​A string of historic firsts awaits the Indiana State women’s basketball program in the 2026-27 season as the Sycamores prepare for a schedule that includes two first-ever encounters with New Jersey opponents. Under third-year head coach Marc Mitchell, the rebuilt squad will travel to Seton Hall in South Orange on November 6 and to Rutgers in Piscataway on November 8, marking the program’s inaugural games against New Jersey teams. Mitchell, a native of Elizabeth, New Jersey, began his coaching career at Elizabeth High School, lending a personal connection to the upcoming trips. This milestone was confirmed by Indiana State’s sports information department as part of the release detailing the non-MMVC portion of the 2026-27 schedule.
The non-conference slate features 12 games, with five contests at Hulman Center and seven on the road. Notably, five of the seven away-from-home games are within roughly a four-hour drive of Terre Haute, while the remaining two road games form part of a northeastern swing. After a 2025-26 season in which the Sycamores posted a 10-22 overall record and a 5-15 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference, ISU begins the new campaign with a three-game road trip. The opener is at Northern Illinois on November 2, a rematch of last season’s meeting in Terre Haute that saw Indiana State take control with a strong first quarter.
Following the Northern Illinois game, the team heads northeast for the Seton Hall and Rutgers trips before returning to Terre Haute for a three-game home stretch beginning November 10 against IU Indy. That stretch also includes visits from Wright State on November 13 and Bellarmine on November 17. Reflecting on last season, Indiana State nearly overturned a multi-possession deficit against IU Indy, and Mitchell’s first win as ISU head coach came against Wright State during the 2024-25 season.
The non-conference schedule then continues with a trip to Southeast Missouri State on November 19, followed by a return to Hulman Center for home dates against Chicago State on November 29 and SIU Edwardsville on December 2. Indiana State defeated Southeast Missouri State in the 2024-25 season, marking the last time the two teams met. The matchup with Chicago State in 2022-23 produced a 25-point ISU win, while the Trees dropped a road game at SIU Edwardsville the previous season.
The non-conference slate closes with three consecutive road games. On December 6, the Sycamores travel to Miami (Ohio), the defending Mid-American Conference champion and an NCAA Tournament participant from the previous season. The last meeting between Indiana State and Miami (Ohio) occurred in the 2017-18 season in Terre Haute. Indiana State then rekindles its long-standing rivalry with Eastern Illinois, visiting Charleston on December 9, a program that ISU defeated 90-69 last season in Terre Haute. The non-conference schedule concludes with a December 13 trip to Butler, marking the third straight season Indiana State has faced the Bulldogs on the road.
Details on the full 2026-27 schedule, including start times and broadcast information for the 20-game Missouri Valley Conference schedule, will be announced at a later date. Mitchell’s 2026-27 roster features 13 newcomers, including one freshman, seven junior-college transfers, and five four-year college transfers hailing from 10 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Texas, and Wisconsin. The roster composition includes seven guards, three forwards, and three centers as the program aims to balance versatility with depth for a challenging season ahead.