Tampa, Fla. Nov. 5, 2023 – The 52^nd season of South Florida Women's Basketball will tip-off tomorrow night, as the program opens the 2023-24 campaign at the Yuengling Center when it takes on UT Arlington on Monday, Nov. 6. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
South Florida holds an all-time record of 34-17 in season openers and has won nine straight lid lifters.
 
USF posted a 27-7 overall record last season and held a 15-1 mark in conference action. The 2022-23 campaign was concluded on a high note, as the program advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, noting its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and marking its eighth trip to the Big Dance in the last 11 years.
 
UT Arlington was 14-17 and 8-10 in the Western Athletic Conference last year. Shereka Wright enters her 4th season at the Mavericks helm. Wright holds a record of 47-32 at UT Arlington.
 
SOUTH FLORIDA-UT ARLINGTON SERIES
South Florida has captured two of the four encounters with UT Arlington. The series began in 1992-92 and the most recent meeting was a UT Arlington triumph, 61-56 (Dec. 2, 2021).
 
START YOUR ENGINES
After two WNBA draft picks ( Elena Tsineke and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu ) departed the program, USF returns three of five starters from a year ago -- senior guard Sammie Puisis, redshirt-senior point guard Aerial Wilson, and sophomore wing Carla Brito.
 
FIBA SUMMER
Summer 2023 was a busy one for the Bulls, as seven current performers spent the summer playing for their respective national teams in several major FIBA Competitions. Carla Brito played with Spain's National Team in both the U20 FIBA Women's European Championship (Lithuania) and the U19 FIBA World Cup (Spain) where she helped her squad to a silver medal. Janette Aarnio represented her home country of Finland at the World University Summer Games (Chengdu) and earned a bronze medal. Emma Johansson played for Sweden's National Team at the U20 FIBA Women's European Championship (Lithuania). Daniela Gonzalez spent her summer with Columbia's National Team, playing in the FIBA Women's AmeriCup in Mexico. Three newcomers also spent time with their respective national teams: Vittoria Blasigh represented Italy in the U19 FIBA World Cup (Spain), Judit Valero Rodriquez played with Spain in the U18 Women's European Championship (Turkey), and Judit Oliva Fernandez spent time on Spain's U18 National Team at the FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup (Hungary).
 
ROOKIES & THE PORTAL
Six new faces join the Bulls this campaign., split evenly between freshman and the transfer portal:

• Vittoria Blasigh PG 5-9 Fr. Udine, Italy/Libertas Sporting Basket School ASD/SPAR Gran Canaria
• Judit Valero Rodriquez G 5-11 Fr. Sant Feliu De Llobregat, Spain/CB SantFeliuenc/Barca
• Judit Oliva Fernandez F 6-2 Fr. El Prat De Llobregat, Spain/CB SantFeliuenc/Barca
• L'or Mputu F 6-2 Jr. Congo/Greenforest Christian Academy/Eastern Florida State College
• Romi Levy F 6-3 R-Jr. Herzliya, Israel/Hof Hasharon HS/Auburn
• Evelien Lutje Schipholt F 6-2 Sr. The Hague, Netherlands/Cal-Berkley

 
TIP-OFF NIGHT PROMOTION
Women's basketball is giving away 2,000 t-shirts for fans & 1,000 SoFlo Rodeo shirts for students to celebrate the season opener. *limited to one per person, while supplies last.
 
BULLS FANS CAN VOTE FOR PUISIS
Senior guard Sammie Puisis is one of 20 players named to the 2024 Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award watch list, which is annually presented to the top shooting guard in Division I women's college basketball. Bulls fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting for each of the three rounds. The list will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Myers-Drysdale and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where a winner will be selected. Fans can vote for Puisis at hoophallawards.com.
 
TICKETS 
Fans can purchase women's basketball tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.

ABOUT USF WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
For complete coverage of USF women's basketball, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
 
South Florida women's basketball recorded its 11^th 20-win season during the 2022-23 campaign. USF has made 18 postseason tournament appearances and had nine NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez's 23 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to 11 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship, has won over 400 career games, and is the all-time wins leader in the American Athletic Conference.
 
In 2022-23, the Bulls had four players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elena Tsineke (AAC Co-Player of the Year, All-Conference First Team), Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (AAC Co-Player of the Year, All-Conference First Team), Sammie Puisis (AAC Newcomer of the Year, All-Conference Second Team) and Carla Brito (AAC All-Freshman Team).
 
– #GoBulls –