GREELEY, Colo. - When Triple Crown Sports contacted the Northern Colorado women's basketball team about playing in their annual winter tournament in Cancun, Mexico, head coach Jaime White knew with four returning starters it was a great opportunity. December 18-21, the Bears head to Cancun to face a talent-laden field in UConn, Florida State and Washington to highlight the non-conference portion of the schedule.

White today announced the schedule for 2008-09, which also includes exciting in-state rivalries and a challenging Big Sky Conference slate.

The Bears kick off their season on Nov. 7 against Colorado State-Pueblo in Butler-Hancock, then a week later travel to the Air Force Academy before returning home for a contest against San Jose State (Nov. 18). The team then begins a tough stretch with five games away from the friendly confines of Butler-Hancock, playing at Pacific (Nov. 22), against Washington State and San Francisco at the Odwalla Classic in San Francisco (Nov. 28-29), at Colorado State (Dec. 6) and at UMKC (Dec. 13).

They then have a short return home for one contest against New Mexico State on Dec. 16 before heading to sunny Cancun for the Carribean Classic MTE Cancun. The Bears close out the 2008 calendar year with a home matchup against Johnson & Wales on Dec. 28 before beginning the Big Sky portion of their schedule at home on Jan. 2 against Idaho State.

Between the hectic league schedule, Northern Colorado has contests at Columbia (Jan. 11) and hosts Black Hills State (Feb. 13) to complete the non-conference schedule.

With the four returning starters and four other returning letterwinners, Coach White and the Bears look to improve on their 14-16 record from 2007-08 and make a return trip to the Big Sky Conference Tournament March 11-14.