RICHARDSON, TX (11.10.21) - The new season for the UT Dallas women's basketball team officially begins Thursday night as the Comet visit Austin College for a key in-region contest at 7 p.m.in Sherman.
The Comets are coming off an abbreviated campaign due to COVID-19, but still managed to qualify for the ASC Tournament for the 15th consecutive season this past spring. UTD posted a 14-3 overall record for 2020-21 and finished second in the ASC's East Division with a 9-2 mark. The Comets advanced to the semifinals of the league championship tournament for the fifth straight year.
FULL INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH POLLY THOMASON
Head coach
Polly Thomason starts her 17th season with the Comets Thursday night and boasts an impressive 312-118 all-time record with the program. Thomason has led UTD to four conference titles during her tenure and six trips to the NCAA D-III National Championship.
The Comets return 12 players from last year's squad, but will need to replace the program's all-time leading scorer in
Raenett Hughes and the squad's all-time leading rebounder in
Kelley Skinner in 2021-22.Â
Guard
Paris Kiser is the Comets top returning scorer this season after posting 7.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game last season, earning honorable mention All-ASC honors. Center
McKenzie Howard was a full-time starter for the Comets as a freshman last season, averaging 5.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in her debut season, and earning ASC East Freshman of the Year honors.Â
Other returners for from the 2020-21 team are
Kaylee Boykin,
Kennedy Donovan,
Kirstyn Drum,
Maddie Edler,
Madison Hill,
Anna Jefferson-Polk,
Jordan Maxwell,
Asia Mitchell,
Mia Rudin and
Michaela Walker.
After Thursday's road game, the Comets will play their home and ASC opener on Thursday, Nov. 18, when they host Belhaven at 5:30 p.m. at the UTD Activity Center. This season, the ASC has moved to a single-division format with members playing a double round robin schedule will all league opponents.
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