SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – In the final home weekend of the season, Augustana women's basketball (6-19 overall, 4-15 NSIC) will face Bemidji State and St. Cloud State out at the Sanford Pentagon during Alumni Weekend.
 
Action is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, respectively. Saturday against the Huskies will also serve as the Senior Day game and recognition for two Viking seniors.
 
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 BEAVERS
Bemidji State holds a 5-17 overall record this season with a 3-15 conference showing after losses to Minnesota Crookston and Northern State last week. Tieryn Plasch is currently averaging 10.2 points per game with 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Aubrey Heyer is tallying 5.4 rebounds per game and Erin Barrette sits with 2.0 steals per game.
 
THE HUSKIES
A loss to UMary and a win over Minot State has St. Cloud State at 11-12 overall and 8-10 in the NSIC. With three averaging double figures, Jada Eggebrecht sits at 12.7 points/game with Alana Zemeke (10.9 points/game) and Abigail O'Reilly (10.4 points/game) following behind. Ashley Sawicki is also pulling down 8.3 rebounds/game with 2.7 steals/game.
 
THE VIKINGS
Following an 83-65 loss to Sioux Falls, Augustana sits with an overall record of 6-19 while going 4-15 in NSIC play.
 
Hannah Burg leads the scoring with 12.8 points/game alongside 3.6 assists/game while Olivia Hayenga is averaging 11.7 points with 5.2 rebounds/game and 1.8 steals/game. Payton Hardy is leading in rebounding at 5.6 rebounds per game.
 
SERIES HISTORY
AU leads 22-4 all-time against Bemidji State, but most recently dropped 63-50 on Jan. 4, 2025. Against SCSU, Augustana is up 37-33 historically, but fell 81-70 on Jan. 3, 2025.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Augustana fell to in-town rival Sioux Falls, 83-65, on Tuesday night at the Elmen Center. Hannah Burg led all scorers with 29 points in her 40 minutes of play with eight assists and three steals. Isabella Sanneh collected a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Olivia Hayenga joined with 10 points.
 
DOUBLE DIGIT DUTIES
Hannah Burg and Olivia Hayenga are each currently averaging double figures in scoring, with Burg leading at 12.8 points/game and Hayenga averaging at 11.7 points/game.
 
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, on Nov. 27. 
 
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
Four 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.
 
Also making their comeback are 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
In the final regular season game of the 2024-25 season, Augustana will head to Minot State for a 7:30 p.m. game on Thursday, Feb. 20.