- A rebuilt roster led by new contributors has helped the Bronchos improve their overall record compared to the same point last season.
- After three losing seasons, UCO sits one spot outside MIAA tournament qualification under first-year coach Hannah Moeller.
UCO’s women’s basketball has fallen short of expectations in recent seasons, but has shown signs of improvement under new leadership. The team has not had a winning record since 2022 and went 27-57 over its last three seasons under former coach Emma Andrews.
Andrews opened her tenure with a strong season, earning a top-10 conference finish, qualifying for the MIAA tournament and advancing to the quarterfinals. That momentum faded in the following seasons, as the team posted consecutive 8-20 records and missed the postseason both years.
The program parted ways with Andrews after an underwhelming run and hired three-time NCCAA Central Region Coach of the Year Hannah Moeller.
Moeller demonstrated her ability to build a winning culture at Mid-America Christian University, where she inherited a program hovering around .500 and led it to eight 20-win seasons. She guided the team to an SAC regular-season title, five straight NAIA tournament appearances and back-to-back NCCAA championships in 2018 and 2019. She finished her tenure at MACU with a 202-75 record, making her the winningest coach in program history.
Deputy Athletic Director Chandler Short praised Moeller’s hire, saying, “Hannah is a proven winner, family-oriented and community-minded, all of which will help her generate enthusiasm among our fans as she works to lead our program to MIAA and national prominence.”
Moeller brought in 10 new recruits this season and retained four players from the previous roster, beginning her tenure with a near-clean slate and signaling a program in rebuild mode.
Freshman Nykaiya Dillard and transfer sophomore Kaitlyn McCarn have stood out with their production. Both are averaging more than 10 points per game and are two of the team’s top scorers.
The team’s performance shows an upward trajectory compared to last season, when it held a 5-15 record at this point. The team is currently 8-12 overall with a 2-8 conference record, sitting in 11th place in the MIAA, one spot away from qualifying for the conference tournament.
If the team continues on its trajectory under Moeller’s emphasis on building a culture of grit, unity and pride, sneaking into the MIAA top 10 to make the playoffs in her first year as head coach remains in play.
