STORM LAKE, Iowa (Nov. 5, 2025) - The Buena Vista women's basketball team tips-off its 2025-26 season this weekend, and the team is excited to get out and make some noise on the hardwood this season for second-year head coach Kylee Boettcher.

The Beavers return all five starters and seven of their top eight point scorers from last season's squad that finished 8-17 overall (3-13 A-R-C) and posted the program's highest single-season win total over the previous eight years - which is also the last time it earned a berth into the conference tournament.

Although it will be led by a strong senior class going into the year, BVU's top-2 scorers on last year's team were both freshman. Bradi Krager, who was a Second Team All-Conference selection and ranked 10th overall in scoring, is coming off a rookie campaign that saw her register 13.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.6 assists per game last season. She also led the Beavers with 41 three-point baskets and shot over 45 percent from the field overall. Right alongside her was freshman Tyme Boettcher, who averaged 10.8 points per game and grabbed a team-leading 6.7 rebounds per contest. She was third on the team with 36 long range buckets, second in both assists (60) and steals (47) and shot nearly 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Alongside that dynamic duo will be seniors McKenna Cone, Danika Demers, Madalynn Hilgendorf and Jenna Hallock. Cone was third on the team at 10.0 points per game and second in three-point buckets with 37, Demers added 8.3 points, 3.7 assists and 1.2 assists while Hilgendorf and Hallock were forces down low by shooting 50 percent from the field and combining for 15 blocked shots. Five of the six players averaged over 22.0 minutes per game.

It could be a milestone season for both Cone and Demers as each is closing in on 1,000 career points. Cone enters the year sitting 232 away with Demers needing 269. Meanwhile for Demers, she is only 15 assists from dishing out 300 in her career which would make her only the fourth player in program history to do so.

The only other player to average over 10.0 minutes per game last season is sophomore McKenna Scott, who gave the Beavers 2.5 points and 1.2 assists per game as another ball handling option off the bench. Additionally, sophomore Oliva Mattson appeared in 14 games off the bench.

Boettcher's squad buried 167 total three-point baskets in her first season at the helm which is tied for the ninth-most during a single season in program history. The 577 attempts ranked fifth.

Now in her second season, Boettcher will have an even deeper roster to work with this season with the addition of her talented incoming class. Among the group are transfers Shae Dutler (sophomore) and Mary Walker (junior). Walker joins the program after averaging 17.0ppg in her second season with DMACC last season. Five additional first-year players join the program with several looking at making immediate impacts.

Buena Vista averaged 65.8 points per game last season and has continued to work on solidifying the defensive execution after ranking eighth in the A-R-C in scoring defense at 74.5ppg.

The Beavers, who were picked to finish sixth in the A-R-C Preseason Coaches Pill, begin the year at home on Nov. 7-8 by hosting the first annual Central Bank Classic and will face Benedictine University (IL) on the opening night at 7 p.m. On Monday, Nov. 10, it is scheduled to travel to the University of South Dakota (NCAA DI) for an exhibition game before returning to its regular schedule on Friday, Nov. 14 at Macalester College.

Seven of the team's first nine games on the year will be played at home on Saggau Family Court inside of Siebens Fieldhouse, including the first two American Rivers Conference games against Coe College (Dec. 3) and Central College (Dec. 6). It will also play a conference road game at Simpson College (Dec. 12) before the holiday break.

Over the holiday break, Boettcher will guide her team to an exhibition game at Northwest Missouri State University (Dec. 17) before it heads to Daytona Beach, Fla., to play games on Dec. 20 (vs. Alma College) and on Dec. 21 (vs. University of New England).

The return of conference play tips-off on Jan. 3 at the University of Dubuque. BVU's first home game of 2026 will be played on Saturday, Jan. 17 against Luther College. The regular season finale will also be inside of Siebens Fieldhouse on Feb. 21 against Loras College.