WARREN, Mich. – It's finally here! The 2025-26 Macomb Women's Basketball season will get underway Saturday (Nov. 1) when the Monarchs host Muskegon Community College. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at the Alliance Catholic Credit Union Arena on the campus of Madonna University in Livonia. 
 
LAST SEASON: The Monarchs went 16-13 overall and 8-6 in MCCAA Eastern Conference play, advancing to the postseason for the sixth consecutive season. The Monarchs fell in the opening round of the Great Lakes District A Tournament to 22^nd ranked St. Clair County Community College.
 
VENUE UPDATE: Macomb will host Saturday's game at Madonna University's Alliance Catholic Credit Union Arena before going on the road until conference play begins in January. Due to extensive, year-long renovations to Sport and Expo Center, the Monarchs are slated to play the rest of their home games at the Matthaei Center on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit. 
 
SCOUTING MUSKEGON: Led by reigning MCCAA Northern Conference Coach of the Year, Jason Cooper, the Jayhawks went 23-6 overall and 12-2 in MCCAA North action in 2024-25. Muskegon advanced to the Great Lakes District A Semifinals before ultimately falling to Marian University Ancilla (now Marian University Plymouth). 
 
A player to watch on the Muskegon roster is Anna Lundquist. Last season, Lundquist earned All-Region, All-MCCAA, First Team All-Northern Conference and All-Freshman honors after averaging 16.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. In last year's 77-45 victory over Macomb, Lundquist posted a balanced stat line of 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
 
A LOOK AT MACOMB: Kirk Carolan enters his second season as head coach of the Monarchs and his fifth year on the staff overall. The longtime high school head coach led the Monarchs to a winning record in his first season at the helm.
 
Carolan returns plenty of talent from last year's roster, led in large part by sophomore forward Asiyah Jihad. Last season, Jihad earned All-Region, All-MCCAA, First Team All-Eastern Conference and All-Freshman honors after an outstanding freshman campaign where she tallied 15.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. 
 
Redshirt sophomore guard A'Liyah Forris is another key piece back for year two on the hardwood for Macomb. Last year, the Cass Tech graduate earned Second Team All-Eastern Conference and All-Freshman honors after recording 11.5 points and 3.4 assists per contest. 
 
Two more award winners from last season also return for Carolan and the Monarchs as Vanessa Galovich and Janiya McWilliams look to build off their 2024-25 Honorable Mention All-Conference campaigns. Ruby Sandison, one of the team's top outside threats, joins the returning cast back for year two in the Macomb Blue & White.
 
In addition to the talented cast of returners, Carolan brought in a balanced class of newcomers that includes several local standouts: MyKenzi Harris, Ava Kilgore, Kaylynn Millander, Jamiya Rogers, Maggie Stadler, Hannah Tamou and Curtisey Williams.

UP NEXT: Following Saturday's game against Muskegon, the Monarchs will have a week off before resuming play Nov. 7 the Marian University Plymouth Classic. Macomb will take on Kalamazoo Valley Community College at 6 p.m. to open the two-day classic on Nov. 7. The Monarchs will take on the host Chargers Nov. 8 at 3 p.m.