Monday, November 3
Florence, Ala.
6 p.m.
UT Martin
at
North Alabama
UT Martin Opens 2025-26 Campaign At North Alabama Tomorrow
11/2/2025 8:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MARTIN, Tenn. – The 57th season of University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball officially starts tomorrow as the Skyhawks make the 150-mile trek to Florence, Ala. to take on the North Alabama Lions. Tipoff from CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
UT Martin brings back four players from 2024-25 although two of those players (Mikayla Lambert and Yar Tong) combined for just one game in the midst of redshirt seasons. Two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference guard Kenley McCarn returns for her redshirt junior season as the Melbourne, Ark. native has pumped in 1,108 points over 74 games in her career (15.0 points per outing). Junior forward Norah Clark additionally returns after scoring 492 points over 61 games (32 starts) during her first two seasons in a Skyhawk uniform.
Nine newcomers grace the UT Martin roster in 2025-26, a list that includes one senior, one junior, two sophomores and five freshmen. Destinee Wells (Tennessee) and Grace Billington (Murray State) bring NCAA Division I experience to the Skyhawks while Brittani Wells (Three Rivers) and NJCAA third team All-American Zy Thompson (Chattahoochee Valley) each honed their skills at the junior college level. Kennedy Horton (St. Louis, Mo.), Sidni Middleton (Vilonia, Ark.), Sidney Blackwell (Marshville, NC), Cam Ward (Smyrna, Tenn.) and Nyjha Webster (Jackson, Tenn.) comprise a star-studded freshman class for Kevin McMillan, who is 294-213 in 16 seasons as UT Martin's head coach.
This marks the third straight season that the Skyhawks and North Alabama – former Gulf South Conference foes – have met. McCarn scored 15 points in last year's matchup against the Lions at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center while Clark notched a team-best 15 points (on 6-of-10 shooting) with six rebounds at North Alabama during the 2023-24 season.
The Lions return seven players – and four of their top five scorers – from last season as head coach Candi Whitaker enters her second season at the helm. Katie Criswell (8.2 points per game) and India Howard (8.0 points, team-highs of 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest) headline the returners for North Alabama, who went 13-17 in 2024-25. A total of eight Lions (three transfers and five freshmen) are set to make their debut for the Lions, who were picked sixth in the preseason Atlantic Sun poll.
The links for the ESPN+ stream and live stats for tomorrow's contest are located above.
UT Martin brings back four players from 2024-25 although two of those players (Mikayla Lambert and Yar Tong) combined for just one game in the midst of redshirt seasons. Two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference guard Kenley McCarn returns for her redshirt junior season as the Melbourne, Ark. native has pumped in 1,108 points over 74 games in her career (15.0 points per outing). Junior forward Norah Clark additionally returns after scoring 492 points over 61 games (32 starts) during her first two seasons in a Skyhawk uniform.
Nine newcomers grace the UT Martin roster in 2025-26, a list that includes one senior, one junior, two sophomores and five freshmen. Destinee Wells (Tennessee) and Grace Billington (Murray State) bring NCAA Division I experience to the Skyhawks while Brittani Wells (Three Rivers) and NJCAA third team All-American Zy Thompson (Chattahoochee Valley) each honed their skills at the junior college level. Kennedy Horton (St. Louis, Mo.), Sidni Middleton (Vilonia, Ark.), Sidney Blackwell (Marshville, NC), Cam Ward (Smyrna, Tenn.) and Nyjha Webster (Jackson, Tenn.) comprise a star-studded freshman class for Kevin McMillan, who is 294-213 in 16 seasons as UT Martin's head coach.
This marks the third straight season that the Skyhawks and North Alabama – former Gulf South Conference foes – have met. McCarn scored 15 points in last year's matchup against the Lions at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center while Clark notched a team-best 15 points (on 6-of-10 shooting) with six rebounds at North Alabama during the 2023-24 season.
The Lions return seven players – and four of their top five scorers – from last season as head coach Candi Whitaker enters her second season at the helm. Katie Criswell (8.2 points per game) and India Howard (8.0 points, team-highs of 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest) headline the returners for North Alabama, who went 13-17 in 2024-25. A total of eight Lions (three transfers and five freshmen) are set to make their debut for the Lions, who were picked sixth in the preseason Atlantic Sun poll.
The links for the ESPN+ stream and live stats for tomorrow's contest are located above.
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