Youngstown State University’s women’s basketball team is set to travel to Boulder on November 14, 2026, for a much‑anticipated opener against the University of Colorado.
Historic Non‑Conference Matchup
The Penguins are coming off a 25‑win season in 2025‑26, a run that saw them capture the Horizon League championship game for the first time and earn a berth in the WNIT.
Colorado arrives with a 22‑12 record from the previous year, having secured an at‑large bid as a No. 10 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament before falling to Illinois in the opening round.
Under head coach JR Payne, the Buffaloes will field a roster that includes seven returning players, five incoming transfers and two true freshmen, among them sophomore Kira Reynolds, who averaged 13.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game last season.
The Penguins will be led by returning All‑Horizon League forwards Sarah Baker, Paulina Hernandez, Danielle Cameron and Erica King, all of whom contributed to the team’s deepest postseason run in program history.
A Milestone for Both Programs
The game marks Youngstown State’s first contest against a current Big 12 member since a November 2023 meeting with West Virginia, and it will be the first time the Penguins face a team based in Colorado. For Colorado, the matchup provides a chance to test a new‑look squad against a mid‑major program early in the season.
Both schools see the contest as an opportunity to gauge progress and build momentum heading into conference play, with the Penguins hoping to extend their recent success and the Buffaloes aiming to translate their NCAA Tournament experience into a strong start.