Head coach Devan Carter and the Lincoln Memorial women's basketball announced its 2022-23 regular season schedule on Tuesday. The slate is highlighted by 18 South Atlantic Conference contests and five games combined against rival conference opponents from the Peach Belt (three) and Conference Carolinas (two) out of nine total nonconference matchups.
 
The Railsplitters begin the season in mid-November at Converse for the SAC/CC Conference Challenge, facing off with the host Valkyries on Friday, Nov. 11 before taking on the King Tornado on Saturday, Nov. 12 to wrap up the season-opening trip to South Carolina.
 
Lincoln Memorial will also play in South Carolina when they travel to Lander for a true road game on Nov. 16. Two more Peach Belt foes are lined up for the Railsplitters to face in the UNG Nighthawk Classic on Nov. 18 (North Georgia) and Nov. 19 (Clayton State) in Dahlonega, Ga.
 
"I really wanted to challenge our group," Carter said on the nonconference schedule. "Quite honestly, I think this group can handle it. I want to know what type of team we have early. With us (SAC) going to divisions, we had to go out of league to get some games, and I wanted to make sure they prepared us for the conference slate."
 
Another road game, this one at Warren Wilson, is on tap the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (Nov. 23). The Railsplitters return from the holiday for their home opener against Columbia College on Saturday, Nov. 26 at Tex Turner Arena.
 
SAC play kicks off when Lincoln Memorial hosts Mars Hill on Nov. 30, and the Railsplitters are scheduled to face three other conference opponents around a trip to Southern Wesleyan on Dec. 14 before the New Year.
 
The 2023 calendar starts with a road game at UVA Wise on Jan. 4, and Lincoln Memorial will play its final nonconference game of the regular season on Jan. 11 at Tex Turner. All told, the Railsplitters are scheduled for home-and-aways with Mountain division opponents Carson-Newman, Emory & Henry, Limestone, Mars Hill, Tusculum and UVA Wise. In cross-division matchups, Lincoln Memorial hosts Catawba, Coker and Newberry while playing road games at Anderson, Lenoir-Rhyne and Wingate.
 
"With the addition of Emory & Henry, we've got a league that's very well balanced, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it shakes out," said Carter.
 
In addition to the regular season and conference openers, Lincoln Memorial's home schedule is highlighted by games against in-state rivals Tusculum and Carson-Newman on Saturdays at 2 p.m. on Dec. 3 and Jan. 7, respectively.
 
The Railsplitters are coming off a 2021-22 season in which they went 10-17 (8-16 SAC).

"Absolutely phenomenal group to coach," Carter said of his 2022-23 roster. "Great kids; I don't have to beg kids to get in the gym. I don't have to beg kids to get better. They allow you to coach them. There's no other group I'd want to go to battle with than this one."
 
Schedule Breakdown
 
Location
Home – 11
Road – 14
Neutral – 2
 
Conference
SAC – 18
Conference Carolinas – 3
Peach Belt – 3
Other – 3
 
State (of opponent)
South Carolina – 9
North Carolina – 6
Tennessee – 5
Virginia – 4
Georgia – 2
West Virginia – 1