Story Links MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho and NAU go head to head in a battle of the two teams tied for second place in the Big Sky Conference with a 6-1 league mark. The Vandals bring the best defense in Big Sky, holding teams to just 55.7 points per game while NAU racks up nearly […]
MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho and NAU go head to head in a battle of the two teams tied for second place in the Big Sky Conference with a 6-1 league mark. The Vandals bring the best defense in Big Sky, holding teams to just 55.7 points per game while NAU racks up nearly 80 points a game on offense. Schweizer started the season with 93 games under her belt, including six starts for West Coast Conference team Pacific.DEFENSIVE DOMINATION
The Vandals rank sixth in the NCAA in Field goal percentage defense. Idaho is holding opponents to 34.0% from the field. The Vandals are fourth in defensive rebounds, 20th in scoring defense and 64th in scoring margin. During Idaho’s seven-game win streak, the Vandals held every opponent to 56 points or less. Only three Vandal opponents have hit the 60 point mark this season. GRADUATE TRANSFERS
Three Vandals; Olivia Nelson, Rosie Schweizer and Jennifer Aadland bring extensive experience into the fray for Idaho.Nelson has started in every game during her four year career at Central Missouri (117). Jennifer Aadland had 98 starts in 99 career games for Augustana (S.D.) The two met early last season with Central Missouri coming out on top. Aadland scored 16 points while Nelson scored a career-high 29. ICCU ARENA
The Vandals enter the fourth season of play at the amazing ICCU Arena in Moscow. The million arena sits just over 4,200 fans and includes the latest technology for fan and student-athlete experience. The Vandals are 23-20 all-time in the Arena. The Vandals played their Dec. 7 game against St. Thomas in Memorial Gym because of winter commencement. Moreira added former Montana Assistant Coach Lindsey Foster to his staff. Foster was a coach at Montana for one season, before that, she was the head coach at DII Academy of Art in San Francisco. BIG SKY-SUMMIT CHALLENGE
Idaho beat St. Thomas 76-54 as part of the Big Sky/Summit League Challenge. The Idaho men and women played one game each in the challenge and each won their games. His first move was to retain and promote Drew Muscatell. Muscatell was promoted to Associate Head Coach during the offseason. He enters his seventh season as an assistant for the Vandals and has worked for three different head coaches. During the 2020-21 season, women’s basketball introduced daily NET rankings for Division I. In that season, the Vandals reached their highest ranking of 126 on 3/11/21. They finished with an overall ranking of 133, improving 86 spots compared to their starting position of 219.ABOUT IDAHO
Idaho topped Northern Colorado 68-57 for its sixth consecutive win. The Vandals On the season, three Vandals average double figures, led by Olivia Nelson who is averaging 13.4 PPG and nearly 18 PPG in Big Sky play. Jennifer Aadland is one of the nation’s best rebounders at 10.2 rpg. First-year head coach Arthur Moriera ended non-conference play with eight wins, the second-most wins of any first year coach in the mid-major ranks. The Vandals are 20th in DI in scoring defense and sixth in field goal percentage defense.Vitória Carvalho and Ana Beatriz Passos hail from Brazil. Ana Pinheiro is from Portugal. Anja Bukvic from Belgrade Serbia and Rosie Schweizer is from Australia. NEWCOMER IMPACT
All five starters so far this season are newcomers to the team. Of Idaho’s 1140 points this season, 1065 have come from players who were not on the roster a year ago. Rosie Schweizer, Olivia Nelson and Hope Hassman have all scored at least two 20+ games.REBOUND LEADERS
After playing a pair of tough, long power-five level teams, you would think that Idaho would have been dominated on the boards, but the Vandals have outrebounded 11 of 12 opponents so far this season, including a 52-36 advantage over Washington State. The Vandals stand atop the Big Sky for rebounding margin and are seventh in the country for defensive rebounds. Jennifer Aadland has led the way, averaging 10.2 rebounds per game, including 18 rebounds against Washington State and Sacramento State.
PRESEASON BIG SKY POLLS
The Vandals were picked eighth in the Big Sky Coaches Poll and seventh in the Big Sky Media Poll. No Idaho players were named to the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team. Northern Arizona was picked to win the league in both polls. MORIERA AMONG FIRST-YEAR COACHES
Head coach Arthur Moriera has led the Vandals to eight non-conference wins in his first season as the head coach. It is the most wins for the Vandals in the non-conference since 2015-16. It is also the second most non-conference wins among mid-major first-year coaches, coming second only to Air Force’s Stacy McIntyre who ended non-conference play with 10 wins. In 2021-22 and 2022-23, Idaho struggled in the rankings unable to surpass the 200 mark. The highest ranking in 2021-22 was 202 (2/5/22) and the highest in 2022-23 was 205 (3/5/23). Idaho was picked in the same spot a season ago and finished sixth in the league. ABOUT NORTHERN ARIZONA
As good as the Vandals are on defense, the Jacks are a match on offense. NAU sits at 26th in scoring offense and their aggression is rewarded with free throws, sitting at 22nd in free throws made per game. They also shoot 27 three-pointers per game. Veteran head coach Loree Payne has her best team in her eight seasons at the helm. Taylor Feldman and Sophie Glancey both average over 17 points per game. NET HISTORY
The Idaho women’s team reached the highest net ranking in program history earlier in the season, cracking the top 80 for the first time ever, moving as high as 78th. They sit at 112 currently, despite winning six straight games. COACHING STAFF
First-Year Head Coach Arthur Moreira compiled a coaching staff of former co-workers, opponents and trusted recruiters. Washington was a All-Big 12 honoree at Oklahoma and earned National Freshman of the Week honors. She missed the last two seasons with an illness. INTERNATIONAL IMPACT
Five players on this year’s roster are international, including two from Brazil, home of head coach Arthur Moreira and one from Portugal, who shares the Portuguese language with Brazil. Derek Saich served as the Director of Operations and Assistant Coach at Moreira’s former school San Francisco. The two worked together for two seasons at USF. NELSON NETTING
Graduate transfer Oliva Nelson has come alive since the start of conference play. She has scored in double figures in each of the last six games, including 27 points against Northern Colorado and a career-high 29 against EWU. She is averaging nearly 18 PPG in Big sky play. AADLAND ON THE BOARDS
Jennifer Aadland is 8th in the nation in defensive rebounds and is 22nd in rebounds per game. She had a career-high 18 rebounds against WSU and Sacramento State and has been in double figures in 12 of 18 games.In 2023-24, Idaho had its highest start at 167 and kept climbing. On 1/10/24, the Vandals ranked at 125, breaking the previous program record.The final assistant is Denise Rosario, an experienced junior college coach from South Plains Junior College in Texas. She has extensive international recruiting connections, hailing from Minas Gerais, Brazil. ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM TRANSFERS
Kelbie Washington and Hope Hassmann both earned All-Freshman Team honors for their respective teams. Hassmann played and started all 31 games for Fullerton last season, scoring 302 points and dishing out 87 assists.
