Basketball action returns to Tsaile Diné College after 29 year absence

TSAILE, Ariz. - The 2015-2016 academic year marks the return of collegiate basketball to the Tsaile Diné College campus for the first time in more than 29 years.

The season went off without a hitch under the guidance of Men's Head Basketball coach Warlance Foster and Head Women's coach Lemix Benally.

Both teams began their season Oct. 29 with the men's team facing off against Northern New Mexico in Espanola, New Mexico, and the women's team facing the University of Southwest.

The men's team scheduled nine games this season with schools including Northern New Mexico, Future College, Johnson & Wales University and Oglala Lakota College. The women's team scheduled six games this season with teams from the University of Southwest, California Miramar University, Bristol University, Rhema College and Oglala Lakota College.

The current Diné College basketball teams are official collegiate teams sanctioned through the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). The college recently requested admittance to the larger association of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for its 2016-17 season. The NAIA is the governing body of more than 250 athletic programs at colleges and universities across the country.

This is the inaugural basketball season as the Diné College Warriors. The last time men's and women's basketball teams were active on campus was in 1987 as Navajo Community College. Foster made reviving the basketball program a priority once hired as athletic director in July, 2015.

"The goal of the first season is to develop the structure and system to build a successful basketball program, getting the gym in compliance with collegiate rules and regulations, and compete against other collegiate teams," Foster said.

Foster said he hopes to develop a tough schedule for the teams next season in order to improve the teams' capabilities.

"There is a major difference between a reservation ball team and a structured disciplined college team," he said. "Height, ability, and the speed of the collegiate game need to be experienced. [We need to] develop a tough schedule for next season with schools like Fort Lewis, Western State, Adams State, Haskell, Northern New Mexico, and I am working on playing a few Division 1 schools. [This] schedule will help in recruiting the top Navajo players on the Rez."

The men's team has one game remaining in their regular season against Oglala Lakota College on Feb. 20 in Tsaile, Arizona.

The women's team has one game remaining in their regular season, against Oglala Lakota College on Feb. 20 in Tsaile, Arizona.

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