SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The No. 16-ranked Indiana Tech women's basketball team opens play in the 2017 NAIA Division II National Championships on Wednesday as the number four seed in the Naismith Bracket against No. 17-ranked and fifth-seeded Tabor of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) at the Tyson Events Center.
 
The Warriors broke a 22-year absence from the National Championships as they received an at-large berth on March 1 after finishing second in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) and finishing the regular season with a 25-7 record.
 
The Orange and Black are led by WHAC Player and Newcomer of the Year Keanna Gary, who leads the NAIA in double-doubles with 22, and is averaging a team-best 17.9 points and 12.2 rebounds per game while shooting 58% on the season. Not to be overshadowed, 2016 All-American and WHAC Newcomer of the Year Haley Cook is pouring in 17.6 points per game while dishing out 3.4 assists and shooting 39.3% from three-point range.
 
Fifth-year head coach Jessie Biggs, who was named the WHAC Coach of the Year after guiding her team to an 18-4 mark in conference play, has other scoring options as well in Second-Team All-WHAC selections Taylor Seiss (12.6 ppg, 38.5% 3-pt. FG%) and Kendall Knapke (11.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 46.3% 3-pt. FG%), giving the Warriors a deadly combination in their starting lineup.
 
The Bluejays, who received an automatic berth after winning the KCAC Tournament, are led by Third-Team All-KCAC selection Morgan Ediger, who leads the team in scoring with 12.3 points per game, and Second-Team All-KCAC and All-Defensive selection Tena Loewen, who averages 9.6 ppg and a team-best 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 66.9% from the floor.
 
Tipoff for Tech's first round matchup is slated for 4:30 p.m. EST and will be broadcast live at www.NAIANetwork.com (PPV).