Northern Michigan University's Mackenzie Holzwart, left, squares off against Davenport defender Mary Liedel during their GLIAC women's basketball game played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. (Journal photo by Alexandria Bournonville)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan women’s basketball team has announced its schedule for the 2023-24 season. The slate will begin in November and finish in early March, with 14 home contests on the docket.

NMU will start the season with two exhibitions, first at home on Oct. 22 against Bay College. The next will be on the road on Nov. 1 as the Wildcats visit Division I UW-Green Bay.

The regular season will also start on the road, as the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover will take place at Michigan Tech. Northern will matchup with Lewis on Nov. 10 and William Jewell on Nov. 11. The Wildcats will have one more road contest before they are home, with a trip to Chicago to face new GLIAC foe Roosevelt University on tap for Nov. 15.

The home opener will take place on Nov. 18, with Southwest Minnesota State visiting Marquette. The game will take place in the NMU Practice Gym. NMU will then have the toughest two-game stretch that any Division II team may face, as first they’ll host undefeated defending national champion Ashland on Nov. 21 in the Berry and follow it up with a trip to national champion runner-up Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 24. NMU will also visit St. Cloud State on Nov. 25 before returning home to start GLIAC play.

The conference schedule will kick off on Dec. 7 and Dec. 9 at the Berry Events Center with matchups against Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State.

NMU will quickly jump back to two non-conference games over winter break. First, the Wildcats will visit Wisconsin Dells for a matchup with Quincy at Just A Game Fieldhouse on Dec. 17. NMU will then host Northwood on Dec. 19 before a two-week break.

The new year will start on the road with trips to Davenport and Grand Valley State on Jan. 4 and Jan. 6. The ‘Cats will return home the following week, welcoming Lake Superior State on Jan. 11 and Ferris State on Jan. 13.

Northern will then make its only visit to Indiana as they visit Purdue Northwest on Jan. 18. That will be followed by a stop at Parkside on Jan. 20.

NMU will host Upper Peninsula rival Michigan Tech on Jan. 27 in a “Green Out” at the Berry Events Center. That will be the final GLIAC foe they play for the first time on the season.

The Wildcats will be at Ferris State on the first of February and be on the U.P.’s eastern end for a matchup at Lake Superior State on Feb. 3. NMU will then host Parkside and Purdue Northwest on Feb. 8 and Feb. 10.

The final road trip of the season begins at Michigan Tech on Feb. 17, followed by stops at Saginaw Valley State and Wayne State on Feb. 22 and Feb. 24.

NMU will be home the final weekend of the regular season, as the ‘Cats will matchup with Grand Valley State on Feb. 29 and honors its seniors in the finale against Davenport on March 2.

The GLIAC Tournament will begin on Wednesday, March 6.

Coming off of a 15-13 season under first-year head coach Casey Thousand in which the Wildcats secured a top-four seed and hosted a playoff game, the team returns nearly everyone and has high hopes for the upcoming season.