SURPRISE, Ariz. - The 2019-2020 seasons provides a clean slate for the OUAZ women's basketball team. A new year, a new facility, and a chance to change the tide for the program.

The team will play its first game at OUAZ's new Faith Arena on November 16 when they take on Benedictine-Mesa. It is the first of a six-game homestand for the Spirit that runs through December 10.

The Spirit enter its third year as a basketball program, and its second as a member of the Golden State Athletic Conference. Last season the team swept two GSAC foes, Life Pacific and San Diego Christian.

The Spirit played well outside of the tough conference schedule last season. OUAZ went 6-1 in non-conference play, including a win over cross-town opponent Benedictine-Mesa, and a home-and home sweep over Saint Katherine.

The team is on a six-game, non-conference home win streak that dates back to the 2017-2018 season. They also have victories in 10 in its last 11 non-conference matchups that started two seasons ago. OUAZ is 14-12 all-time in non-conference games.

The Spirit are also losing a lot of production, but they are not without NAIA experience. Senior guard Elizabeth Garcia comes back for one last season, looking to build off her 5.2 PPG, 3.2 rebounds per game, and 2.1 assists per game. Those numbers all ranked fourth on the team last season.

There are a lot of new players to the program as well, and the talented group is led by Glendale Community College transfer Kirsten Shinske. Shinske led the Gauchos in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. She was also top ten in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference in assists and free throw percentage in 2018-2019. She also was second in the conference in free throw percentage during the 2017-2018 season.  

OUAZ is also gaining valuable experience for a young program in its non-conference schedule. The Spirit will play four NCAA Division 1 schools in exhibitions before 2020. They will take on Southern Utah (Nov. 1), Cal Baptist (Nov. 13), Utah Valley (Dec. 28), and UC Santa Barbara (Dec. 30). This is the third straight season the Spirit will play an NCAA Division 1 opponent.

The Spirit officially open its season on Monday, October 28 when they take on Park-Gilbert. It will be the Buccaneers' first game in program history, and the Spirit will hope to spoil the party. OUAZ travels to The Nest at San Tan Charter, and tipoff is scheduled for 7:30pm.