UCA’s women’s and men’s basketball teams are working diligently as they prepare for the 2022-23 season.

The Sugar Bears and Bears are determined and optimistic for the new season. Senior point guard Kayla Mitchell will play with the Bears for the first time this season after transferring from Lamar University. 

“[We plan] to prove the doubters wrong and the believers right,” Mitchell said. “[My goal is] to make a difference in the program.”

Sophomore point guard Camren Hunter has high hopes for the season.

“Should be a great season … I feel great about this brotherhood we have formed,” Hunter said. 

As the teams anticipate the season-opening games, they practice every day, sometimes even twice a day with weight sessions right after. 

“It’ll definitely mess with you mentally, having to be in the gym all day but it’s all about how bad you want it and how far you want to go,” freshman forward and guard Cameron Wallace said. 

Hunter said the team works hard. 

“Very rigorous training on not just me but for our whole team,” Hunter said.

Both teams are confident in their abilities this season and are not afraid of any of their opponents. Wallace said she is ready for any opponent.

“We have been working really hard every day in the gym and the weight room. I believe that we are ready to compete with anybody we play against,” Wallace said. 

Junior guard Kierra Prim described the upcoming season as fun, exciting and hard work. 

Prim and Hunter said that both teams are putting an emphasis on its defense this season.

Hunter said, “We have a lot of great defenders and if we can stop somebody, we have a higher chance of winning.” 

The two teams share the same goal: winning. Wallace and Hunter both said they want the team to make it to the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. “One of my biggest goals is to make it to the March Madness tournament as a team because UCA hasn’t done that before,” Wallace said. 

The Sugar Bears and Bears will play this November. 

The Sugar Bears’ will play their first game on Nov. 7 against the Kansas State Wildcats at Kansas and its first home game is Nov. 15 against the Lindenwood Lions in the Farris Center at 7 p.m.

The Bears will play their first game on Nov. 1 against the Champion Christian Tigers in the Farris Center at 7 p.m.