OMAHA, Neb. – 264 calendar days after the Drake University women's basketball team last played a game before the abrupt end to the 2019-20 season due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Drake is scheduled to start the 2021-22 season against Creighton on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 3 p.m.
 
Drake, which is picked to finish fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll, will begin a new era Wednesday when it faces its former conference rival, the Bluejays.
 
Becca Hittner, Sara Rhine and Brenni Rose graduated from last season's team. Hittner and Rhine each scored more than 2,000 career points, left their names all over the Drake and MVC's record books and collected numerous accolades on-and-off the court. Rose finished No. 11 all-time in career assists (386), scored 899 points and played in 130 games in her four seasons. The trio won 103 games the past four seasons, helped Drake win five MVC titles, including three consecutive MVC regular-season titles and make three-straight NCAA Tournaments. The three successive NCAA Tournament trips marked just the second time it happened in school history.
 
The Bulldogs have 12 players on this year's roster, including nine returning letterwinners with two starters back. Maddie Monahan is the team's most experienced returner and one of four seniors along with Monica Burich, Hannah Fuller and Mya Mertz. Kierra Collier is Drake's other returning starter along with Monahan. Collier is joined in the junior class by Maggie Negaard and Allie Wooldridge. Sophomores Maggie Bair and Sarah Beth Gueldner return while Missouri transfer, Grace Berg is ready to make her Drake debut. Redshirt freshman Taylor McAulay and freshman Courtney Becker round out the Bulldogs' roster.
 
Collier and Monahan form one of the Valley's most experienced backcourts. Collier averaged 8.9 points and 2.7 assists per game last year in her first season as a Bulldog after her transfer from Washington. Monahan has started 96 of 98 career games, scored 572 points and handed out 349 assists. She is just outside the school's career leaders in total assists and has an opportunity to be just the sixth Drake player to hand out 500 or career more assists.
 
Before the cancellation of the 2020 postseason, the Bulldogs were 22-8 and projected to earn their fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. It would have been the first time in school history Drake qualified for four consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The impressive 20-win streak started in 2014-15 and ties the league record for consecutive 20-win seasons with Drake (1996-2001) and Missouri State (1990-96).
 
Following Wednesday's 2021 season opener, Drake travels to Green Bay on Saturday. Tip-off with the Phoenix is set for 1 p.m.