SAN MARCOS, Texas – A new era for Texas State Women's Basketball will debut on Wednesday, Nov. 4, with a season-opening game against Long Island at Strahan Arena. 

The Bobcats welcome a new head coach in Chris Kielsmeier and 10 newcomers to the team as Texas State embarks on its first women's basketball season as a member of the Pac-12 conference.

GAME INFO

• Wednesday, Nov. 4 vs. Long Island (7 p.m. CT)
  • Location: Strahan Arena (San Marcos, Texas)
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• Saturday, Nov. 7 vs. Chicago State (4:30 p.m. CT)
  • Location: Jones Convocation Center (Chicago, Ill.)
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ABOUT THE BOBCATS

• Texas State enters the 2026-2027 season after an 11-19 overall record and a 7-11 mark in Sun Belt play in 2025-2026.
• Chris Kielsmeier took over as the ninth head coach in Texas State history after eight seasons at Cleveland State. Kielsmeier led CSU to six postseason appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Tournament during the 2022-23 season en route to a record-setting 30-win campaign for the Vikings. The 2025-26 season was capped off with a 26-10 record and an appearance in the WNIT Great 8 and gave Kielsmeier his fifth consecutive 20-win season, and sixth overall, with the Vikings. In his final five seasons with the program, his teams amassed 133 total wins, including four seasons with at least 26 victories.
• Of the 13 members of Texas State Women's Basketball, three will be familiar to fans: Kyra Anderson, Saniya Burks, and Kaliyah Murphy.
• Anderson joins Texas State for her second season and was the forward with the most playing time during the 2025-2026 season. The junior averaged 28.2 minutes and shot a staggering 49.7% from the field. Of the three returners, Anderson is also the top rebound getter with 250 on the season and an average of 8.3 per game.
• At the guard position, Texas State returns junior Saniya Burks, who ranked in the top 10 of all Sun Belt players in scoring (9th, 14.37 PPG) and free throw percentage (.875). In addition, Burks also posted a perfect 10-10 from the charity stripe in a game against A&M-Corpus Christi on Nov. 20. Something of an offensive machine, the Mexia native had one 30-point game last season and nine 20-point games. 
• The Bobcats are also comprised of 10 newcomers, including the 2023-2024 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, Crystal Henderson. In her three seasons, she averaged 33 minutes a game, shot 37.5% from the field, 27.9% from three, and averaged 13.1 PPG.
• The 10 newcomers are made up of two freshmen and eight transfers: Freshman Addison Carr and freshman Hayden Hearst, Lay Fantroy (Delaware), Emma Pique (Northwest College), Aliyah Carter (CSU Bakersfield), Lucija Milkovic (Seattle U), Sofia Ceppellotti (North Alabama), Makenna Shaffer-Lauer (Florida Southwestern), Cali Denson (Oakland), and Crystal Henderson (Georgia State).
• Both Crystal Henderson and Saniya Burks were named to the Pac-12 Impact List.
• The Pac-12 era will also bring three new opponents to Texas State in Gonzaga, Washington State, and Boise State.
• Against the nine total Pac-12 opponents, Texas State has a 3-8 record. 
• The Bobcats have seen the Colorado State Rams the most in program history with four contests. The Rams hold that all-time record, 3-1. The last win for the Bobcats was on Dec. 5, 1991, 64-59.
• Against both San Diego State and Fresno State, Texas State is 1-0. The Bobcats won by three points, 68-65, against the Aztecs in 1996 while the Bobcats beat the Bulldogs in 2017, 76-59.
• The longest time between games goes to the Texas State/San Diego State matchup at just over 30 years while the most recent goes to Texas State/Fresno State with a gap just short of nine years.
• Texas State welcomes players from four total countries: USA, Croatia, Italy, and Spain.
• Sofia Cepellotti comes from Italy after spending her first two collegiate seasons at North Alabama. Ceppellotti averaged 6.7 points per game and shot a respectable 43.8% from the field and 30.9% from beyond the arc.
• Lucija Milkovic reigns from Croatia and spent two years at Missouri and this past year at Seattle U. The center averaged 2.5 rebounds per game and 4.1 PPG.
• The final international member is Emma Pique, coming from Spain. Spending time at Northwest College, the guard averaged 11.8 points per game, shot 42.9% from the floor, 85.6% from the free throw line, and 32.3% from three.

SERIES HISTORY
Against the Sharks

• Texas State has only played Long Island once in program history.
• On Nov. 22, 2008, the Bobcats beat the Sharks, 63-61.
• The Bobcats lead the all-time series, 1-0.

Against the Cougars

• Like Long Island, Texas State has only played Chicago State once.
• On Dec. 19, 2023, the Bobcats defeated the Cougars, 84-76.
• The Bobcats lead the all-time series, 1-0.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
About Long Island

• The Sharks are coming off a 21-11 overall record and a 10-4 mark in NEC play.
• Long Island went as far as the NEC Championship game before falling to FDU.
• The Sharks kicked off the 2026-2027 season with a game against Rutgers, falling 83-52.
• Senior guard Janessa Williams returns as the top scorer for the Sharks, averaging 13.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.
• Long Island also welcomes four transfers and two true freshmen.

About Chicago State

• Chicago State posted a 9-23 mark in 2025-2026 and a 8-10 record in NEC play.
• Keona McGee returns for the Cougars after earning NEC Second Team-All Conference. McGee averaged 12.2 points per game.
• The Cougars also kicked off their season earlier this month with a game against Illinois State, falling 106-69.
• Chicago State also welcomes seven newcomers.