CONWAY, Ark. – After 257 days since the last Sugar Bear basketball game, a new season dawns. With many changes to the program, a new sense of life echoes throughout the halls of the Farris Center as new head coach Tony Kemper takes the court for the first time tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. to take on Hendrix.
 
A new coaching staff and ten new players later, the Central Arkansas women's basketball team get set to open the 2023-24 season at home, doing so for the first time since 2018. Kemper, who coached at Central Arkansas as an assistant with both the men's and women's programs from 2006-12. As the associate head coach of the Sugar Bears from 2010-12, the program compiled a record of 45-19, with a 25-7 Southland Conference record. Under his guidance, the squad played in both the WBI and WNIT.
 
With three returners, Kinley Fisher, Randrea Wright and Kierra Prim, the Sugar Bears bring back a few players who played big roles last season, and look to build on the continuity that the three have with one another.
 
The three were the top scorers from last season's team, with Prim leading the team in rebounding and Wright leading the team in assists. Fisher led the team in three-pointers, steals and was an absolute workhorse in conference games, averaging 37.1 minutes per game in league play.
 
Of the new players joining the team, four will be lacing up the sneakers as a college athlete for the first time, with Fatime Seck, Cheyanne Kemp, Kaidyn Beckwith and Elizabeth Abiara signing out of high school. Kemp, in particular, should be a fairly familiar name on the Arkansas high school circuit, as the freshman was named an All-State and -Conference player in all four years, and finished her career at Morrilton HS with over 1,900 points.
 
 Six players join the Sugar Bears with collegiate experience, with two Division I transfers and four community college signees. Jade Upshaw and Destine Duckworth transferred from Arkansas State and SIUE, respectively, and bring experience at this level to the squad. Bree Stephens, Leah Mafua and Jenna Rose Mafua all played together at Dodge City CC, where the three ran their league and developed great chemistry with one another. The fourth community college addition, Cheyenne Banks, joined the team from Coffeyville CC, and averaged 10.5 points and 7.1 rebounds during her final season, and was an all-conference talent.
 
Hendrix finished last season 6-20, bowing out in the first round of the Southern Athletic Association Tournament. The Warriors return six players, experiencing some overturn of their own. The leading scorer from last season's team that rejoins the squad is junior Simone Shields, who was often the first player off the bench. She averaged 9.4 points playing 27.8 minutes per game, and contributed 3.6 rebounds, 36 assists and a team-high 41 steals.
 
The Warriors are under the direction of head coach Drew Gaeng, who gears up for his 11^th season at the helm. With Gaeng leading the way, Hendrix has coached multiple all-conference players, and won a Southern Athletic Association Tournament in 2016-17, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
 
Tip-off against the Warriors is set for 6:30 p.m. in the Farris Center. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online. Fans can also listen to all the action on The Bear 91.3 with Steve Owens on the call.