Sep. 3—MITCHELL — With the start of a new season less than two months away, the Dakota Wesleyan University women’s basketball program has released its schedule for the 2025-26 campaign.
The Tigers, who enter their 16th season under head coach Jason Christensen, will play a 28-game schedule featuring six non-conference contests and 22 meetings with Great Plains Athletics Conference opponents.
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Five of DWU’s six non-conference opponents were included in the final NAIA women’s basketball coaches’ top-25 poll last season. In that final poll, the Tigers were also ranked 13th. DWU advanced to the second round of the national tournament, finishing the season with a 25-7 record.
“I wanted to make sure that I aligned our non-conference schedule with our regular season schedule. The GPAC is stacked, and on any given night, anyone can pull out a win,” Christensen said in the schedule release. “This season will be the toughest schedule in program history.”
DWU is set to open with an exhibition game against NCAA Division I opponent Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 28. The Tigers’ new campaign will officially tip off at home against Bismarck State (N.D.), an NAIA newcomer, on Nov. 4.
Later that week, DWU matches up against MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) on Nov. 7 and Arizona Christian on Nov. 8, at the Cattle Classic hosted by Concordia University in Seward, Neb. MidAmerica Nazarene was 10th and Arizona Christian was 14th in the final poll.
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Following a quartet of GPAC games to close November, DWU hits the road for its annual Battle of the Blues rivalry clash with Dakota State on Dec. 2 in Madison. DSU was ranked eighth in the final poll. Later in December, the Tigers will compete at the Hoops in Hawaii Classic in Honolulu, facing the University of Providence (Mont.) on Dec. 18 and Campbellsville University (Ky.) on Dec. 19. Providence was ranked 21st with Campbellsville No. 3 nationally in the final poll.
Of note, the GPAC also had five programs ranked in the final poll, including DWU. Key dates for the Tigers include the conference opener at Hastings on Nov. 15, with the conference home opener right behind on Nov. 19 against Morningside.
DWU hosts an Alumni Day gathering alongside the Mount Marty game on Jan. 10, and the Pink the Palace game is Jan. 28 against Briar Cliff. The Tigers end their schedule with four of five games away from the Corn Palace, the exception being a Feb. 18 date with Dordt for Senior Day.
