FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 3, 2026) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team will begin the 2026-27 season this week against Arizona State in Tempe.
The Lumberjacks will face the Sun Devils on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. MST inside Desert Financial Arena. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available via StatBroadcast.
NAU begins the campaign in its second season under head coach Laura Dinkins.
The 'Jacks return four players to the roster this season and welcome 10 new talents to Flagstaff. Juniors
Emma Dasovich,
Layla Davis,
Alyssa Harris, and
Madison Watts return looking to build upon a progressive 2025-26 season in which NAU finished 10-22 and 6-12 in conference play. The Lumberjacks were voted 10th in this year's Big Sky Preseason Coaches' Poll and eighth in the Media Poll.
Watts led NAU in field goal percentage (47.2) and rebounds per game (6.9) last season, while Davis blocked 26 shots to lead the 'Jacks and
Emma Dasovich shot a steady 34.6% from beyond the arc. Dasovich in particular finished last season on a high note, as the forward went for 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting and nine rebounds against Montana in the Big Sky Championships for career-highs in both categories.
Among the newcomers are five transfers holding Division I experience, including
Leah Bullard (UMass),
Morgan Hawkins (CSU Bakersfield),
Alondra Lizama (CSUN),
Ray'ven Robinson (NC Central), and
Micayla Silas (Milwaukee).
Arizona State begins the season fresh off its 18th overall NCAA tournament appearance and first since 2019. The Sun Devils fell in a first-four matchup with Virginia in March to conclude Molly Miller's first season at the helm. The Sun Devils opened the year earlier this week with an emphatic 84-41 win over Jackson State on Monday. McKenna Brackens was listed on the All-Big 12 Preseason Team, as Arizona State was picked to finish sixth by the league's coaches.
It will be the first of two meetings with a Big 12 opponent this season for the 'Jacks, as they will travel to Tucson to face Arizona on Dec. 13.
NAU's last meeting with the Sun Devils was on Nov. 7, 2022, in which Arizona State took a 69-68 win in Tempe. Thursday's opener will also mark the eighth consecutive season that NAU will open the season on the road.
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