MCKENZIE, Tenn. –Fourteen home games highlight another loaded schedule for the Bethel University Lady Wildcats as the 2022-23 schedule was unveiled this week.

Bethel is coming off a 21-14 season. The Lady Cats were 12-10 in the MSC. The Cats made their 14^th national tournament appearance last year. They made their fourth Round of 16 appearance. Bethel made their first appearance in the Round of 16 since 2017. The Cats along with Thomas More and Campbellsville made the Round of 16. TMU finished their season in the Final Four. Eight MSC teams qualified for the national tournament.

The victory over Dakota Wesleyan in the tournament marked another milestone in program history. It was Coach Chris Nelson’s 350^th career win. He is 350- 169 at the school. He is 15^th in wins among active coaches in the NAIA.

Nelson’s teams have hit at least one three-pointer in each of his 519 games. He has led the program to those fourteen national tournament appearances which also include two semi-final berths.

Coach Nelson’s 2020 squad qualified for the 2020 national tourney which was not held due to Covid19.

Bethel opens their season in exhibition play at Murray State on November 1^st. The Cats will host the Annual Chamber of Commerce Classic on November 4 and 5. They will face Brescia and University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy. Campbellsville will also be appearing in the classic. The Cats host Welch College on the November 7^th. Bethel hits the road and faces a tough game at Dillard on the 11^th. On November 17^th they host Shawnee State and then face UPIKE in another MSC game on the 19^th. Two road games and a neutral site game close out the month with a visit to Freed-Hardeman on the 26^th. The Cats play in Faulkner’s Thanksgiving Classic meeting Reinhardt on the 25^th and Faulkner on the 26^th.

Six conference games highlight the month of December. Road games at Lindsey Wilson, Campbellsville and Cumberland University await the Cats. Home games will feature Tennessee Southern, Wilberforce and Thomas More. Bethel enters the season 145-25 all-time in Crisp Arena. They were 14-4 last year in Crisp.

The Cats will kick off 2023 with road   games versus Georgetown (1/5) and Cumberlands (1-7). They return to McKenzie on January 12 to host Campbellsville and Lindsey Wilson on the 14^th. They travel to UPIKE on January 19 and Shawnee State on the 21^st. Two home games complete the January schedule with Cumberlands visiting Crisp Arena on the 26^th and Georgetown on the 28^th.

Five games close out the regular season in February. FHU and Cumberland are the home affairs with Senior Day celebrated against Cumberland on the 16^th. The Cats have road games at Thomas More, Wilberforce and Tennessee Southern.

The Lady Cats will play 22 MSC games.

The conference had two teams finish in the NAIA Top 25 last year. Thomas More and Campbellsville finished in the top five. Cumberlands, Georgetown and Bethel received votes in the final poll.

Coach Nelson commented, “We feel like we have a good balance in our non-conference schedule with playing teams from various conferences. We are always excited to host our Chamber Classic to tip-off the season and playing teams from the River States and AMC is a good mix for us to get things going. We will have our hands full on the road at Dillard as it will be Homecoming for them but we feel like it will be a good road challenge that helps prepare us for conference play. We will go on the road Thanksgiving weekend to play two very good teams in Faulkner and Reinhardt. Our team always loves traveling to Montgomery as we have good memories from our SSAC days and it will be good for us to play Reinhardt as well as they are coming off a AAC Tournament Championship and a national tourney appearance.” Nelson added, “Our conference play speaks for itself. This league has so many great coaches and players and is a true testament to what college athletics and competition is all about. We are looking forward to another great season”

See the entire schedule at www.bethelathletics.com

Most home game and selected road games will air on WEIO, 100.9 and www.thefarmradio.com

Most home games will also air on the Wildcat Sport Network at: https://bethelathletics.com/watch

Watch for the WBB season preview coming soon at www.bethelathletics.com