By Jonathon Zenk, Northwestern State Assistant Director of Communications; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
NATCHITOCHES—This season, the Northwestern State women’s basketball team has a list of accomplishments it hadn’t done since 2015-16, including the best overall record since then.
Now, the team can add to that list: the program’s first postseason appearance since that season.
The Demons (16-15) were selected to play in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, as they were one of 48 teams picked Sunday evening.
The bracket will be released Monday, which lets teams know when and where they will play.
“I am extremely excited for our women’s basketball program to have the ability and opportunity to play in the postseason for the first time since 2016,” athletics director Kevin Bostian said. “Our program has a decorated history with the WNIT, and I look forward to this year’s team adding to that legacy.
“Congratulations to Coach Nimz, her staff and our players for the great year they have had. The NSU administration thanks the WNIT for inviting us to play and allowing our seniors the opportunity to extend their careers and continue to represent Northwestern State.”
In addition to Northwestern State, two other SLC members—Lamar and UIW—are also taking part in the WNIT.
Northwestern State last played in the postseason in that 2015-16 season, a 69-54 loss at UL Lafayette in the Women’s Basketball Invitational, which eventually won the tournament.
The last time Northwestern State competed in the WNIT was in 1999 after a SLC regular season championship, as the Demons traveled to Arkansas.
“We are incredibly excited to accept an invite to play in the post-season WNIT,” head coach Anna Nimz said. “I’m incredibly proud of our group. They put themselves in a position to extend our season and keep fighting.
“This group continues to move the program forward and build excitement around Lady Demon basketball.”
This is the fifth trip to the WNIT for the Demons, as they are 6-4 in the previous four appearances, including three trips to the third round of the tournament.
The Demons won four of their previous five games before falling in the SLC Tournament to UIW, 69-54, this past Tuesday.
Despite the loss in the quarterfinals of the Southland Conference Tournament to UIW, Mya Blake poured in 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting.
It is a remarkable turnaround for head coach Anna Nimz, who took the job during COVID and went 1-19 in her first season and now leads Northwestern State to its first winning season in nearly a decade.
In addition to the team success, the school has made history along the way, as with six 3-pointers in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, they broke the school record for most triples made in a single season with 215.
Both Blake (70) and graduate student Sharna Ayres (65) have made at least 65 3-pointers during the season, both of which are in the top 11 in program history for 3-pointers made in a single season.
However, defensively is where the Demons pride themselves, led by Jasmin Dixon, who was a SLC All-Defensive Team selection. Dixon’s 147 blocks ranks fifth in program history in career blocks.
The WNIT is a 48-team tournament that begins Thursday and lasts until April 5, which is the championship game.