The Wildcats, who tied for third place last season in the program’s best finish in seven years, played just three nonconference home games last season with two against Division I opponents. The 2025-26 campaign will be different, keeping WSU home (or close to it) early, totaling five home matchups so far.

WSU has a return game from Utah Tech and has added a home contest against UC Davis, according to contracts obtained by the Standard-Examiner, while also lining up Division II Westminster University and NAIA Montana Western to the home slate so far. WSU will also host North Dakota State on Dec. 6 as part of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge.

“Excited to play at home a little more,” Jackson said. “It’s been limited as far as preseason goes these last couple years, so trying to get the girls more comfortable and ready going into conference on our home court, and allowing family, friends and the community to get out, that will be really nice.”

WSU will open on the road with a buy game against a Mountain West team, Jackson said, but will spend the rest of November in Utah. Home games against Westminster, UC Davis and Utah Tech come Nov. 8-15, then the Wildcats will take a short trip to face Utah on Nov. 26 for a light Thanksgiving week.

“Will be good to have the girls here, get a strong academic start and not take them away from classes, so kind of a win-win-win,” Jackson said.

Weber State returns one of the nation’s best 3-point shooters in Lanae Billy and best rebounders in Antoniette Emma-Nnopu as seniors. WSU has also added five junior transfers that have coaches excited for the team’s potential versatility on offense and switchability on defense.

Those juniors are guard Sydney White (Cal Baptist); wing/forward hybrids Paris Lauro (New Mexico), Makenna Shaffer (Buffalo) and Celestine Segretain (Eastern Arizona); and post player Nicole Willardson (Utah Tech).

Dakota Nap and Japrix Stubbs return as sophomores, along with newcomer Arizana Peaua who joined the team during last season as a grayshirting returned missionary. Redshirt freshmen Vanna Quintana, Fui Niumeitolu and Maya Davis all return after sitting out last season. Freshmen Mata Peaua and Amanda Edwards left the team to serve missions.

Jackson, the former dual-sport collegian, hopes the campus and Ogden communities will use November as a way to “sample” what the Wildcats are cooking in the women’s basketball scene.

“Give us a shot, come try it out,” Jackson said. “I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised with the skill sets they’ll see. I think people are starting to see that higher level on TV or SportsCenter or social media. If people come out, they’ll really enjoy the level of play. We’ve got some dynamic kids who will be on the court, extremely skilled. Every year, the game gets better.

“So come try it out, especially if you have young kids, young girls, let them come see what they’re training for, what they can aspire to.”

The nearly-finalized MWC opener and the game at Utah join a contest at Summit League power South Dakota State as the team’s road matchups so far.