Women's hoops back in Moody; new-look 'Cats open 2022

ABILENE – The new season is finally here for the ACU women's basketball team, and the 2022-23 campaign gets underway on Wednesday night inside the newly renovated Moody Coliseum when the Wildcats open up with Howard Payne at 6 p.m. The Wildcats return just four players from the 17-win squad of a season ago, and have nine new faces on the roster for 11th-year head coach Julie Goodenough. After graduating four starters, it will be a brand new look on the court for the 'Cats as they compete against a tougher WAC slate.

Three players are back with playing time experience in fifth-year guard Madi Miller and sophomores Bella Earle and Alexis Babineaux. Addison Martin will see the court for the first time in her ACU career after taking a medical redshirt a year ago. Added to the mix are five transfers and four true freshman. It will continue to be a squad that gets up and down the floor, and shoots three-pointers, free throws, and layups. It's the Wildcat Way, and the team is ready to unveil their brand-new facility Wednesday night.

MOODY MAGIC RETURNS

It might be the most hype around the start of the season in years. After two years over in the Teague Special Events Center due to renovations, Moody Coliseum is back and better than ever. ACU is 430-132 all-time at Moody Coliseum, and will step on Wessel Court at Anthony Arena for the first time since March 2020. Since then, the team has survived a pandemic, a temporary facility with no locker room, and a switching of conferences. The 'Cats are finally home, and Wednesday night will be a night to remember.

ROSTER OUTLOOK

RETURNERS

Of the four returning players, three saw action last season. It's the fewest number of returners to a Julie Goodenough team at ACU, and they will be heavily relied on to be leaders on the team.

Madi Miller - Miller accepted her fifth year to come back for one more ride with ACU, and her 117 career games played ranks sixth in ACU's Division I history. Miller's experience with 53 starts and her understanding of the culture and the locker room is invaluable to this team. Miller has 122 career three-pointers made to go with 345 rebounds and 119 steals.

Bella Earle - Earle was the WAC Freshman of the Week on two occasions last season, and had a really nice rookie campaign with seven starts in 30 games. She averaged over 21 minutes on the court, and scored over seven points per game with over four rebounds. Earle shot 45% from the floor and scored in double digits nine times.

Alexis Babineaux - Babineaux saw action in 11 games, and adds invaluable experience inside for ACU.

Addison Martin - Martin took a medical redshirt in 2021-22 after injury her knee in the preseason in August last year. She is healthy and ready to make an impact inside. She stands at six-feet, and had a decorated career at Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport, La. Martin will be a contributing player and could see starting minutes on opening night in the paint.

TRANSFERS

The Wildcats bring in five transfers who all could make a huge impact and see significant minutes right away. One transfer is a grad student, while the other four are all sophomores and have three years of eligibility remaining.

Maleeah Langstaff - Mal is the grad transfer from Northeastern State where she played for a season as an All-MIAA selection averaged 17 points per game. Prior to her time in Oklahoma, she spent three seasons at Winthrop where she played in 82 games and averaged north of five points per game. Mal is expected to be a huge leader inside for ACU, and will contribute right away to the post position.

Aspen Thornton - One of the two point-guard transfers, Thornton comes over as the top scorer in all of Division II last season, averaging 23 points per game for Ouachita Baptist. She set single-game scoring records for the Tigers with 43 points against Arkansas Tech, and tallied a total of 608 points a season ago. Thornton and Jackson will battle for the starting point guard spot, and both will see significant minutes.

Zoe Jackson - Jackson is part two of that equation at the top, transferring over to ACU from Butler, where she played in 27 games as a freshman. Jackson averaged almost seven points per game with the Bulldogs, and dished out a season-best eight assists against SIUE. She can score, she can distribute, and she has a very infectious energy that is very contagious.

Brooke Jessen - Jessen's name might sound familiar, and it should. She played for WAC opponent UTRGV in Edinburg, Texas a season ago, and scored a career-best 14 points against ACU in the second round of the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Jessen is a great three-point shooter and adds more options to the outside to be able to put the ball in the bucket.

Raychael Harjo - AHarjo did not see much time for Central Florida last season inside, but has a very high ceiling and is incredibly talented at at six-foot, two-inches. Harjo had a decorated high-school career, scoring over 1,000 points at Moore HS in Oklahoma. Expect Harjo to make an immediate impact in the paint, and she will be heavily involved in the rotation. It was a point of emphasis to get longer inside, and Harjo fits that description.

FRESHMEN

The Wildcats brought in four true freshmen and they all have different talents and could see time on the floor. It's a group of three guards and one forward that will bring athleticism and youth to the roster.

Reagan Fox - Fox is a very talented guard, and Coach Goodenough is excited about her size on the perimeter. She was a 1,000-point scorer at Blanchard High School in Oklahoma, and made three state tournament appearances. Fox is a hard-nosed scorer who just finds a way to put the ball in the basket.

Hampton Williams - Another addition to the guard position, Williams gives ACU another three-point threat on the perimeter. She's a strong player, and can muscle her way into the paint as well. She was a winner at Salina Central High School in Kansas, finishing second and third at the state tournament in back-to-back seasons.

Tristin Keller - Keller, another guard, is a versatile player and will be a special asset to ACU. She's a three-time all-state player at Mason High School in Texas, and she guided her squad to a pair of state tournament appearances. Her athleticism will show as someone who lettered in six sports in high school.

Claire Graham - Graham is a local kid from Jim Ned High School, and it was really special for Coach Goodenough to sign someone she has known for many years. Graham was a multi-port athlete, and knows how to win, going 125-15 in her high school career. Graham is a winner, and will fight for minutes early on in the season.

WEDNESDAY VS. HOWARD PAYNE

The Wildcats have played D3's Howard Payne multiple times, and will match up for the seventh time since ACU moved to Division I in 2013. ACU is 6-0 against HPU, and will open up the brand new coliseum against the Yellow Jackets Wednesday night. The game airs on ESPN+ at 6 p.m.

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