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OREM, Utah \u2013 Utah Valley women’s basketball opens the 2025-26 campaign on the road at former WAC foe and new Big West rival Cal State Bakersfield on Monday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 p.m. MT \/ 6:30 p.m. PT at the Icardo Center. The Wolverines will look to move to 6-1 in season openers under head coach Dan Nielson<\/a>, who begins his seventh season leading the program.
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\nBROADCAST INFO
\nMonday’s season opener will air on ESPN+, with live stats available on gorunners.com.
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\nLAST TIME OUT
\nThe Wolverines are coming off their best season in program history, finishing 19-13 and advancing to the WNIT. Utah Valley earned its first-ever postseason victory with a 70-64 win over Air Force before falling in the second round to Washington State in Pullman, 57-54. This season, they will look to secure their first 20-win campaign in the Division I era.
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\nABOUT CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD
\nThe Roadrunners finished the 2024-25 season 2-28 overall and 2-18 in Big West play. The Big West preseason coaches poll picked them to finish 11th. Head coach Ari Wideman enters her second season leading the program. CSUB’s roster features five players with Division I experience. Marley Langi is the team’s top returning scorer after averaging 6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last season.
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\nHISTORY AGAINST THE ROADRUNNERS
\nUtah Valley and Cal State Bakersfield share a long history dating back to their days in the WAC. They will reunite next season when UVU officially joins the Big West. CSUB leads the all-time series 16-8, but Utah Valley has won the last two matchups, including a 72-48 victory last season in Orem.
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\nUTAH VALLEY RETURNERS
\nAmanda Barcello<\/a> and Halle Nelson<\/a> are the only two returning starters for the Wolverines, but UVU brings back plenty of experience off the bench. Cambree Blackham<\/a> and Tessa Chaney<\/a> are expected to step into starting roles this season. Last year’s WAC Co-Sixth Player of the Year, Kylee Mabry<\/a>, also returns and could start or continue to provide a spark off the bench. KJ Carlyle<\/a>, Saige Gibb<\/a>, and Gracie Sorenson<\/a> add solid depth for the 2025-26 squad.
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\nFRESH FACES FOR THE WOLVERINES
\nUtah Valley welcomes five newcomers who bring a mix of experience and talent to the roster. JUCO All-American and Westlake High School standout Kaylee Headrick<\/a> reunites with her former high school teammate Chaney for her final season. A pair of Utah County natives also join the team: Naia Tanuvasa<\/a>, a BYU transfer, and Orem native Gaby Goo<\/a>, who played last season at Utah State Eastern. The final two newcomers are freshmen \u2014 New Zealand native Evie Leeson<\/a>, who transferred from Alaska Anchorage, and true freshman Anna Shreeve<\/a>, who had a standout prep career in California.
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\nBARCELLO EARNS PRESEASON ALL-WAC HONORS
\nBarcello was named to the Preseason All-WAC Team by league coaches. The Arizona native is coming off a career-best season, averaging 8.7 points per game while shooting 46.2% (55-for-119) from three-point range. She scored a season-high 24 points against Abilene Christian in the WAC Tournament, helping the Wolverines reach the semifinals, and added 22 points in February’s Old Hammer Rivalry, going 6-for-6 from beyond the arc.
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\nUP NEXT
\nUtah Valley will stay in California to face Loyola Marymount on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m. MT \/ 5 p.m. PT at Gersten Pavilion. UVU’s home opener is slated for Friday, Nov. 14, at 6:00 p.m. MT against Pepperdine.
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