WARREN, Mich. – Macomb Women's Basketball will hit the hardwood for the first time in 2026 on Jan. 2-3 at the St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Skippers New Year's Classic. The two-day event will culminate a 15-game non-conference slate for second-year head coach Kirk Carolan and the Monarchs.
 
THE RUNDOWN: The Monarchs open the new year on Jan. 2 opposite Grand Rapids Community College at 2 p.m. A game against Bay College—a team receiving votes in the latest NJCAA Division II Rankings—awaits on Jan. 3 at 11 a.m. Both games will be played at the SC4 Fieldhouse in Port Huron.
 
HOW TO WATCH: SC4 will live stream every game but there is a $7.95/day fee to watch. Link: https://stream.prestosports.com/stclaircountycc
 
A LOOK AT GRAND RAPIDS: The Raiders enter the new year riding a four-game winning streak with their last loss coming on Nov. 30 to Macomb by a 55-45 final at the Montcalm Shootout. In that game, the Monarchs took an 11-4 advantage after one quarter of play and never relinquished the lead despite the contest being close throughout. The 10-point defeat to the Monarchs marked only one of three losses on the season for the 10-3 Raiders.
 
In their most recent four-game winning streak, the Raiders have outscored the opposition by 21 points per game, including a 78-52 home victory over South Suburban their last time out.
 
Tianna Daye is the lone Raider to average double figures scoring at 13.8 per contest for a GRCC team that tallies 67.5 points per game. After Daye, the scoring column is balanced for 10^th year head coach David Glazier's Raiders as four players account for seven-or-more points per game.
 
The Raiders hold opponents to 51.6 points per game, the lowest points per game allowed in the MCCAA.
 
The Monarchs own a 4-1 record all-time against the Raiders and have won the last four meetings dating back to the 2013-14 season.
 
A LOOK AT BAY: One of the more impressive teams across the MCCAA during non-conference play, the Norse enter the new year with a 9-2 record and are currently just outside the Top 25 receiving votes nationally in the latest NJCAA Division II Rankings.
 
Like the Raiders, the Norse are also enjoying a four-game winning streak and head into the Skippers New Year's Classic with a potent offense that averages 89.5 points per game on 40.4% shooting and 20.7 assists per contest.
 
The 20.7 assists per game are a MCCAA-best while the 89.5 points per game average is second in the association. The Norse post a MCCAA-leading 17.8 steals per game and hold opponents to 58.8 points per game (tied for fourth in the MCCAA with Macomb).
 
Lauren Zawada (18.0 PPG), McKenzie Hoffmeyer (12.9 PPG), Makenna Hendrickson (11.9 PPG) and Nina Bower (11.5 PPG) all average double-digit points per game for the high-octane Norse offense.
 
The Jan. 3 game at SC4 will mark the first meeting between the Monarchs and Norse.
 
The Norse are led by head coach James Fassett in his second season.
 
A LOOK AT MACOMB: The Monarchs ended 2025 on a high note with a four-game winning streak of their own that most recently featured a 100-33 win over Community Christian College on Dec. 23 and a 77-60 victory at Montcalm Community College on Dec. 22. The current four-game winning streak has pushed the Monarchs' record to 9-4 this season.
 
Asiyah Jihad, an All-Region, All-MCCAA and First Team All-Conference selection a season ago, leads three Monarchs in double figures at 16.0 points per game. The sophomore forward also hauls in a team-best 9.9 rebounds per game.
 
Jihad is followed in the scoring column by fellow sophomore A'Liyah Forris at 12.5 points per game and freshman MyKenzi Harris who averages 11.9 per contest.
 
Janiya McWilliams checks in next, stuffing the stat sheet with 9.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and a team-leading 3.1 assists per game. Vanessa Galovich bolstered the lineup with her recent return as the sophomore averages 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Hannah Tamou rounds out the scoring leaders at 7.8 points per contest.
 
Forris paces a stingy defense with 39 of the team's 159 steals through 13 games. As a team, the Monarchs hold the opposition to 58.8 points per game, a mark that ties for fourth in the MCCAA with Bay College.
 
UP NEXT: MCCAA Eastern Conference play begins Jan. 10 at No. 7 and currently unbeaten Schoolcraft College. Tip-off for the conference opener is set for 1 p.m. on Schoolcraft's Livonia campus.