CONWAY, Ark. – A new season dawns for the Central Arkansas women's basketball team, as the Sugar Bears ramp up for the 2022-23 season. Under the tutelage of head coach Sandra Rushing, now starting her 11^th season at Central Arkansas, the Sugar Bears welcome a host of new players as the team embarks on its second season in the ASUN. The season opens Monday night as Central Arkansas takes on Kansas State at 5:30 p.m.
 
The Sugar Bears return to the court with a new set of student-athletes, but bring back ASUN All-Freshman point guard Randrea Wright. After averaging 9.5 points per game and leading the team with 85 assists, Wright leads an athletic group that is hungry to make a splash in the ASUN. She is joined by returners Gloria Fornah, who started 14 games last season, Lashiyah Fowler, who averaged nearly nine points per game in the final six games of the season, scoring double-digits twice, and Leah Perry, who had 17 points and 17 rebounds as a freshman last season. 
 
Among the new players are freshman Parris Atkins, from Bryant, Ark. Playing at Bryant HS, Atkins racked up over 1,000 points in her high school career, and is a three-level scorer that can hit from anywhere on the floor. This season also brings in a pair of transfers from the state of Arkansas, in Jonesboro native Kayla Mitchell from Lamar and Kinley Fisher, a transfer from Mercer by way of Greenwood, Ark.
 
With 29 games on the schedule, the Sugar Bears will spend the first two on the road at Power 5 opponents, before playing their home opener against Lindenwood in the middle of November. After 11 nonconference games, Central Arkansas will start ASUN play in the new year, with new member Austin Peay on the schedule twice.
 
The Wildcats welcome the Sugar Bears as their home opener on Monday, tipping off the season the same way as last year. Kansas State finished last season 20-13 with a 9-9 Big 12 record, making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Led by junior Ayoka Lee's 22 points and 10.3 boards per game, the Wildcats will be without Lee this season after the Byron, Minn., native underwent season-ending surgery earlier in the year.
 
Even without Lee, Kansas State will have Preseason All-Big 12 guard Serena Sundell, who averaged 10.6 points per game while leading the Wildcats with 176 assists. The team also added Oklahoma transfer Gabby Gregory, who sits 215 points away from the 1,000-point mark in her career.
 
Head coach of Kansas State is Jeff Mittie, who enters the season with 599 wins under his belt. Now in his ninth season in Manhattan, Kan., Mittie leads a squad that was selected sixth in the Big 12's preseason poll.
 
Tipoff against the Wildcats is set for 5:30 p.m. at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available here. Fans can also listen to Steve Owens on The Bear on KUCA 91.3.