Senior women’s basketball player
When the Baker University women’s basketball team hits the floor for its first game of the season Tuesday, new head coach Ben Lister will not be the only fresh face for the Wildcats.
Nine of the 14 players on Baker’s roster are new to the program, including seven freshmen and two transfer students.
“I think we have a very good freshman class that is going to continue to get better and better,” Lister said. “I’m looking for those kids to step in right away and be productive.”
The ‘Cats will jump into tough competition right away while facing Kansas Wesleyan University on Tuesday in Salina. The Coyotes finished with a record of 31-3 last season, but Lister is confident his team will be able to compete.
“I feel like we have the athletic ability to matchup with them well,” Lister said. “It’s just a matter if we can overcome our youth and play like I feel we are capable of playing.”
With three top-25 teams on the schedule before their conference opener on Dec. 1, the ‘Cats’ matchups will not get any easier.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Lister said. “With where we are at as a group, it’s going to be an early tough test for us to try to establish ourselves right out of the gate with such quality competition.”