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(NewsDakota.com)-Its hard to believe its already time for the basketball season, but Friday the Jimmies will take the floor for the first time of 2013-14 when they travel to Mayville for a pair of contests. Both the women and the men will be in action Friday and Saturday.

A season ago, both teams made second consecutive trips to the national tournament and came up with the same result. The women beat Menlo College (CA) in the opening round before being ousted by Eastern Oregon in the Sweet 16. The men dropped their opening round game to the eventual national champion, Cardinal Stritch.

Of course, the men had to vacate their trip to the national tournament along with their second half wins due to an ineligible player.

The first home game where you will get a chance to see both teams will be on November 1st at the Civic Center against Northwestern College, followed by a doubleheader the following day against Dordt College. There is a chance that both NWC teams and the Dordt men will be nationally ranked.

The women however, will play at home on October 25th against Brandon College (Canada).

Hannah Steele will once again be asked to lead the Jimmie women, the two-time All-American, is back for her senior season at the point. Head coach Greg Ulland is in his fourth season leading the team and they are coming off of back-to-back 27-win seasons which is the most in school history.

The seniors that graduated in 2013 were the winningest class in school history, but Steele along with Morgan Mathison and Carly Jensen have an opportunity to pass that mark but they would need another 27-win season.

The offense for the Jimmie men will run through Mark Hoge. The senior from Crosby, MN stormed onto the scene as a junior and will be counted on again this season. “We are still going to rely heavily on Mark, but maybe this year he won’t feel the pressure of having to make something happen,” is what head coach Justin Wieck said about Hoge.

The Jimmies have created the competition that Wieck wanted with bringing in some new face. Matt Wingo and Devonte Smith, both junior college transfers, will be asked to fill the void left by Davon Thomas. Also, Brequan Tucker, the triplet brother of Breshion will play key minutes in the back-court.