MILWAUKEE (September 4, 2015) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's basketball team opens the 2015-16 Horizon League season with a challenging schedule, facing three straight teams that advanced to the postseason a year ago.
 
The Panthers host Green Bay at the Klotsche Center to kick off league play and the New Year on January 1. The Phoenix went 28-5 a season ago and went to the NCAA Tournament once again, claiming the Horizon League title for the 17^th straight season.
 
A road trip follows for Milwaukee, traveling to Ohio for a pair of games against teams that participated in the WNIT last year. The squad faces Youngstown State Jan. 7 and Cleveland State Jan. 9. The Penguins were 21-11 a year ago and the Vikings went 19-13, making the postseason for the first time since 2010-11.
 
UWM returns home to host UIC Jan. 14 and Valpo two days later. The next road trip takes Milwaukee to Wright State Jan. 21 and then it is on to Highland Heights, Ky., for the first-ever conference contest against Northern Kentucky Jan. 23.
 
Four of the next five games are at home, with Detroit (Jan. 28), Oakland (Jan. 30), CSU (Feb. 11) and YSU (Feb. 13) all traveling to the Klotsche Center, in addition to the quick drive up to Green Bay Feb. 6.
 
The team closes with four of the final six on the road, making return trips to Valpo Feb. 18 and UIC Feb. 20 as well as a final road swing through Michigan for matchups with the Golden Grizzlies and Titans the first week of March.
 
The final games at Klotsche will be against NKU Feb. 25 and WSU Feb. 27.
 
For the first time since 2001, the Horizon League Championship returns to a predetermined site this season and will be held at the Kress Center in Green Bay. The tournament will include all ten teams in a four-day format beginning March 10 and culminating with the championship game on March 13 on ESPNU.
 
Milwaukee's nonconference schedule will be released at a later date.
 
2015-16 Milwaukee Women's Basketball Horizon League Schedule
Jan. 1: GREEN BAY
Jan. 7: at Youngstown State
Jan. 9: at Cleveland State
Jan. 14: UIC
Jan. 16: VALPARAISO
Jan. 21: at Wright State
Jan. 23: at Northern Kentucky
Jan. 28: DETROIT
Jan. 30: OAKLAND
Feb. 6: at Green Bay
Feb. 11: CLEVELAND STATE
Feb. 13: YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Feb. 18: at Valparaiso
Feb. 20: at UIC
Feb. 25: NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Feb. 27: WRIGHT STATE
March 3: at Oakland
March 5: at Detroit