Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College women's basketball team will strive for another winning season and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship during a 2016-17 season featuring 12 games in the Spurlock Center.
The Grizzlies have been among attendance leaders within NCAA Division III programs, ranking seventh while averaging 691 fans in 2015-16 home games.
The season begins for Head Coach Dana Haggenjos' third season with a home contest against Elmhurst College (Illinois) on November 15. A few days later the team travels to Holland, Michigan for two games in the Hope College Tournament.
Franklin travels to perennial NCAA tournament qualifier DePauw University on November 22 before hosting Olivet College (Michigan) on November 27.
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play commences with only one home game in December, against Earlham College on December 10, before ending the year with a non-conference game against Trine University on December 28 in the Spurlock Center.
January is highlighted by consecutive HCAC home games against Manchester University on January 4, Mount St. Joseph University on January 7, Transylvania University on January 11. A game against Bluffton University on January 21 rounds out the month.
The program's annual Alumni Day game will be on February 4 against Defiance College. Remaining home conference games will be Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on February 1, Hanover College on February 8, and Anderson University on February 18.
See details about the entire 2016-17 schedule HERE.
The Grizzlies return four starting players and several key reserves from last year's team that placed third in the HCAC, reached the semifinals of the conference tournament, and posted a 19-8 record – the program's eighth consecutive winning season. Senior guard Lauren DeSutter (Pittsboro, Ind./Tri-West) was named to the All-HCAC's second team after leading the team in scoring (11.9 points per game).
Follow the women's basketball team throughout the season on Twitter (@FCAthletics). Like the Grizzlies on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinCollegeAthletics), and on Instagram (@franklincollegegrizzlies).