The Bulldogs will officially open the Maria Marchesano Era on Monday, Nov. 2, hosting Tennessee Tech at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The contest will also be Butler's annual Kids Day Game.
 
The 11 a.m. tip will include an estimated several thousand elementary school students in attendance through a partnership with the NCAA and its Readers Become Leaders Program. Schools are invited to register to attend.
 
The television assignment for the game against the Golden Eagles will be announced at a later date. The two teams previously met during the 1989-90 season, the only match-up in the series history.
 
Additional games on Butler's non-conference schedule will be released soon.
 
Marchesano enters her first season leading the women's basketball program at her alma mater. Marchesano's 14-year head coaching career includes 234 wins across four stops, with the five most recent seasons at Purdue Fort Wayne. She was a four-year letterwinner at Butler, graduating in 2005. She finished her Butler career as the second best three-point shooter in program history (41.8 percent).
 
The Bulldog roster continues to take shape. Saniya and Nevaeh Jackson return for the 2026-27 campaign and are joined by an exciting group of newcomers.
 
Season tickets for the upcoming 2026-27 basketball season are on sale now at butlersports.com/seasontickets. The Bulldogs will once again host all 10 BIG EAST rivals at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Fans can email tickets@butler.edu or call the ticket office at 317-940-3647 for more information on securing season tickets.