SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Entering his first season as the leader of the Valor women's basketball team, head women's basketball coach Jim Middleton announced a 27-game schedule for the 2023-24 season.
The 2023-24 schedule includes eleven home games and three matchups against NAIA schools that were either top-25 finishers or receiving votes to end the previous season. To view the entire schedule, click here.
Evangel begins their season in the month of November, competing in the MACU Invitational, taking on John Brown on Nov. 10 and MACU on Nov. 11. The Valor open KCAC conference play against Tabor on Nov. 15. The women will then hit the road to take on Kansas Wesleyan on Nov. 18, followed by a road matchup with York on Nov. 29.
The Valor will open with a two game homestand against McPherson and Avila on Dec. 2 and Dec. 6, respectively. On Dec. 9, Evangel travels to Lindsborg, Kan., to take on Bethany and ends the month on the road for a trio of non-conference matchups against Williams Baptist on Dec. 14, an exhibition game against NCAA D-II Central Missouri on Dec. 29th, and a game against NCAA D-II Lincoln University on Dec. 30.
The longest month of the season comes in January, starting with a road matchup against Sterling on January 3rd. The Valor return home on January 6th against the Braves of Ottawa. Evangel travels to take on Oklahoma Wesleyan on Jan. 10, followed by another road trip against Saint Mary (Kan.) on Jan. 13. On Jan. 17, Evangel hosts Bethel and then travels to Winfield, Kansas, to take on Southwestern on Jan. 20. The last week of January sees Evangel host Friends on Jan. 24, travel to Tabor on Jan. 27, and then end the month at home against Kansas Wesleyan on Jan. 31.
In the final month of the regular season, Evangel hosts York on Feb. 3, before a two game road trip against McPherson and Avila on Feb. 7 and Feb. 10, respectively. The Valor will then host Bethany on Feb. 14, following by hosting Sterling College on Feb. 17. A final regular season road trip takes place on Feb. 21st when the Valor host Ottawa. Evangel ends the season and honors their seniors on Feb. 24th for a regular season finale against Oklahoma Wesleyan.
"I'm like a bird dog on the first day of hunting season! In 37 years of doing this, I still get excited for the start of practice. I am a practice coach first. The court is our classroom and that's where the learning gets done," Women's Basketball head coach Jim Middleton stated. "It's our job to take these 16 players that are new to our coaching staff and create the best team possible. It will be an art form in athletic action ever changing. How the ladies listen, learn, and give effort will determine so much for our success. My immediate goal is to get a little bit better each day. It is the hope that our upperclassmen take the lead as they have been through the grind. This season is long. It's like running a marathon so we look for small victories daily which hopefully will occur."
Tickets for all upcoming home games will go on sale in the upcoming week.
For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.
