CHICAGO (August 30, 2019) – Fresh off a season in which it nearly doubled its win total from the previous year, the Loyola University Chicago women's basketball team announced its non-conference schedule for the upcoming 2019-20 season on Friday.  Fourth-year head coach Kate Achter's team will play five of its 11 non-conference contests within the friendly confines of Gentile Arena.
 
"We have plenty to be excited about as we look towards our non-conference schedule," Achter said.  "We believe that we have scheduled competitively with growth in mind.  I'm looking forward to watching our veteran led group tackle the challenges that lie ahead of them."
 
Loyola will raise the curtain on the 2019-20 season against a familiar foe when it travels to Detroit, Mich. for a matchup against former Horizon League rival Detroit Mercy on November 5.  The Maroon & Gold makes its first and only appearance of the month at Gentile Arena just three days later (Nov. 8) to play host to Vermont in the 2019 home opener.
 
A road clash with in-state foe Eastern Illinois on November 13 opens up a three-game pre-Thanksgiving road swing that also includes games versus Chicago State (Nov. 19) and Kansas City (Nov. 22).  As the calendar turns to December, Loyola will head to the Pacific Northwest to face off against Portland on December 1. 
 
A visit from Dartmouth (Dec. 4) kicks off a stretch that will see the Ramblers play four of their final five non-conference games in Rogers Park.  After taking on SIUE (Dec. 8) in its non-conference road finale, Loyola will welcome Bowling Green to Gentile Arena on December 16 for its Second Annual "Field Trip Day with the Ramblers" matinee.  Perennial BIG EAST power DePaul makes the short trek up from Lincoln Park on December 20 before the Ramblers close out non-conference action against Western Michigan (Dec. 30) at Gentile Arena.
 
Achter welcomes back 10 letterwinners from last season's squad that helped Loyola get off to its best start since the 2001-02 campaign, ultimately finishing the year with 13 victories, including the program's first postseason win in three years.  Abby O'Connor became the first Rambler since 2015-16 to earn First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference accolades, while the duo of Allison Day and Janae Gonzales landed on The Valley's All-Freshman Team. 
 
Loyola's Missouri Valley Conference schedule will be announced at a later date.

2019-20 Loyola Women's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 5 – at Detroit Mercy
Nov. 8 – Vermont
Nov. 13 – at Eastern Illinois
Nov. 19 – at Chicago State
Nov. 22 – at Kansas City
Dec. 1 – at Portland
Dec. 4 – Dartmouth
Dec. 8 – at SIUE
Dec. 16 – Bowling Green
Dec. 20 – DePaul
Dec. 30 – Western Michigan