned seven players from last season's squad, including two starters.
LC State averaged 76.2 points, 38.1 rebounds, 16.1 assists, 11.8 steals, and 3.4 blocks per game.
Darian Herring (11.5 ppg) and Kendall Wallace (10.5) ranked third and fourth on the team in points, respectively.
Herring also paced the team in rebounds (9.0 per game) while Grace Beardin sat fourth (3.5).
Herring also ranked first in blocks (2.4), second in assists (3.4) and third in steals (1.9)

SERIES HISTORY
The Bulldogs are 0-1 all-time against Hope International and 25-45 all-time against LC State. This will be the first-ever matchup between Montana Western and Evergreen State.

LOOKING AHEAD
Following the weekend, Montana Western heads to the Caldwell Classic in Caldwell, Idaho to take on #22 College of Idaho (10/30) and (RV) Eastern Oregon.

For complete coverage of UMW Women's Basketball, be sure to follow us on social media at @umw_wbb (Instagram), @umw_wbb (X), and @Montana Western Women's Basketball (Facebook) or visit our official website at UMWBulldogs.com.

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