Two weeks after the Horizon League released its slate of league games, the Valpo women's basketball team announced its full 2015-16 schedule.
The Crusaders will open at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse on Nov. 13th versus former HL foe, Butler. Valpo dominated a short-handed Bulldog squad, 91-57, at the Athletics-Recreation Center in last year's season opener. Butler recovered to assemble a 14-16 season sparked by a perfect 8-0 month of January.
Valpo will welcome Notre Dame to town on Monday, Nov. 23rd for its home opener. The Fighting Irish have appeared in the Final Four each of the past five years, including four national championship runner-up finishes during that span. The 7:00 p.m. tilt will represent the 26th meeting between the two teams since the series began in December of 1977.
The Brown and Gold will spend their Thanksgiving in sunny Southern California as University of San Diego will host an invitational. Valpo is expected to face the Toreros (25-7 overall, 14-4 WCC in 2014-15) in an opening-round contest before taking on Northern Colorado (22-13. 12-6 Big Sky in 2014-15) a day later. San Diego is 35-4 in its last 39 games at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, its home facility.
Valparaiso will open the month of December against Miami (OH) on the 2nd. Valpo led the RedHawks at half before the home team stormed back to claim a Wednesday afternoon victory at Millett Hall in Oxford.
The Crusaders will then travel south to challenge Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center on Dec. 5th. The Cardinals made a Sweet 16 appearance last season as part of a 27-7 campaign. This will represent the third meeting in the last four years between the two squads.
Once they return from Kentucky, the Crusaders will play their final five non-league games at home. Cardinal Stritch (Dec. 7), Akron (Dec. 9), IU-Northwest (Dec. 12), SIU-Edwardsville (Dec. 19), and IU-Kokomo (Dec. 21) will all make trips to the ARC before Horizon League play commences on Dec. 30th at Northern Kentucky.