The Dixie State women's basketball team officially opens the 2015-16 season this weekend with games at No. 7 Alaska Anchorage on Friday and Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday.
 
The Storm travel first to Anchorage, Alaska for a Friday evening matchup with the nationally-ranked Seawolves. Tipoff against UAA is set for 7 p.m. Alaska Time (9 p.m. MT) at the Alaska Airlines Center. Following the game, Dixie State will travel to Fairbanks, Alaska for a Saturday afternoon game with the Nanooks. Tipoff against UAF is set for 3 p.m. Alaska Time (5 p.m. MT) on Alaska Airlines Court located inside the Patty Center.
 
"The team is excited to bounce back from last Saturday and have another opportunity to showcase what we can do," Head Coach Jenny Thigpin said. "It's a long trip with two quick turnarounds. Alaska Anchorage is a highly competitive Division II program. It will be a challenge for us, and we're excited to see if we can rise to it. We want to master our own identity as a program and find out who we are as a team."
 
LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State fell 106-79 to Utah State in an exhibition matchup on Saturday. The Storm shot 37.5 percent (27-of-72) from the field, 26.7 percent (8-of-30) from the 3-point line, and 70 percent (14-of-20) from the free throw line.Two players finished in double-figures for the Storm, led by senior center Taylor Mann (Castle Dale, Utah/Emery), who finished with 18 points and five rebounds. Senior guard Chermayne Moore (Pinole, Calif./Hercules) added 11 points and four rebounds.
 
2015-16 ROSTER: The Storm return four starters from last year, led by senior center Taylor Mann (Castle Dale, Utah/Emery), who averaged 11.4 points and nine rebounds per game, and senior guard Leslie Tademy (Phoenix, Ariz./South Mountain) (7.5 ppg). Tademy led the Storm in assists in the 2014-15 season with 136 assists (5.2 per game). Also returning is senior guard Chermayne Moore (Pinole, Calif./Hercules)  (7.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg) and senior forward Brianna Jessop (Hyrum, Utah/Mountain Crest) (4.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg).
 
Five sophomore reserves also return in guards Shantel Roberts (Rialto, Calif./Miller) (2.4 ppg), Sandria Bolden (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman) (2.1 ppg), and Gabrielle Cabanero (Las Vegas, Nev./Valley) (2.0 ppg), forward Nishiki Washington (Nagasaki, Japan/Miura) (3.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg), and center Ashlee Burge (Riverton, Utah/Herriman) (1.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg). Additionally, the Storm welcome back redshirt freshman guard Tramina Jordan (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial).
 
Three junior college transfers join the Storm in junior guards Tomorie Sangster (Vacaville, Calif./Will C. Wood ), Aliya Davis (Everett, Wash./Woodcreek), and Cassidy Carrillo (La Mirada, Calif./St. Paul). Sangster played at Napa Valley College, averaging 10.8 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game in two seasons. Davis played two seasons at Sierra College, where she averaged 6.6 points per game. Carrillo played at Cerritos College, averaging 8.3 points and two rebounds per game in two seasons for the Falcons.  
 
Freshman guard Raynie Maynes (Salome, Ariz./Salome) represents the only new freshman joining the team in 2015-16. Maynes comes to Dixie State after redshirting last season at the University of Great Falls, and is the younger sister of former Dixie State guard Taylor Maynes (Salome, AZ/Salome).
 
STORM PICKED NINTH IN PACWEST POLL: Dixie State was picked to finish ninth in the Pacific West Conference preseason coaches poll released in October, after finishing in the same spot with a 7-13 record in conference action last year. California Baptist was picked to win the PacWest, followed by Azusa Pacific, Academy of Art, Fresno Pacific, and Point Loma in the Top-5.
 
ALL-TIME VS. UAA AND UAF: Friday's game marks the third meeting between Dixie State and Alaska Anchorage. Both previous matchups (2010, 2011) were played in Anchorage, Alaska with the Seawolves winning both games.
 
Saturday's game marks the fourth meeting between Dixie State and Alaska Fairbanks. Dixie State holds a 2-1 lead in the all-time series, winning the first two matchups. UAF took the most recent meeting, a 94-72 victory at the Burns Arena last season. 
 
KNOW YOUR FOE: Alaska Anchorage enters the game with a 5-0 record, picking up wins over William Jewell, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Academy of Art, and two wins over New Hope Christian. Led by senior forward Megan Mullings (16.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and senior guards Jenna Buchanan (15.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Jessica Madison (11.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg), the Seawolves enter the game ranked No. 7 in the nation and were picked to win the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in the 2015-16 preseason coaches poll.
 
Alaska Fairbanks also opens its 2015-16 season this weekend, hosting Stanislaus State on Friday before welcoming in the Storm on Saturday. The Nanooks finished the 2014-15 season with a 14-14 overall record and a 5-12 mark in the GNAC. Junior forwards Jordan Wilson (15.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2015-16 All-GNAC preseason team) and Kaillee Skjold (9.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg) return to lead the UAF attack.
 
UP NEXT: The Storm head back up Interstate 15 to Utah Valley University for their second exhibition game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 21. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Mountain Time at the UCCU Center in Orem, Utah.