SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana women's basketball (1-7 overall, 0-3 NSIC) will head east to Minnesota for its first two conference road games of the season, with action against Minnesota Duluth on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and at #13 Concordia-St. Paul at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Complete action can be followed on GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app, presented by The Original Pancake House. The app can be downloaded in the App Store or Google Play.
 
THE BULLDOGS
Minnesota Duluth is 2-6 overall and 0-3 in conference play following weekend losses to Southwest Minnesota State (82-56) and Sioux Falls (79-68). Myra Moorjani leads scoring for UMD with an average of 15.3 points per game while Claire Bjorge averages 12.4 points per game. Lexi Karge is pulling down an average of 6.4 rebounds a game while Moorjani is dishing out 4.8 assists a game.
 
THE GOLDEN BEARS
Concordia-St. Paul sits with an undefeated 9-0 overall record and 3-0 conference showing after defeating Sioux Falls (79-63) and Southwest Minnesota State (72-58). CSP is now #13 in the most recent WBCA poll with 252 points. Three athletes are averaging double figures in points per game with Lydia Haack (15.9), Lindsey Becher (13.6) and Leah Dengerud (10.9). Becher is currently adding in 8.7 rebounds/game, with Megan Gamble right behind at 8.4 rebounds/game, and Haack averages 4.6 assists/game.
 
THE VIKINGS
Augustana is looking for its first conference victory of the season this weekend after starting 0-3, most recently falling in back-to-back games to Winona State and then-ranked #16 Minnesota State.
 
Hannah Burg is leading the offensive with 12.0 points per game as Payton Hardy joins her in double figures with 10.6 points per game. Hardy is also leading the team in rebounding with 6.4 rebounds/game as Burg leads with an average of 4.6 assists/game.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Augustana holds the 20-16 overall series advantage over the Bulldogs, but most recently fell 68-50 at home on Feb. 2, 2024. The Vikings won the latest game against the Golden Bears, taking the narrow 61-60 victory at home on Feb. 3, 2024, while leading the series, 22-17.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Augustana hosted its first conference weekend of the season with two games out at the Sanford Pentagon. On Friday, the Vikings fell to Winona State, 65-45, behind Payton Hardy's 14 points and four rebounds. Brinlee McRae added in eight points and four rebounds, but it was the Warriors' .509% shooting that dominated the game.
 
The Vikings again fell, 96-70, to #16 Minnesota State on Saturday. Hardy again led scoring as she put on a show with her career-high 17 points alongside five rebounds, two steals and a block. Olivia Hayenga joined with 12 points and eight rebounds, McRae added 10 points and Hannah Burg dished out six assists and three steals.
 
VICTORY FORMATION
Nate Vogel has secured his first victory as head coach of the Augustana women's basketball team, leading the Vikings over the Broncos of Hastings College, 87-77, last week.
 
DOUBLE DIGIT DUTIES
Hannah Burg and Payton Hardy are currently averaging double figures in scoring, with Burg leading at 12.0 points/game and Hardy averaging at 10.6 points/game.
 
BALLIN' BURG
The NSIC preseason poll deemed Hannah Burg as the Vikings' Player to Watch in 2024-25. The senior from Colorado Springs, Colo., averaged 16.7 minutes per game with the Lions in the 2023-24 season for 3.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game.
 
"Hannah is a dynamic guard who is always under control," said Vogel. "She has been part of successful teams in the past so she knows what it takes to win. Hannah is also an unbelievable teammate who keeps our team together."
 
VOGEL'S A VIKING
Augustana women's basketball head coach Nate Vogel steps into his first year at the helm of the Vikings program after spending five seasons as the head coach at Texas A&M International. In the 2023-24 season, the Dustdevils collected a program-best record of 25-7 and garnered their first ever national ranking, reaching No. 17 in the country.
 
NEW FACES, NEW PLACES
With 10 newcomers joining in the with five returning letterwinners on the Augustana roster, AU will have quite the new look alongside first-year head coach Nate Vogel.
 
Fresh faces joining the Vikings include Olivia Hayenga—the two-time NJCAA DIII National Player of the Year—and Uzor Uchidiuno—a graduate transfer from Felician who played 90 games and averaged 5.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in 18.7 minute per game.
 
Two freshmen will also make their debut with the addition of Izzy Klumper and Isabella Sanneh.
 
RUNNING IT BACK
Five letterwinners return to the Vikings lineup, led by junior CJ Adamson, who appeared in 25 games and averaged 3.0 points and 1.3 rebounds last season, and junior Katie Leisen, who averaged 2.2 points and 2.1 rebounds.
 
Also making their comeback are redshirt sophomore Katelyn Diegnau, sophomore Payton Hardy, sophomore Jordan Munson and redshirt junior Kelsey Willems.
 
PRESEASON PLACEMENT
The Augustana women's basketball team was selected to finish 11^th in the 2024-25 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, finishing with 70 points.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Augustana will return home to host a Thursday doubleheader against Southwest Minnesota on Dec. 19 before heading to Wayne State on Saturday. Games are set to tip at 5:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively.