Michigan Tech women's basketball will play 28 games in Eric Gruber's first season as head coach, with 11 of those at SDC Gymnasium in Houghton, according to the schedule released Wednesday, Aug. 5.

The 2026-27 slate features 20 GLIAC conference games and eight non-conference matchups against opponents from the NSIC, GLVC and GMAC. It is Gruber's first schedule since being named the program's 10th head coach on April 20.

Exhibition at Michigan State

For the second straight year, the Huskies will travel to East Lansing to face Big Ten affiliate Michigan State in an exhibition on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The Spartans' coaching staff includes two former Huskies players and coaches in Kim Cameron and Maria Kasza.

Home opener and non-conference slate

Michigan Tech opens the regular season at home against Winona State on Monday, Nov. 9. Tipoff is 6 p.m.

The Huskies then head to the Wisconsin Dells for the JustAGame Crossover on Nov. 13-14, facing GLVC foes Upper Iowa and Lewis. It's the fourth consecutive season Tech has participated in the event.

The November road swing continues in Minnesota: at Minnesota Duluth on Thursday, Nov. 19 (7 p.m.), Bemidji State on Friday, Nov. 27 (6:30 p.m.) and Minnesota Crookston on Sunday, Nov. 29 (2 p.m.). A final non-conference road trip in December sends the Huskies to GMAC affiliates Northwood on Dec. 17 (5:30 p.m.) and Hillsdale on Dec. 19.

GLIAC play

Conference action begins on the road at Parkside on Saturday, Dec. 5 (5:30 p.m.) and Roosevelt on Monday, Dec. 7 (noon). Gruber spent the 2022-23 season as an assistant at Parkside, helping the Rangers to their most wins in eight years.

The schedule includes two matchups with Upper Peninsula rival Lake Superior State: a home game on Jan. 16 (noon) and a road trip to Sault Ste. Marie on Feb. 4 (5:30 p.m.).

Tech also faces two-time defending national champion Grand Valley State twice, on the road Jan. 21 (5:30 p.m.) and at home Feb. 13 (noon). The Lakers won back-to-back NCAA Division II titles in 2025 and 2026.

The Huskies close the regular season with five of their final six games at home, ending against Roosevelt on Feb. 25 (5:30 p.m.) and Parkside on Feb. 27 (noon).

New coach, new approach

Gruber arrived in Houghton from NCAA Division I Southern Illinois Edwardsville, where he spent three seasons as an assistant. At SIUE, the program tripled its win total over his tenure, and the 2025-26 Cougars led the Ohio Valley Conference in three-pointers made.

He inherits a team that went 16-13 overall and 10-10 in GLIAC play last season, according to the Mining Gazette.

"It's arguably one of the, maybe the, best conference in Division II women's basketball," Gruber told the Mining Gazette at his introductory media day in May. "You don't have a day off, a night off, ever, when you play."

Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Suzanne Sanregret said April 20 that Gruber's recruiting ties in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest were a key factor in his hiring. Gruber has said he plans to recruit heavily in Wisconsin, the U.P., Michigan and Minnesota.

Tickets and streaming

Reserved season tickets are $237.10 for adults; general admission season tickets run $201.40. Both are available at the SDC Central Ticket Office or online at BuyHuskiesTickets.com. All GLIAC games stream on FloSports through a multi-year deal extending through the 2031 season.

The Huskies tip off the exhibition at Michigan State on Oct. 28 before returning to SDC Gymnasium for the Nov. 9 home opener against Winona State.