For the first time in UALR school history, the Trojan women’s basketball team will start the 2009-2010 season competing in the Pre-season Women’s National Invitation Tournament, the organization has announced. The first-rounds of the Pre-season WNIT begin on Friday, Nov. 13, with the Trojans traveling to Stillwater, Okla., to face Oklahoma State.

This season’s field includes 11 teams that played in the post-season last spring including UALR, Ohio State, Bowling Green, Florida Gulf Coast, Georgia Tech, Marist, New Mexico, North Carolina A&T, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, and Winthrop. Chicago State, Eastern Illinois, Northern Colorado, Towson, and UTEP will also compete this year.

The Pre-season WNIT is a three-game guarantee format. The first rounds are played Nov. 13 with second round action slated for Nov. 15-16. The semi-finals will be held Nov. 18-19 with the championship game set for Sunday, Nov. 22. Teams that lose in the first two rounds play in consolation games that will take place Nov. 20-22. All games are hosted by participating schools. Sites are announced by the end of the preceding round.

UALR will start the 2009-2010 after recording the team’s second straight Sun Belt West Division Championship and WNIT appearance. The Trojans finished the 2008-2009 season 26-7 overall and 16-2 in conference action, both school records. All five starters return to this season’s squad that competed in the Sun Belt Championship game last year.

First-round Pre-season WNIT games
(All 2008-2009 team records in parentheses)

Friday, Nov. 13, 2009

Eastern Illinois (24-9) at Ohio State (29-6), 5 p.m. ET
UTEP (18-12) at Florida Gulf Coast (26-5), 7 p.m. ET
Arkansas-Little Rock (26-7) at Oklahoma State (17-16), 7 p.m. ET
Towson (17-13) at West Virginia (18-15), 7 p.m. ET
Winthrop (16-16) at Georgia Tech (22-10), 7:30 p.m. ET
Chicago State (16-13) at Bowling Green (29-5), 7:30 p.m. ET
North Carolina A&T (26-7) at Marist (29-4), 7:30 p.m. ET