LAKE CHARLES— First year McNeese women's basketball head coach Ayla Guzzardo has announced the Cowgirls' 2025-26 non-conference schedule, one that has the Cowgirls playing five of its first seven games of the season on the road but it's a schedule that will challenge a squad that is looking to turn the fortunes around in Lake Charles.

Highlighting the non-conference schedule will be three games against teams that advanced to the postseason last year including two games against teams that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Cowgirls will open their season by hosting Pensacola Christian College in its annual kid's game on Nov. 3.  The game will be the fourth year McNeese will welcome several thousand school kids from Calcasieu Parish to attend.

"We are looking forward to our season opener on Nov. 3 at the Legacy Center where we welcome the youth of Lake Charles to kick off our season," said Guzzardo.

A road game at Alabama will provide the first true test of the season for the Cowgirls.  The Crimson Tide are coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance last season where they fell in double overtime to Maryland in the second round.

The non-conference schedule also has McNeese traveling to Tarleton State who fell to Lindenwood in the second round of the WNIT, followed by a road game at Utah Tech.

McNeese will travel to Tempe, Arizona (Dec. 5-6) for the Arizona State Tournament.  The Cowgirls will take on Arizona State, another NCAA Tournament team who lost to Iowa State in the second round last season along with a game against Nevada. 

"We will get to challenge ourselves early in the non-conference schedule against an Alabama team that made some noise in the NCAA Tournament last year. We will be road warriors with trips to Utah Tech, Arizona State, and Tarleton which is great because it will make us ready for our rigorous conference opponents."

The Southland Conference schedule will be released at a later date.

2025-26 McNeese Women's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 3             Pensacola Christian College (Kid's Game)
Nov. 6             at Alabama                                         
Nov. 16           at Tarleton State                                             
Nov. 22           LSUA                                                
Dec. 2              at Utah Tech                                       
Dec. 5-6          at Arizona State Tournament (Arizona State, Nevada)

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