FAU Women Open Monday at Miami Seeking a First-Ever Win Over the Canes
It is the 22nd meeting, and Florida Atlantic has never won one — the Owls start their 43rd season, and LeAnn Freeland's second, at the Watsco Center at 7 p.m. with that streak on the table.
CORAL GABLES — Florida Atlantic's women's basketball team opens its 2026-27 season on the road Monday night, at Miami, with tipoff at 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra at the Watsco Center. It is the Owls' 43rd season as a program and their second under head coach LeAnn Freeland, in her 20th season as a head coach — and it opens against the opponent that has never let them win: Monday is the 22nd all-time meeting between the schools, and FAU is looking for its first victory over the Hurricanes.
The Owls bring back a six-player core — Zahira Arizmendi, Grace Carstensen, Madi Gewirtz, Vivian Onugha, Erin Rodgers and Haley Walker. Rodgers led the team in scoring last season at 9.8 points per game, with nine double-digit scoring nights and a run of three consecutive 20-point games, the first Owl to do that since 2023-24. Carstensen is the American Conference's leading returning 3-point shooter and ranks 17th nationally among returners after shooting .416 from three with 69 made threes last season. Eight newcomers join them, among them Palm Beach State transfer Janiah Suprius.
Miami went 18-15 last season, was picked 11th in the ACC preseason poll, and is in its third season under head coach Tricia Cullop, with Gal Raviv (14 points per game last season) and Amarachi Kimpson (11.7) leading its returners. Whatever happens Monday, the Owls' home opener follows quickly: Saturday, Nov. 7, against Kennesaw State at 2 p.m. on Abessinio Court in Boca Raton. The Sports Desk files Monday's final after the game.
