ABILENE - Abilene Christian women's basketball meets former Western Athletic Conference foes UT Rio Grande Valley and Stephen F. Austin this week. The Wildcats host the Vaqueros at Moody Coliseum at 6 p.m. Tuesday before going on the road to play the Ladyjacks at 5:30 p.m. Friday in Nacogdoches, Texas.
ACU's Tuesday matchup with UTRGV is the program's Salute to Service game and follows Wildcat men's basketball's contest versus Southwestern Adventist at 3 p.m. All veteran, active duty and reserve service members, their dependents and first responders can claim free tickets using the
online promo code "VET325."
A win on Tuesday would mark ACU's first 3-0 start since 2021-22. The Wildcats hold a 6-3 series lead over the Vaqueros in the Division I era, having won the teams' last three matchups. Last season, ACU took a 59-45 win in Edinburg, Texas, powered by 16 points from
Payton Hull and 10 rebounds by
Meredith Mayes.
UTRGV competed with the Wildcats in the WAC from 2021-24 before heading to the Southland Conference.
ACU is aiming for its first win versus Stephen F. Austin since 2020. The programs competed in the Southland from 2013-21 and in the WAC from 2021-24 before the Ladyjacks rejoined the Southland. Mayes registered a 20-point, 13-rebound double-double as the Wildcats fell to the Ladyjacks at Moody Coliseum last year.
The Wildcats open the 2025-26 campaign with five games versus opponents from the state of Texas. They've won four consecutive matchups with Texan programs, dating back to last season. ACU has also won seven games in a row at Moody Coliseum.
ACU began the season with a pair of wins over Howard Payne and Incarnate Word last week in Abilene.
Emma Troxell fueled the Wildcats in their 69-56 triumph versus the Cardinals, tallying 19 points and nine rebounds to go with two steals. She finished one point shy of matching her career high in scoring on 7-of-13 shooting.
Erin Woodson followed with 18 points, six boards and four assists, while Preseason All-WAC honorees Hull and Mayes recorded 14 points and six rebounds apiece. Mayes has hit 12 of 15 field goal attempts to begin the season and leads the conference with an .800 shooting percentage.
Troxell and Woodson pace the Wildcats with 15.5 points per game while scoring at a .571 clip. Troxell leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per contest, and Woodson is tops with nine total assists and six steals. Hull and Mayes average 15.0 and 12.5 points, respectively.
Breanna Davis rounds out the starting lineup with eight total assists.
