2019-20 IUPUI Women's Basketball preview

IUPUI Women’s Basketball has had a very successful era with head coach Austin Parkinson at the helm of the team. Heading into his tenth season as coach, Parkinson and the Lady Jaguars look to finally get over the hump and claim their first Horizon League title and make the NCAA Tournament.

The Lady Jags look to build upon last year’s stellar 13-5 conference record and 20-12 record overall. The season eventually came to a close with a loss against Middle Tennessee, 59-47, in the first round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

The Horizon League picked the Jaguars to finish third this season, behind last year’s conference champion Green Bay and last year’s regular-season champion Wright State.

Here are the complete team predictions for the 2019-2020 Horizon League season:

1. Green Bay, Wright State (tied)


2. IUPUI


3. Youngstown State


4. Milwaukee


5. Northern Kentucky


6. Cleveland State


7. Oakland


8. Detroit Mercy


9. UIC

The Lady Jags may be picked to finish third in the Horizon League, but their eight returning players from last year’s team that have all had more than their fair share of playing time together.

Macee Williams was named last year’s Horizon League Player of the Year and to the Horizon League First Team. Williams, a junior, averaged 16.1 points and 8.8 rebounds and looks to have another strong season for the Lady Jags, as she was named the Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year and to the Horizon League Preseason First Team.

Holly Hoopingarner, a senior, averaged 10.6 points and shot 35.1% beyond-the-arc, Hoopingarner will provide leadership as the lone senior on the team. Katelyn O’Reilly, a redshirt junior who averaged 8.6 points and 5.8 rebounds, will also look to have another big season alongside Hoopingarner and Williams.

The Lady Jags added key transfers Destiny Perkins and Rachel McLimore, who will add depth to an already loaded roster of returning players from last season. Both Perkins and McLimore sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, so they’re more than anxious to get on the court for the first time being with the Lady Jags.

Coach Parkinson has another solid roster ready to go for another thrilling college basketball season. Look for the Lady Jags to make a lot of noise throughout the season, especially later in March in the Horizon League Tournament. The Lady Jags will have their work cut out for them, but expect them to be dancing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in their history when it is all said and done.

The Lady Jags open their season with a home exhibition game on October 31 against the Benedictine Eagles and have their first official game on November 5, an important early-season matchup against the Ball State Cardinals at the Jungle.