College basketball season has returned.

The Sul Ross State women's basketball team tips off the year in Walla Walla, Wash., with a pair of games against Whitworth University and Whitman College on Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 11.

>> SEASON OUTLOOK:

Last season the Lobos won a program record 15 games overall and 11 games in conference play after making their third-straight appearance in the American Southwest Conference tournament.

This season will be a little different due to the transition to NCAA Division II.

Regardless, second-year head coach E.J. Lee Smith and company hope to raise the bar even higher.

"I expect a lot from them because we had a pretty good year. Our main players are coming back," said Smith. "I'm very excited about Marley Rokas, Victoria Aguayo, Kayley Diaz and Emily Bunger."

This season's schedule is a lot kinder to the Lobos as opposed to last season where Sul Ross State played 14-straight games on the road before playing the home opener in January.

Sul Ross State has 11 home games this season with the first being against future conference opponent, Western New Mexico University, on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

Other home games include University of the Ozarks (Nov. 30), University of Texas at Dallas (Dec. 2), Mary Hardin-Baylor (Dec. 16), Concordia University (Dec. 18), Northern New Mexico College (Dec. 19), Howard Payne (Jan. 13), Hardin-Simmons (Jan. 25), McMurry (Jan. 27), LeTourneau (Feb. 8) and East Texas Baptist (Feb. 10).

Sul Ross State's lone exhibition game is against another future conference opponent, the University of Texas-Permian Basin, on Nov. 21 in Odessa, Texas.

The Lobos return eight players from last season while there are eight new faces on the court.

One of the eight is a familiar face in guard Caitlyn Corley who played two prior seasons with the Lobos (2020-21 and 2021-22) before returning to the court this year.

One top returner includes last season's leading scorer Marley Rokas who averaged 13.9 points per game while ranking second on the team with 195 total rebounds.

"Last year we had some injuries, and those players are back. They are doing much better," added Smith. "One thing for sure is that my players play hard. I'm very excited about this season."

The Lobos strengthened the roster by adding two transfers in Cheyanne Bonilla (Mary Hardin-Baylor) and Ariana Escalante (Seward County Community College).

Freshmen Koda Beltran, Morgan Peralez, Destanee Jefferson and Ti'Miah Jackson-Allen have made a significant impression early on.

>> FULL SCHEDULE: https://srlobos.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule

>> WHAT THE PLAYERS SAY:

"We're actually guard-heavy this year, so we're looking to be faster. I think we're going to have a good season. I think we can push the ball now that we're faster. Our chemistry is really good." — Victoria Aguayo

"We're a lot older, we have more wisdom and IQ. We're not only trying to beat records, we're trying to increase the program as a whole. We're trying to make a whole new atmosphere on and off the court. We're trying to help our school and promote it. I want to make sure the traditions and that the people that are here now are going to stay here. We jelled the second that we got together. We're not just teammates, we're family members." — Marley Rokas

"I'm kind of hoping that we just prove people wrong and we come out and show out. It's really coming along. Our guards are reading our posts and are posts are reading us, so it's been a really good experience thus far. I think our strong point is going to be our quickness." — Cheyenne Bonilla

SEASON OPENER
>> WHAT: 2023 Kim Evanger Raney Classic
>> WHO: Sul Ross State vs. Whitworth University
>> WHEN: Friday (Nov. 10) | 5 p.m. PST / 7 p.m. CST
>> WHERE: Sherwood Athletic Center | Walla Walla, Wash.
>> HOW TO WATCH: https://nwcnetwork.tv/whitman/
>> LIVE STATS: https://athletics.whitman.edu/sidearmstats/wbball/summary