Both teams will be facing a tall order when the Comets come to town, however, as the UTD men come into the game ranked No. 12 nationally by the website D3Hoops.com while the women come in at No. 17 in all of Division III. 

Still, expectations are high for coaches Rodney Wecker and Deb Hunter as both teams return a plethora of talented and experienced players to their respective teams this season.  Wecker’s men’s team was voted by the coaches of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference to finish second in the SCAC West Division, while Hunter’s women were picked to finish third. 

The men are led by All-Conference guard Kola Alade, a player of the year candidate in the SCAC who led the team in scoring and assists a year ago, as well as All-SCAC forward Chris Sturtevant.  Alade and Sturtevant are just two of eight seniors on this year’s team, making it by far the most experienced team the ’Roos have had in recent memory.  Manning the middle once again will be 6’8” center Spencer Burke, who finished among the national leaders in blocked shots a year ago. 

On the women’s side, Austin College will be once again led by Katy Williams, a three time All-SCAC performer from her forward position who enters the season ranked seventh on the all-time rebounding list in SCAC history.  Williams, who has averaged better than 10 rebounds per game for her career, needs 247 boards to break the career record.  She’ll have help on the perimeter once again this year from fellow seniors Amber Stafford and Kayla Redden, two experienced and talented shooters who should help open up the middle. 

The women will tip things off on Sunday at 1:00 p.m., with the men following at 3:00 p.m. in Hughey Gym.  Admission to all Austin College sporting events is free. 

Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. 

About Austin College 

Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas.  Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives.