Women's Basketball | 10/28/2019 3:04:00 PM

GOODWELL, Okla. – Oklahoma Panhandle State University women's basketball head coach Victor Esparza may need name tags for his 2019-20 squad. After all, the third-year Aggies' head coach has no less than seven new faces on his 13-player roster.  
 
Esparza will have a good blend with his returning talent to go along with a healthy recruiting class. Although Esparza lost four of his top five scorers to graduation, he also welcomes back five experienced members from last season's SAC playoff team, along with one redshirt freshman.
 
The return of senior Nadia Hayes (Mesquite, Texas/Horn H.S.) and junior Naomi Rodriguez (Guymon, Okla./Hooker H.S.) provide a base for the upcoming season.  Each averaged more than 17 minutes per game in 2018-19. Hayes averaged 6.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while being on the court an average of 17.4 minutes per contest. Hayes shot better than 49 percent from the floor (65-132). She had a high of 13 points (versus SAGU) and a rebounding best of 14 (against Central Christian).
 
Rodriguez booked 5.2 points and was second on the Aggies with 33 steals, appearing in all 29 contests as a sophomore. Rodriguez averaged nearly 2.0 rebounds per game and more 1.14 steals, as well. Rodriguez was 24-81 (30%) from beyond the arc 72 percent (38-53) from the free throw stripe. She had a season-high scoring game of 22 points versus Central Christian.
 
Also returning are sophomores Kaylee Morgan (El Paso, Texas/Parkland H.S.), Hannah Bennett (Claude, Texas/Claude H.S.) and Samantha Davis (Swink, Okla./Wright City H.S.). Redshirt freshman Vanessa Gonzalez (Stratford, Texas/Stratford H.S.).
 
Morgan played in 27 games as a freshman, exclusively off the Aggie bench, averaging 3.7 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. Bennett and Davis appeared in 19 and 22 games, respectively and also in a reserve capacity. Bennett checked in at 1.3 p.p.g. and 1.4 r.p.g., with Bennett at nearly 1.0 point and rebound per appearance.
 
Esparza's newcomers – especially with four experienced transfers – will be expected to make an immediate impact for the Aggies. The incoming players with prior college experience include Lowendie Laporal, a 6'3" senior post player from Adams State, Shaylinn Choate, a junior guard from Trinidad State, Laura Moya-Demures, a 5'7" junior guard from Miles Community College, and Cassia McCaskill, a junior forward from Trinidad State.
 
Three talented freshmen – Lainey Choate (Panhandle, Texas/Panhandle H.S.), Skylar Cleavinger (Wildorado, Texas/Bushland H.S.) and Shay Audrain (Stratford, Texas/Stratford H.S.) – are all expected to give Panhandles State depth in 2019-20.
 
 
The Aggie women will host 15 home games this season. Panhandle's women takes on Manhattan Christian (Kan.), Randall and Bacone in a non-conference tilts, as well as both Northern New Mexico and University of the Southwest in the Aggie Classic, as well as its SAC games.
 
Panhandle opens the season tonight (Monday, Oct. 28/6 p.m.) at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. The Aggies' home opener is November 11.