Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball hosts UW-Eau Claire Wednesday night

(UW ATHLETICS) – The Wisconsin women’s basketball team opens the 2026-27 season on Wednesday, Oct. 28, hosting UW-Eau Claire in an exhibition match up. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. 

Wisconsin enters its second season under head coach Robin Pingeton following a 2025-26 campaign that saw the Badgers finish 16-18, their highest win total since the 2010-11 season. Wisconsin earned ranked victories over Michigan State and Nebraska and made a postseason run to the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) semifinals.  

Wisconsin has won each of its last five exhibition contests, outscoring opponents 435-233 since 2021. The Badgers have averaged 87.0 points per game during that stretch, winning by an average margin of 40.4 points. Wisconsin most recently defeated UW-River Falls 104-40 in 2025, connecting on 15 3-pointers and forcing 31 turnovers.  

Wisconsin returns an experienced trio in Kyrah Daniels, Shay Bollin and Laci Steele for the 2026-27 season. Daniels started all 34 games last season, averaging 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while knocking down 68 3-pointers. Steele appeared in all 34 contests, making 23 starts and averaging 6.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Bollin also appeared in all 34 games, contributing 3.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per contest while recording 50 assists. The three returners will look to provide veteran leadership and build on their postseason experience as Wisconsin enters its second season under head coach Robin Pingeton. 

Wednesday will mark the debut of UW-Eau Claire’s new head coach Hannah Iverson, who joins the Blugolds after seven seasons leading the UW-Stout program. A native of Eau Claire, Wis., Iverson inherits a squad that went 13-12 a year ago, including a mark of 3-11 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play. The Blugolds averaged 66.6 points and allowed 64.5 ppg while forcing 18.1 turnovers per contest last season. Fitchburg, Wis. Native, Delaney Nyenhuis, is the leading returner for UWEC after averaging 5.7 ppg and a team-high 8.1 rpg a year ago. Nyenhuis was named to the 2026 WIAC All-Defensive Team after averaging 2.6 steals per game.

Following Wednesday’s exhibition, Wisconsin officially opens the 2026-27 regular season against Bradley on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the Kohl Center. Tip is set for 6:30