LETHBRIDGE – After 623 days without playing a game on their own home court, the Lethbridge Pronghorn women's basketball team hits the floor at the 1^st Choice Savings centre this weekend to open the 2021-22 Canada West season.
 
The Pronghorns host southern Alberta rival Calgary Dinos Friday and Saturday night, with tip-off slated for 6:00 Friday and 5:00 pm Saturday night. Proof of vaccination with government issued ID is required to attend Pronghorn home games.
 
Both games will be streamed live on www.canadawest.tv, presented by Co-op.
 
Saturday night, prior to the men's game, Pronghorns Athletics will honour two former greats with a jersey retirement celebration for Shawna Molcak and Perry Mirkovich – read the original release here
 
A look at the teams
 
Two seasons ago, the Pronghorns finished with an 11-9 record and hosted the play-in game to start playoffs, but the 2021-22 version of the Pronghorns will look distinctly different with nine new players on the rosters this season.
 
2019-20 leading scorers Kacie Bosch and Asnate Fomina and defensive player of the year Katie Keith have graduated and moved on, but Jessica Haenni and Amy Mazutinec return, along with Jessica Zarowny and Isabel Rattai to provide the Pronghorns with a veteran core.
 
Among the nine new faces the Pronghorns have a good mix of youth and experience. Millay Johnson who played for the Pronghorns during the 2017-28 season returns and the program welcomes Canada West transfers Makenna Ledgister (Alberta Pandas), Haily Weaver (Victoria Vikes) and Aimee Wilson (Alberta Pandas) to the mix.
 
The Dinos return to conference action looking to build upon a 2019-20 U SPORTS Championship tournament appearance. After finishing atop the Canada West standings during that season with a 18-2 record, the Dinos were bounced in the Canada West semifinal by the Alberta Pandas but went the national dance as an 'At Large' bid. The Dinos lost to the eventual silver medalist Brock Badgers in the quarter-final.
 
Like the Pronghorns, the Dinos graduated their leading scorer with the departure of Liene Stalidzane but return second leading scorer Bobbi-Jo Colburn, who averaged 13.33 points per game.
 
Up Next
 
With the shortened schedule and flex weeks placed in the Canada West schedule, the Pronghorns will not play on home court again until the first week of December. Next weekend, the Pronghorns head to Edmonton to face the Alberta Pandas.