2023–24 Summit League women's basketball season

The 2023–24 Summit League women's basketball season began non-conference play on November 6, 2023. Conference play started on December 29, 2023. This was the seventeenth season of women's basketball play under the Summit League name and the forty-second overall for the conference. The Summit League tournament took place from March 8–12, 2024. South Dakota State won the tournament, beating North Dakota State in the tournament final, and advanced to the NCAA tournament. North Dakota State, Oral Roberts, and South Dakota played in the 2024 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).

Conference changes Just after the conclusion of the Spring regular season, Western Illinois announced they would be leaving the Summit League on July 1, 2023, and joining the Ohio Valley Conference in all sports except men's soccer (which will join the OVC the following fall). The Leathernecks were the only remaining charter member of the Mid-Continent Conference.

Preseason

The preseason Summit League women's basketball poll was released on October 10, 2023.

Preseason poll First place votes in parentheses

South Dakota State (27) – 577 North Dakota State (5) – 526 South Dakota (2) – 485 North Dakota – 434 Oral Roberts (1) – 357 Omaha – 263 Denver (1) – 233 St. Thomas – 203 Kansas City – 174

Preseason awards HonorRecipientPreseason Player of the YearKacie Borowicz, North DakotaPreseason All-Summit League First TeamHannah Cooper, Oral RobertsElle Evans, North Dakota StateHeaven Hamling, North Dakota StateGrace Larkins, South DakotaPaige Meyer, South Dakota StatePreseason All-Summit League Second TeamCarley Duffney, South DakotaMakayla Minett, DenverTori Nelson, South Dakota StateEmma Smith, DenverRuthie Udoumoh, Oral Roberts

Regular season Records against other conferences 2023–24 records against non-conference foes as of January 6, 2024:

Regular season Power 7 ConferencesRecordAmerican 2–2ACC NoneBig East 1–3Big Ten 0–5Big 12 0–8Pac-12 0–2SEC 0–2Power 7 Conferences Total 3–22Other NCAA Division 1 ConferencesRecordAmerica East NoneA-10 NoneASUN 2–1Big Sky 13–9Big South NoneBig West 1–2CAA NoneC-USA 0–1Horizon 2–1Independent 1–0Ivy League 0–1MAAC NoneMAC 3–1MEAC 2–0MVC 4–6Mountain West 0–4NEC NoneOVC 3–4Patriot League NoneSoCon NoneSouthland NoneSWAC 2–0Sun Belt 2–3WAC 2–0WCC 2–4Other Division I Total 39–37NCAA Division I Total 42–59NCAA Division II Total 4–0NCAA Division III Total 3–0NAIA Total 11–1NCCAA Total 1–0Non-Conference Total 63–60

Post Season Power 7 ConferencesRecordAmerican NoneACC NoneBig East NoneBig Ten NoneBig 12 NonePac-12 NoneSEC NonePower 7 Conferences Total 0–0Other NCAA Division 1 ConferencesRecordAmerica East NoneA-10 NoneASUN NoneBig Sky NoneBig South NoneBig West NoneCAA NoneC-USA NoneHorizon NoneIvy League NoneMAAC NoneMAC NoneMEAC NoneMVC NoneMountain West NoneNEC NoneOVC NonePatriot League NoneSoCon NoneSouthland NoneSWAC NoneSun Belt NoneWAC NoneWCC NoneOther Division I Total 0–0NCAA Division I Total 0–0

Record against ranked non-conference opponents This is a list of games against ranked opponents only (rankings from the AP Poll): Summit League teams in Bold

Date Visitor Home Site Score Conference record Ref Nov 6 No. 22 Creighton North Dakota State† Sanford Pentagon ● Sioux Falls, SD L 52–75 0–1 Nov 10 South Dakota No. 22 Creighton D. J. Sokol Arena ● Omaha, NE L 55–81 0–2 Nov 20 South Dakota State No. 1 South Carolina Colonial Life Arena ● Columbia, SC L 38–78 0–3 Nov 29 Oral Roberts No. 10 Texas Moody Center ● Austin, TX L 74–112 0–4 Dec 5 No. 21 Washington State South Dakota State Frost Arena ● Brookings, SD L 64–69 0–5 Dec 17 South Dakota State No. 21 Gonzaga McCarthey Athletic Center ● Spokane, WA L 58–83 0–6 Dec 18 Oral Roberts No. 12 Kansas State Bramlage Coliseum ● Manhattan, KS L 59–102 0–7 Dec 20 Omaha No. 25 TCU Schollmaier Arena ● Fort Worth, TX L 56–96 0–8 Dec 21 South Dakota State No. 20 Creighton D. J. Sokol Arena ● Omaha, NE L 46–58 0–8 Mar 23 South Dakota State No. 21 Utah†^ McCarthey Athletic Center ● Spokane, WA L 54–68 0–9

Team rankings are reflective of AP poll when the game was played, not current or final ranking

† denotes game was played on neutral site ^ denotes NCAA tournament game

Conference matrix The matrix represents head-to-head matchups within the conference.   DenverKansas City North DakotaNorth Dakota State Omaha Oral Roberts St. Thomas South Dakota South Dakota State vs. Denver – 0–2 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0vs. Kansas City 2–0 – 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0vs. North Dakota 0–2 1–1 – 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0vs. North Dakota State 0–2 0–2 0–2 – 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0vs. Omaha 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 – 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0vs. Oral Roberts 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 – 1–1 0–2 2–0vs. St. Thomas 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 – 2–0 2–0vs. South Dakota 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–2 – 2–0vs. South Dakota State 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 –Total 5–11 3–13 5–11 13–3 3–13 11–5 7–9 9–7 16–0 As of March 2, 2024

Points scored TeamForAgainstDifferenceDenver 1931 2090 –159Kansas City 2064 2111 –47North Dakota 2006 2297 –291North Dakota State 2565 2328 +237Omaha 2242 2516 –274Oral Roberts 2628 2413 +215St. Thomas 2103 2206 –103South Dakota 2551 2326 +225South Dakota State 2428 1985 +443 Through March 30, 2024

National Television Games Before the 2023-24 season began, the Summit League announced a new media deal with CBS Sports Network that would show up to 12 regular season games (6 guaranteed men's games) on the network, as well as moving the league's tournament final games to CBSSN. The women's tournament semifinal games will also be broadcast on CBSSN. On October 18, 2023, the Summit League and CBS Sports Network announced the league's 2023-24 slate of games to appear on the network throughout the conference season. Those games and any others that league members will play are listed here.

Summit League members in bold DateTime (CT)Road TeamHome teamFinal ScoreNetworkNovember 20, 20231 PMSouth DakotaArizona52–61ESPNUDecember 31, 202312 PMSouth Dakota StateNorth DakotaSDSU 74–53CBSSNJanuary 28, 20243 PMOral RobertsSouth Dakota StateSDSU 96–80CBSSN

Home attendance TeamArenaCapacityTotal GamesAverage AttendanceAttendance HighTotal Attendance% of CapacityDenverHamilton Gymnasium2,50015366615Nov 14 vs. Wyoming5,49514.7%Kansas CitySwinney Recreation Center1,500165591,203Nov 6 vs. Bradley8,95937.3%North DakotaBetty Engelstad Sioux Center3,300151,4142,913Feb 3 vs. North Dakota St21,22142.9%North Dakota StateScheels Center5,460139792,502Feb 24 vs. North Dakota12,73617.9%OmahaBaxter Arena7,89812461705Dec 31 vs. South Dakota5,5385.8%Oral RobertsMabee Center10,154141,8196,358Nov 9 vs. Friends25,47517.9%St. ThomasSchoenecker Arena1,80014530979Nov 29 vs. Iowa State7,42629.5%South DakotaSanford Coyote Sports Center6,000151,7793,316Feb 3 vs. South Dakota St26,69629.6%South Dakota StateFrost Arena6,500142,0883,768Mar 2 vs. North Dakota St29,23732.1% Bold - Exceed capacity As of March 2, 2024 Does not include exhibition games

Head coaches Note: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season. Overall and Summit League records are from time at current school.

Team Head coach Previous job Seasons at school Overall record Summit record Summit titles NCAA tournaments NCAA Sweet Sixteen NCAA ChampionshipsDenver Doshia Woods Tulane (recruiting coordinator) 4th 29–54 () 18–32 () 0 0 0 0Kansas City Dionnah Jackson-Durrett Texas (Associate head coach) 2nd 9–23 () 3–15 () 0 0 0 0North Dakota Mallory Bernhard North Dakota (assistant) 4th 36–47 () 22–29 () 0 0 0 0North Dakota State Jory Collins Kansas (assistant) 5th 55–58 () 35-33 () 0 0 0 0Omaha Carrie Banks Ohio State (assistant) 4th 29–49 () 15–32 () 0 0 0 0Oral Roberts Kelsi Musick Southwestern Oklahoma State 2nd 12–19 () 8–10 () 0 0 0 0St. Thomas Ruth Sinn Apple Valley HS 19th 376–126 () 11–25 () 0 0 0 0South Dakota Kayla Karius Drake (assistant) 2nd 14–16 () 10–8 () 0 0 0 0South Dakota State Aaron Johnston South Dakota State (assistant) 24th 571–185 () 228–34 () 10 11 1 0 Notes: St. Thomas joined the Summit League in the summer of 2021. Overall and Summit League records, conference titles, etc. are from time at current school and are through the end the 2022–23 season. NCAA tournament appearances are from time at current school only.

Awards and honors Players of the week Throughout the conference regular season, the Summit League offices named one or two players of the week each Monday. WeekPlayer of the WeekSchool Ref. Nov. 13Kacie BorowiczNorth Dakota Nov. 20Hannah CooperOral Roberts Nov. 27Brooklyn MeyerSouth Dakota State Dec. 4Grace LarkinsSouth Dakota Dec. 11Paige MeyerSouth Dakota State (2) Dec. 18Kendall HolmesSouth Dakota (2) Dec. 27Ruthie UdoumohOral Roberts (2) Jan. 2Taleyah JonesOral Roberts (3) Jan. 8Paige Meyer (2)South Dakota State (3) Jan. 15Kacie Borowicz (2)North Dakota (2) Jan. 22Ruthie Udoumoh (2)Oral Roberts (4) Jan. 29Elle EvansNorth Dakota StateBrooklyn Meyer (2)South Dakota State (4) Feb. 5Jordan JonesDenver Feb. 12Madison MathiowetzSouth Dakota State (5) Feb. 19Brooklyn Meyer (3)South Dakota State (6) Feb. 26Paige Meyer (3)South Dakota State (7) Mar. 4Brooklyn Meyer (4)South Dakota State (8)

All-League Honors The All-Summit League teams and individual awards were announced on March 7, ahead of the Summit League tournament.

2024 Summit League Women's Basketball Individual Awards Award Recipient(s)Player of the YearBrooklyn Meyer – South Dakota StateNewcomer of the YearTaleyah Jones – Oral RobertsFreshman of the YearEmily Robinson – Oral RobertsSixth Woman of the YearJalei Oglesby – Oral RobertsDefensive Player of the YearBrooklyn Meyer – South Dakota StateCoach of the YearAaron Johnston – South Dakota State

HonorRecipientAll-Summit League First TeamBrooklyn Meyer, South Dakota StateElle Evans, North Dakota StatePaige Meyer, South Dakota StateKacie Borowicz, North DakotaGrace Larkins, South DakotaHannah Cooper, Oral RobertsAll-Summit League Second TeamHeaven Hamling, North Dakota StateTaleyah Jones, Oral RobertsJordan Jones, DenverRuthie Udoumoh, Oral RobertsJade Hill, St. ThomasAll-Summit League Honorable MentionAmber Scalia, St. ThomasGrace Cave, OmahaMadison Mathiowetz, South Dakota StateJalei Oglesby, Oral RobertsEmma Smith, DenverAll-Defensive TeamBrooklyn Meyer, South Dakota StateRuthie Udoumoh, Oral RobertsTori Nelson, South Dakota StateElle Evans, North Dakota StateHannah Cooper, Oral RobertsAll-Newcomer TeamTaleyah Jones, Oral RobertsJalei Oglesby, Oral RobertsKendall Holmes, South DakotaAlayna Contreras, Kansas CityDominique Phillips, Kansas CityAll-Freshman TeamEmily Robinson, Oral RobertsAbby Krzewinski, North Dakota StateKiera Pemberton, North DakotaEmani Bennett, Kansas CityJenna Hopp, South Dakota State

Postseason Summit League tournament

All 9 teams qualify for the Summit League tournament. The tournament is held at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It will be held from March 8 to March 12, 2024.

NCAA tournament

Only South Dakota State was selected to participate in the tournament as the conference's automatic bid. Seed Region School First round Second round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Championship No. 12 Spokane Regional South Dakota State — — — — —1 BidW-L (%):TOTAL:

WNIT

North Dakota State, Oral Roberts, and South Dakota were selected to participate in the tournament as at-large bids. School First round Second round Super 16 Great 8 Fab Four Championship North Dakota State Bye defeated Montana 72–63 lost to Minnesota 69–65 — — — Oral Roberts lost to Grambling 93–91 — — — — — South Dakota defeated UC Riverside 72–57 defeated Northern Arizona 79–65 lost to Wyoming 84–52 — — —3 Bids W-L (%):TOTAL:

References