ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — The Henderson State women's basketball team begins its 2019-20 campaign this weekend when the Reddies compete at the Harding University Big Red Challenge in Searcy, Arkansas.
The Reddies, who have won 39 games in the last two seasons and were picked to finish fifth in the conference's preseason coaches poll, return nearly their entire roster from last season, including all five starters and their two All-GAC honorees: senior guards Pink Jones and Hailey Estes.
Jones will look to stake her claim as perhaps the greatest player in program history in her final season in Arkadelphia. The native of Fayetteville, Arkansas, who averaged 15.1 points per game last season, is a three-time All-GAC selection and has a chance to finish her career as the Reddies' all-time leader in scoring and assists. Estes, who earned Honorable Mention All-Conference accolades in 2018-19, has also stuffed the stat sheet for Henderson in her three playing seasons. The product of Conway High School has hit 206 3-pointers and is on pace to finish her career as HSU's all-time rebounding leader.
Joining the two All-GAC standouts are senior guard Blu Jones, junior guard Lani Snowden and junior forward Karrington Whaley, who comprised the typical starting lineup for the Reddies last season. Also returning is forward Lexis Weber, now a graduate student who has battled through injuries to return for her fifth season in a Henderson State uniform. Other familiar faces who are back for the Reddies include reserve guards Maci Mains and Madi Nichols, as well as post Brooke Lewis.
Henderson added several newcomers to the roster in the offseason who will aim to make an impact in their first year on campus. Five in-state freshmen comprised the Reddies' signing class, as Ashley Farrar of Green Forest, Gracie Raby of Mount Vernon-Enola, Sonni Martin of Jonesboro, Reagan Roetzel of Conway and Tamia Templeton of Morrilton will all be looking to work their way into the rotation for HSU. The lone transfer on the 2019-20 roster, junior guard Chelsea Wood of Memphis, Missouri, also figures to earn playing time on a deep and experienced squad.
The Reddies open the season on Friday at 12 p.m. against Missouri Southern before turning around to face Emporia State at 12 p.m. on Saturday. Henderson's first home game of the year comes on Friday, Nov. 15 at 5:30 p.m. when it hosts Bacone College in the Duke Wells Center.
