By Leanne Waddell South
The Flying Queens faced a challenging start to the 2025-26 season and finished the month of November with a 2-5 overall record and a 2-1 start in Sooner Athletic Conference play (SAC).
First year Head Coach Jordan Vessels faces a rebuilding year after losing eight players to either graduation or transfer and returning only one starter in junior Peyton North (Lubbock). This year’s team features five returning letterwinners – juniors North and Jadyn Trusler (Dalhart), sophomore Iliana Hernandez (Canyon), and graduate students Ksenija Djokic, and Teodora Popovic, both from Poland.
Joining the team this season are five freshmen, three sophomores, one junior, and two graduate students.
| Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Graduate Student |
| Cana Mitchell Amarillo, Texas | Arianna Cruz Littlefield, Texas | Kalin Bradley Crandell, Texas | Heaven Hayden DeSoto, Texas |
| Evelyn Quiroz Dalhart, Texas | Celeste Landin Lubbock, Texas | Zalika Stevens Toronto, Ontario | |
| Bella Dabbs Georgetown, Texas | Anayah Salinas McLean, Texas | ||
| Ainsley Herbert Georgetown, Texas | |||
| Brooklyn Birkenfeld Nazareth, Texas |
The team played six of their seven games on the road and started the season with a three-game road swing in Montana where they dropped all three games. The Queens lost their home opener in a close contest to North New Mexico and followed that with a loss to John Brown in their SAC opener.
The Queens traveled to Point Lookout, Mo. and won their first SAC game with a gritty, hard-fought win over defending NCCAA national champion College of the Ozarks. The team then followed that up with a decisive win over Oklahoma Panhandle State (OPSU) to go 2-1 in the early go of SAC play.
While the OPSU win was a sign that this young team is building momentum, it also was a milestone win for the Flying Queens program. The win was the 1800th in the illustrious history of the Flying Queens program, and one that the team was pointing to as the season began.
After seven games, three of the five leading scorers are freshmen – Cania Mitchell, Brooklyn Birkenfeld, and Bella Dabbs followed by returners Peyton North and Jadyn Trusler.
Where Growth Begins: Coach Vessel’s Reflections and Future Focus:
“Our team has experienced a lot of growth in a very short period, and I’m proud of how each player has stepped into and accepted their role. We are a process-driven program, and sometimes that process takes time to develop—but our players have taken true ownership in it. Securing the program’s 1,800th win was a meaningful achievement for this group, and they carry a deep appreciation for being part of the richest tradition in women’s college basketball. As we move into December and deeper into conference play, I see a team gaining confidence, understanding the power of momentum, and ready to take off with it.”
For more information about each game, click on the box score for each game listed below:
#16 Carroll College (Mont.), L 58-79
Montana State University-Northern, L 41-67
RV University of Providence (Mont.), L 36-55
Northern New Mexico College, L 64-68
John Brown University (Ark.)(SAC), L 62-80
College of the Ozarks (Mo.)(SAC), W 72-66
Oklahoma Panhandle State University W 70-47
The Queens have five games in December. Most games are streamed. The streaming for some away games may require a subscription.
Dec 4 (Thu) 6:00 PM Home Nelson University (TX)
Dec 6 (Sat) 2:00 PM Home Texas Wesleyan University
Dec 11 (Thu) 6:00 PM Away Langston (Langston, OK)
Dec 13 (Sat) 2:00 PM Away Central Christian College (McPherson, KS)
Dec 16 (Tue) 12:00 PM Home Huston Tillotson University
Two big wins on the road before Thanksgiving. These ladies are exciting to watch.