GALESBURG, Ill. — With tipoff for the 2025-26 women's basketball season just three weeks away, Knox College fans can check out the Prairie Fire schedule online to prepare for cheering on their team. Games against a pair of teams that finished last year in the national rankings as well as a trip to Hawaii enhance the slate that includes the 16 games in the Midwest Conference.

Knox and new head coach Emily Carpenter will challenge themselves right away by opening the campaign at the Wartburg Tipoff Tournament and squaring off with the host school — ranked 16th in the final poll last year — on Nov. 7. To conclude the tournament, the Prairie Fire will take on future Midwest Conference member Luther College the next day.

After three road games (the last being the league opener at Illinois College on Nov. 25), the home crowd will get their first look at the Prairie Fire when Lawrence University comes to Memorial Gymnasium on Dec. 2 followed by long-time rival Monmouth College on Dec. 6. The last home game before the calendar flips to 2026 will be against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, which was ranked 15th in last year's final poll, on Dec. 13.

The Prairie Fire get an early Christmas gift with a trip to the Hoops in Hawai'i Classic on Dec. 21-22 to play Albion College and Linfield University.

The schedule picks back up in 2026 with the conference slate in full swing, beginning with a game at Lake Forest on Jan. 3. On the final day of the month, Knox will host Webster University for its final non-conference game, and February will bring the final six league contests, including Senior Day on Valentine's Day.

Admission is free at Memorial Gymnasium for all 10 home games, and a live stream will be available online for each of those contests through the Knox portal on the Hudl website at watchmidwestsports.com/knox.