Lisa Fortier’s Gonzaga women are heading into a new era with no shortage of early tests.
Before the Zags ever play a Pac-12 regular-season game, they’ll run through a non-conference schedule loaded with power-conference opponents, proven mid-major threats and a few familiar names that should tell a lot about where this team stands. The slate was released Monday morning on social media, and it gives Gonzaga 15 regular-season non-conference games plus one exhibition before the start of league play. Once the Pac-12 season begins, the Zags will play 16 games, facing each of the other eight teams twice.
The headliners are obvious. Gonzaga will meet four power-conference teams: Stanford and Cal from the ACC, Arizona State from the Big 12 and Michigan State from the Big Ten.
That stretch includes a road trip to Palo Alto to face Stanford on Nov. 15, a matchup that keeps a long-running rivalry alive. Stanford finished 21-14 last season and went 8-10 in the ACC, but new coach Kate Paye inherits a talented group that should test Gonzaga early.
The Zags’ other true road game against a Power 5 opponent comes Dec. 6 in Tempe, where they’ll take on Arizona State. The Sun Devils were a play-in team a year ago after finishing 24-10 in Molly Miller’s first season.
Michigan State comes next on Dec. 19 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, Calif., in a doubleheader with the men’s program. The Spartans were 23-9 last season, placed sixth in the Big Ten and earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
They beat Colorado State in the opening round before falling to No. 4 Oklahoma in the Round of 32.
Gonzaga also gets a two-game trip to Hawaii for the North Shore Showcase, where it will face Hawaii on Nov. 21 and Cal on Nov. 23.
The rest of the schedule still carries plenty of bite. South Dakota State visits the Kennel on Dec.
- The Jackrabbits were a No. 11 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament and fell 72-54 to No.
6 Washington in the first round, but they remain one of the standard-bearers in the mid-major game.
Idaho comes to Spokane on Nov. 6, giving Gonzaga its second home game of the season after opening against North Dakota State on Nov. 2.
The Bison went 15-1, won the Summit League regular season and then lost to South Dakota State in the conference tournament. Idaho was even more dominant in the Big Sky, going 17-1 before earning a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament and losing 89-59 to Oklahoma in the opening round.
There’s also a familiar WCC name on the schedule. LMU, which won the league last year at 15-3 before falling to Oregon State in the conference tournament, will visit Spokane on Dec. 10.
Fans will get their first look at Fortier’s roster on Oct. 10 at the annual Numerica FanFest. The free event begins when doors open at 1:00 PM.
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