It will be a noisy start to the season for the Cowgirls.

Monday McNeese State’s women’s basketball team will open what they hope is a turnaround season in front of some 2,000 or so local fifth-grade students.

Southeastern Baptist College will be the opponent, a late substitution from Ecclesia which had to pull out of the game just a few days ago because of a lack of healthy players. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. inside the Legacy Center.

“We are excited to play against somebody other than ourselves,” said McNeese head coach Lynn Kennedy. 

The game is the third annual Kid’s Day and the Cowgirls are 2-0 in the previous contests.

Seven experienced newcomers will join a group of returning players that includes five who were freshmen last season.

Paris Guillory, who played her high school ball at St. Louis Catholic in Lake Charles, where she led the Saints to back-to-back state titles, is the biggest name newcomer. She averaged 18.6 ppg., 6.1 assists, and 5.0 steals per game in her senior campaign.

However, Guillory isn’t expected to play until December while coming back from a knee injury.

“We want to take it slowly, make sure she is healthy,” Kennedy said. 

Guillory is starting to work out now with no contract drills and working on conditioning. She will be a big boost when she is able to play.

Until then the Cowgirls will also be counting on several key returning players, including a group of five who came back after their freshmen seasons despite a 6-25 record.

“I really like the mix of this team,” said Kennedy. “We had to get more athletic and needed experience. We did that.”

The Cowgirls will put that mix on display today.