KLAMATH FALLS - For the upperclassmen in the Oregon Tech women's basketball program, it has been an amazing run. Three consecutive trips to the NAIA Tournament. Four-straight trips to the Cascade Conference Tournament semifinals, winning 19-or-more games in each of the seasons. With a deep, experienced lineup, plus newcomers looking to make an impact, the Lady Owls are poised to contend for the 2026-27 CCC title.
 
Tech finished last season with a 19-12 record, playing the toughest schedule in program history – facing 12 teams that advanced to Nationals, with 19 of the 31 games against tourney teams. The schedule this season is no different, playing non-conference games against four tournament teams – Dakota State, Montana Tech, Hope International and Simpson – with the tough slate key to prepare the team for the rigors of the CCC, where a record six teams made the NAIA Tournament.
 
"Our conference has turned into one of the toughest in the country and when I took over four years ago, that wasn't the case," said head coach Joy Lease. "I think it is because of the schedules the CCC coaches have put together and being willing to play tough preseason opponents. Dakota State will be in the Top-5 when the first poll comes out – it's no different when we opened with Dordt, or Cumberlands or Freed-Hardeman – teams that have had success at the national level. It helps us teach our players the level we have to compete at to be successful at the end of the year."
 
Though the team has to replace two-time All-America guard Olivia Sprague and shooting guard Chelsea Ching, four starters return from last season, while the team welcomes back two others from injury who have combined to start 96 games in their careers.
 
It starts with the cornerstone of the team, CCC Player of the Year Tatum Schmerbach, who posted one of the best campaigns in OIT history. The senior forward averaged nearly 19 points per game, adding seven rebounds and four assists a night, earning second-team All-America honors. She had two triple-doubles and enters the new year riding a streak of 37-straight double-digit scoring games.
 
As good as Schmerbach has been, Lease things she can be even better this year.
 
"She is so strong, she is so quick and has such a high basketball IQ. She is the ultimate competitor. She has tried to fill whatever role we needed – stepping up when Olivia (Sprague) went down, when Gabbie (Gascon) went down, when Brooke (Anderson) went down. I honestly think Tatum is just scratching the surface of her potential – and she has expanded her game to the 3-point line. The key for me is to put her in positions to be successful, as Tatum isn't a secret anymore."
 
Alongside Schmerbach at the wing is her high school running-mate, fellow senior Kendall Fealey. Tech's defensive stopper enters the year with 129 career steals, while looking to build off a season where she doubled her offensive output – averaging nearly seven points, three rebounds and three assists a night – while connecting on 53% of field goal attempts.
 
"Kendall has so much confidence in practice and has put so much time in the weight room to get strong," Lease said. "She can run for days and know she isn't going to get tired, even when guarding the opponents best player. We know what we are going to get every day and teams better not leave her open inside of 15 feet as she is going to knock that shot down. She uses her strengths to her advantage."
 
Two-time All-CCC post Jozie Ramos completes the amazing 2023-24 recruiting class for the Lady Owls, looking to add to an already remarkable 3-year run at Tech. The 6-foot-1 center surpassed the 1,000-point mark for her career last season, averaging 11 points and seven rebounds a game and is one of five players in program history to record over 100 blocks in a career.
 
"I believe hands down that Josie is the best post in our conference and she just continues to get better," Lease stated. "I think she is poised to have a fantastic year."
 
Knowing it is the senior season for the trio of starters, Lease knows the impact Schmerbach, Fealey and Ramos have had on the OIT program.
 
"The three came in as winners and state champions and carried that mentality into our program. They have put in so much time outside of basketball and each of them are 4.0 students. The people who they are have propelled our program to where we want it to be, both on and off the court."
 
The experience doesn't stop there.
 
The return of two-time All-CCC guard Gabbie Gascon looks to provide big dividends to the club. The fifth-year player was injured midway through the 2024-25 season and used last season as a redshirt year – prepping for a return to the floor. Gascon averaged 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals per game over her sophomore and junior campaigns, while providing a huge emotional leadership role on and off the court.
 
"Gabbie has worked so hard to get where she is at and what she provides emotionally is irreplaceable," the head coach stated. "To have that energy back on the floor takes us to a whole different level."
 
Gascon isn't the only one returning from injury. Fellow guard Brooke Anderson was injured early last season and after 10 months away from the game, has returned with a vengeance. The junior was playing at an all-conference level last season before the injury, averaging 10 points and four rebounds per game and provides Tech another quality ball-handler and perimeter threat.
 
"Brooke hasn't missed a beat," Lease said. "You can't tell that she missed nearly all of last year."
A sixth starter is back, as Ayla Marston looks to build off a tremendous first season in the OIT program. The 5-foot-10 sophomore guard was thrust into the starting point-guard role with the injury to Anderson and finished the season averaging five points and three rebounds per game and led Tech with 16 points in the NAIA Tournament match-up against Huntington.
 
"Ayla puts in so much time in the gym, she is so athletic, long and fast," Lease remarked. "She is confident in her ball-handling abilities and I think this year she's going to be able to get out and run and play free."
 
Along with Ramos on the block, junior Avery Andrews is coming off a breakout season, averaging nine points and five rebounds a night, leading the club with a 55% field goal percentage. The 6-foot-3 post creates match-up problems and gives Lease options with her lineup.
 
"Avery and Josie beat up on each other in practice every day and that only makes them better players. They've created a dilemma for me as to what style we want to play – do we go long and fast or go big and put both on the floor at the same time giving the opponents a major matchup problem. Avery brings us another dimension that other teams don't have. She has worked on her quickness and speed and become a leader on this team."
 
Three returners will battle for extended minutes this season – senior Erika Glenn, junior Annie Campos and sophomore Maddie Eischen. Glenn debuted in January and provided nine minutes a night off the bench on the guard line; Campos played in 11 games as a reserve forward, converting 45% of field goal chances; while Eischen played in 21 games as a reserve forward, averaging three points and two rebounds a night – including a pair of double-digit scoring games.
 
"Maddie, Erika and Annie provide experience and depth for us that other teams don't have," Lease said. "They all got minutes in different games at different times and give it everything they have in practice, they are so coachable and they get their role. They understand there are only 200 minutes in a game and we try to spread the minutes out the best we can. Each of them have the ability to come in and give us significant time."
 
One other returner is back, redshirt freshman Addyson Clark, who missed last season due to injury. The 6-foot wing looks to provide minutes off the bench.
 
"Addy gives us another dimension from the 3-point line with some size," Lease said. "As she gets comfortable with the speed and pace of play, she is only going to get better and better."
 
Three newcomers have joined the squad, each looking to make an impact in the lineup. Sophomore guard Gabbie Wilson comes from Central Valley High in Spokane, one of the top high school squads in Washington and was a starter last season at Division III Willamette. Junior guard Nora Talty earned All-Golden Valley Conference honors at College of the Redwoods last season, averaging 14 points per game, while freshman guard Rylee Walters of Salmon River High was Idaho's 1A Player of the Year, averaging 22 points per game.
 
"We were looking to fill some supporting roles, but the three we brought in are going to be more than that," Lease said of the recruits. "They have been fantastic in practice. Gabbie is composed, she is a floor general and a great shooter. She gets herself to the basket and is a real great surprise for us. Nora is a fantastic shooter and I didn't realize the level of play she could give us. She works her tail off every day and works super hard. Rylee is a great shooter and has improved every day in practice."
 
The 14-player roster will look to traverse the tough 20-game CCC slate, as the Lady Owls were picked second by the 11 league coaches. Lease feels the team has the components to win Tech's first league title in 21 seasons.
 
"I'm not going to lie, I think this group will not be satisfied with anything less than a Cascade Conference championship. We've been on the bubble the last three years and these seniors have earned this. We are going to have to put the work in, the conference is going to be tough and each game is going to be a dogfight, but I think we are up for the challenge."
 
The squad opens the season on Saturday, traveling to Spokane for the Northwest Crossover Classic, with a match-up against the University of Providence.