By Nick Jenkinson-SCINN Sports Director
The Indiana Hoosiers Women’s Basketball Team will open the 2026-27 Season this evening at 7 PM inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall when they welcome the Marian University Knights to Bloomington for their lone exhibition game streaming on Big Ten Network Plus. Marian won the NAIA National Championship a season ago entering its first title defense season since 2017 under head coach Suntana Anderson. The Knights have won two National Titles in Women’s Basketball as Anderson begins her third season in charge of the program with a record of 63-8. The Knights opened the season Monday Night with a 72-32 win at Rochester Christian University in Rochester Hills, Michigan.
Huntington North Graduate Taylor Double led the way with 22 points and Violet Shuluga added 12 points. The Knights were 27-62 from the field for 42%, 8-17 from three-point range for 47% and 10-16 from the free throw line for 62%. Marian pulled down 31 rebounds, dished out 14 assists, 19 steals, 1 block and 16 turnovers. The Knights scored 42 points off turnovers, 38 points in the paint, 18 bench points, 10 fast break points, and 6 second chance points. The game was tied once and had 1 lead change. Marian led 22-7 after the first quarter and 43-19 at halftime. Marian outscored Rochester Christian 21-13 in the second half.
Marian has a 13-player roster that includes 10 from the State of Indiana. The Knights have 3 Seniors in Taylor Double from Huntington North, Olvia Faust from Triton Central and Eva Fisher from Northridge. There are four Juniors with Madisyn Baliey of Bedford North Lawrence, Zoe Wheeler of Ben Davis, Emily Grim from Centerville, Ohio and Ashlynn Putman from Mason, Michigan. There are four Sophomores with Aubrey Frank from Washington, Indiana and Washington HS, Kennedy Coleman from Charlestown, Emma Simpson of Parke Heritage and Violet Shuluga from Milford Ohio. The Knights brought in two Freshman in Laniah Walkine from Brownsburg and Mayrose Felling from Triton Central. Felling is the Granddaughter of former Indiana University Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Ron Felling.
Indiana finished 18-14 overall and 6-12 in the Big Ten Under Head Coach Teri Moren a season ago as the Hoosiers chose not to play in a Postseason Tournament. The Hoosiers return Lenee Beaumount, Maya Malakusky, Zania Socka-Nguemen and Sydney Fenn from a season ago. Fenn has missed the last two seasons due to injury and Socka-Nguemen played just 12 games and is excited to get back to playing after suffering a leg injury. The Hoosiers hit the transfer portal brining in Malia Samuels from USC, Canadian Ashylnn Anderson from Fanshawe College, Jess Petrie from Nebraska along with Alisa Williams and Kenzie Hare who played together at Iowa State.
Moren brought in a five-player freshman class that includes Kentucky Miss Basketball Ashllnn James, McDonalds All-American Addy Nyemchek, GiGi Battle who led Florida’s DME Academy to the Chipotle Nationals Title in April which was held at Hamilton Southeastern HS, Canadian Camille Pangonis and Australian Zoe Jackson who arrived on campus in January and did not play the second half of last season and will miss this entire season with a knee injury she suffered over the summer.
Moren begins her 13th season in charge of the Hoosiers with a record of 264-126 and a Big Ten Record of 130-80. Moren has led the Hoosiers to the Postseason nine times and would have been ten if the NCAA Tournament had not been canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Moren led the Hoosiers to back-to-Back WNIT Appearances in 2017 and 2018 as the Hoosiers won the WNIT Championship in 2018. Moren has had one losing season at IU which was her first year in 2014-15 since then she had 10 straight 20-win seasons. Moren has an overall record of 462-250. Moren coached at the University of Indianapolis from 2000-07 with a 130-73 record 3 NCAA Tournament Appearances. Moren coached at Indiana State from 2010-14 leading the Sycamores to a 69-57 record and two WNIT appearances in 2013 and 2014.
this will be a good test for both programs who will meet for the first time. For Marian it’s a chance to see where they stand against a division 1 program and help get them ready to defend their National Championship. For Indiana fans will get to see how this team with veterans, transfers and freshman all gels together. Indiana was a team that did not score as much last year due to their roster but this year they brought in size and speed and as long as they can stay healthy then the expectations are there to get back where they belong which is in the NCAA Tournament.