The Northwest Missouri State MIAA Champion women’s basketball and head coach Gene Steinmeyer announced their 2011-12 slate on Wednesday highlighted by hosting the Winstead-Reeves Classic and a trip to the Oahu Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Bearcats are coming off a banner season that saw them make an incredible run to the Women’s Elite Eight before falling in the National Semifinal.  Northwest claimed the MIAA Tournament and South Central Region Tournament titles en route to a 29-5 record.

The 2011-12 season will again see the Bearcats host the Winstead-Reeves Classic November 18 and 19 taking on William Jewell on Sunday and Missouri Valley on Monday.  The Bearcats will be a part of the 2011 Oahu Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii the weekend after Thanksgiving, November 24-25 where they will match up with St. Augustine’s and Hillsdale.

Northwest opens the MIAA season inside Bearcat Arena hosting Emporia State on November 30, before a four-game road swing in December opens the road portion of their conference slate.

Future MIAA-foe and last year’s South Central Region host, Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma has also agreed to a home and away series with the Bearcats.  The region match-up should be an important game for both teams with the Bearcats traveling to Oklahoma November 15, and the Riverhawks making the return trip on February 1.

Again Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium will host the MIAA Tournament March 2-5, as the Bearcats will try to defend their crown.  The MIAA Champion will again earn the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Visit www.northwestbearcats.com for the full 2011-12 schedule.

— NWMSU Sports Information —