UMD Women’s Basketball Team Eyeing Bigger Goals, Deeper Run in NCAA Tournament

The Bulldogs are coming into the season as the preseason favorites to repeat as NSIC champions.

DULUTH, Minn. – Tuesday afternoon, the UMD women’s basketball team hosted Media Day at Romano Gym.

The Bulldogs are coming into the season as the preseason favorites to repeat as NSIC champions. But this squad feels like they are capable of more, including a deeper run in the NCAA tournament.

“Just not being complacent with what we have accomplished within these past four years for at least our seniors, but also like me and Maeysen [Thiesen] being seniors on the team now. We’re just not complacent with winning a conference tournament championship. But we want to win elite eight championships and go on further and further in the tournament,” said senior forward Brooke Olson.

The Bulldogs return 13 players from last season’s team, including a trio of fifth-year players, as well as a group of underclassmen who made big strides over the summer.

“When Coach [Pearson] asked if we were coming back, I think it was a pretty obvious answer. We have a great group here and talking to Sarah Grow and Payton Kahl, we just all decided together, let’s just all do this and come back and have fun. It’s a great group and just fortunate to have the opportunity to have another year with the Bulldogs,” said fifth-year guard Ann Simonet.

“I want them all to be on the floor. I want them all to play. But you have this group coming back that was very talented so it’s hard. It’s a balancing game and I’ve never had to do it quite like this before. A lot of people have made some really good improvements and hopefully we can give them some opportunities during games to show what they have,” head coach Mandy Pearson said.

UMD will open their regular season next week on the road against Drury, who are ranked #2 in the country.