Mines (1-1) vs. Simon Fraser (4-1) – Friday, 5 p.m. – Billings, Mont. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines (0-0) at St. Edward's (0-3) – Saturday, 3 p.m. CT – Austin, Texas [Live Stats] [Live Video]

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THE GREAT WHITE NORTH
The Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team started its season with a trip south to balmy Austin, Texas. This weekend, the Orediggers are headed north to Billings, Mont., for the Yellowjacket Classic. The trip starts with a 5 p.m. tipoff on Friday against Simon Fraser. Saturday brings a 3 p.m. showdown against the host #6-ranked MSU Billings. It marks the start of a run against nationally-ranked teams as Mines is slated to face the #6 Yellowjackets, #2 Texas Woman's, #1 Minnesota State, and #23 Fort Hays State in the next two weeks.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Each game this weekend will have free live stats available for fans which are linked above and on the women's basketball schedule page. There will also be free live video available on MSU Billings' YouTube page.
 
LONE STAR REWIND
Mines started its 2024-25 campaign last weekend in Austin, Texas, at the regional crossover event. This year's edition was hosted by St. Edward's. The Orediggers' season opener was a 72-49 victory against St. Mary's. Texas natives Audrey Beaty and Peyton Freiermuth led the way for Mines. Beaty notched 13 points and grabbed three rebounds. Freiermuth was perfect from the floor while tallying 13 points. She also dished out four assists, had four rebounds, and posted two steals. Jenna Siebert rounded out the scoring leaders by adding 10 points. On Saturday, the Orediggers dropped a 71-51 decision against St. Edward's. Mines was hindered by 20 turnovers while SEU only had 11. Emma Sixta scored 14 points, Siebert tallied 13 points, and Josephine Howery contributed 10 points.
 
MONTANA TIES
Interestingly enough, Mines has no players on its roster from the state of Montana. Furthermore, neither Simon Fraser or MSU Billings have any players from Colorado. However, Oredigger assistant coach Taylor Harris does have some ties to Big Sky Country. Harris was the head coach at Miles City Community College in Miles City, Mont., from 2019-21. During his time with the Pioneers, Harris guided MCCC to a 43-15 mark including a 30-5 record in conference play. His final season was one for the record books as the Pioneers won the MonDak Conference title and advanced to the NJCAA Sweet 16. Miles City, Mont., is located nearly 150 miles north and west (mostly west) of Billington, Mont.
 
FAMILIAR FACES
Mines' 2024-25 roster features 14 student-athletes and 10 of them are returners. Josephine Howery, Jessica Rios, and Jenna Siebert all started multiple games last year. Siebert was eventually named Honorable Mention All-RMAC. Emma Sixta, Audrey Beaty, and Quincey Baum played significant minutes for the Orediggers in 2023-24. Isa Hensley, Michaela Lee, and Saya Sabus round out the returning letterwinners with Peyton Freiermuth coming off a redshirt season.
 
NOTING THE NEWCOMERS
Oredigger Head Coach Brittany Simpson added four newcomers to her roster during the offseason. Her signing class included three incoming freshmen and one transfer. Lindsey Jones played high school ball at Mission Hills High School in San Marcos, Calif. Jaycee Pittman arrived in Golden, Colo., after a prep career out west – hailing from Parachute, Colo., and Grand Valley High School. Jade Leon journeyed from Miami, Fla., and Trinity Palmer High School to join the Orediggers. Olivia Lee rounded out the class after stops at Cal State San Bernardino and Western New Mexico.
 
MEET TAYLOR HARRIS
The Mines coaching staff added a fresh face last spring with Taylor Harris taking over as assistant coach for the Orediggers. Harris, a 14-year veteran coach, came to the Orediggers after leading Fort Lewis' women's squad for three seasons. Other stops for the Colorado native include Miles Community College (Mont.), and 10 years of service at fellow RMAC programs in Regis and MSU Denver. Fans can check out Harris' full biography HERE.
 
BOSS LADY
Head Coach Brittany Simpson enters her 13th season leading the Mines women's basketball program. During her decade-plus tenure, she has become the winningest coach in program history both in terms of total wins and win percentage at 220-124 (63.9). Simpson is responsible for all three of the program's RMAC titles including regular-season championships in 2015-16, 2020-21, and 2021-22. She has also led the Orediggers in five of their six trips to the NCAA tournament. Simpson is a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year who has guided 36 All-RMAC selections including 15 first-teamers, 11 second-teamers, one third-team selection and nine honorable mention performers. She has also coached one RMAC Player of the Year, two RMAC Defensive Players of the Year, and two RMAC Freshman of the Year award winners. Eight of Mines' 13 1,000-point scorers have surpassed the milestone under Simpson's watch.
 
SALUTE TO STEFFECK
For the first time since 2019, Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball will take the court without Ashley Steffeck on the roster. Steffeck exhausted her collegiate eligibility last season and finished her career as arguably the greatest Oredigger in program history. She earned the first and second all-America honors in program history. Among her 48 listings in the Mines record book are all-time leading scorer, all-time leader in assists, and all-time leader in steals. While no player is irreplaceable, Mines will certainly look different in 2024-25.
 
SISTER-SISTER
The Orediggers' 2024-25 roster features sisters Michaela and Olivia Lee. Michaela is entering her second season at Mines. As a true freshman, she came off the bench and scored six points, grabbed eight rebounds, blocked four shots, and grabbed two steals in just 28 total minutes of action. Olivia is in her first, and only, season as an Oredigger. She started her collegiate career at Western New Mexico before transferring to Cal State San Bernardino after two seasons. The elder Lee completed her bachelor's degree at CSUSB and came to Mines to pursue a master's degree and play her final season of collegiate volleyball. Over the last four years, Olivia has accumulated 462 points, 391 rebounds, 61 blocks, 35 assists, and 21 steals across 81 games.
 
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Mines' 2024-25 schedule is arguably one of the toughest in the nation – at least on paper. The Orediggers won't play a home contest until the fourth week of the season. When they do open at Lockridge Arena, they'll be facing preseason #1 Minnesota State and preseason #23 Fort Hays State. The season-opening road trip also includes showdowns with preseason #6 MSU Billings and preseason #2 Texas Woman's. There's also a RMAC matchup with preseason #21 Colorado Mesa before the holiday break as well. All that being said, Mines starts the season in Texas. Next weekend, the team heads to Billings, Mont., for two games. The Orediggers will play a midweek at #2 Texas Woman's on Nov. 20. Aforementioned home action beings Nov. 29-30. Conference play starts Dec. 5-6 at Adams State and New Mexico Highlands. Home RMAC opens Dec. 14 and 16 against #21 CMU and Westminster.  Mines finishes non-conference play by hosting Angelo State on Friday, Dec. 20. After the calendar flips, the Orediggers' home contests include CSU Pueblo, Colorado Christian, MSU Denver, Fort Lewis, Adams State, Black Hills State, Chadron State, and Regis.
 
SCOUTING SIMON FRASER
Simon Fraser is 4-1 on the year. The Red Leafs started their season early thanks to an exemption from the NCAA, and they hosted the CCA Division II Canadian Tip-Off Classic. It was a 3-1 weekend for SFU with double-digit victories against St. Edward's and Dominican before then #4-ranked Tampa downed the Leafs by a score of 66-51. Last weekend, Simon Fraser took down Vanguard and Westmont. In the early going of the 2024-25 campaign, Sophia Wisotzki is averaging 25.8 points per game along with 2.6 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.0 rebounds per contest. Makenna Gardner is averaging 5.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE RED LEAFS
Mines and Simon Fraser have only met once before in women's basketball. The Red Leafs defeated the Orediggers, 72-67, in Anaheim, Calif., on Nov. 6, 2016. Elizabeth Tomon scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds in the loss.
 
SCOUTING MSU BILLINGS
MSU Billings, like SFU, started its season early, hosting the D2CCA Tipoff Classic at the Trailhead. With that early start, the Yellowjackets have accumulated four wins compared to one loss. Their only hiccup was a 69-52 margin against then #3 Grand Valley State. MSU Billings boasts wins over Texas A&M-International, Findlay, Westmont, and Vanguard. The Yellowjackets are a perennial power in DII women's basketball with NCAA tournament appearances most recently in 2023 and 2024. They also won the West Region and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2018. This year's early statistical leaders include Dyauni Boyce, Aspen Giese, Kortney Nelson, and Chenoa Louie. Boyce boasts 12.8 points per game. Giese is averaging 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. Nelson has dished out 18 assists. Louie has blocked seven shots so far.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE YELLOWJACKETS
Mines is 1-6 in the all-time series against MSU Billings. The Orediggers lone win over the Yellowjackets came last season when MSU Billings was ranked #10 in the nation and traveled to Lockridge Arena. Mines scored a 75-71, upset victory thanks to Ashley Steffeck's 25 points, six assists, four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Also big was Quincey Baum who produced a timely 13 points and seven rebounds. Prior to the 2023-24 meeting, Mines and MSU Billings hadn't met since the 2008 season. Saturday marks the fourth time the Orediggers and Yellowjackets will face off in Billings, Mont.
 
UP NEXT
Mines continues to run the gauntlet as they travel to #2-ranked Texas Woman's for a midweek game on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Free live stats and pay-per-view video of the game will be available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on "X" (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram at @MinesWBB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.