UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's basketball team opens its 2025-26 campaign this week. The team will open both the season and home slate against Union College on Friday, November 7. Tip off from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 6pm. 
 
Follow Along: For those unable to attend, live video for Friday's matchup can be found here, and live stats here. 
 
Run it Back: The team battled through a rebuilding year in 2024–25, finishing 4–21 overall and 2–14 in Empire 8 play. Even in a tough slate, the Pioneers produced two All-Empire 8 selections in Vanessa Hall (Independence, NY/Whitesville Central) and Brianelly Cruz (Bronx, NY/Fannie Lou Freedom). Hall built off of her incredible freshman campaign with a stellar sophomore season that landed her on the second team, while Cruz was named Utica's recipient of the Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year award. 
 
At the Helm: Head Coach Allison Coleman was named the Utica University Interim Head Women's Basketball Coach to begin the offseason in March of 2025. Coleman ascended to the head spot after a single season as an assistant coach for the Pioneers' staff. Prior to her time at Utica, Coleman spent ten seasons as the head coach of the Russell Sage College women's basketball program. In her decade of competition with the Gators, Coleman amassed a 142-103 record (.580 win percentage). She earned her 100th career head coaching win on February 8, 2020 as the Gators beat Houghton College, 64-47. Throughout her tenure at Russell Sage, Coleman was at the forefront for a plethora of both team and individual success. In 2021-2022, Coleman coached the Gators to the Empire 8 Tournament Semifinals, also producing the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year in Syrita Faraj. Faraj, along with teammate Sammy Pasinella both achieved All-Empire 8 Second Team honors. That same season, the Russell Sage women's basketball team was recognized by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls. The Gators were named to the WBCA's Special Mention list for having compiled a team grade point average of 3.635, which stood 27th best among the nation's Division III programs that season.
 
Schedule Breakdown: The Pioneers' regular season will run from Friday, November 7 to Tuesday, February 17, 2026. If qualified, the Empire 8 Conference Tournament will be held from February 21st to February 28th, with the highest remaining seeds holding home court advantage. The Pioneers will play 25 regular season games, with 12 being at home. In Utica's non-conference schedule, the Pioneers will attend two tournaments this season, the Plattsburgh State Tournament and the Westfield State Tournament. Aside from the non-conference tournaments, the Pioneers will also play five non-conference games. In non-conference play, the Pioneers will host Norwich University for the first time in program history, as well as Williams Smith College for the first time. Empire 8 Conference play begins on January 3, with the Pioneers hosting the Russell Sage College Gators. A highlight of the Pioneers' conference schedule includes home-and-home matchups with cross-town rival SUNY Poly on January 27 at Poly, and the regular season finale on February 17 on Miga Court. 
 
Key Losses: The Pioneers will enter the 2025-26 campaign without veterans Hayleigh Lagase (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) and Kelsey McCaskill (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy). Lagase averaged over 22 minutes per game throughout her two seasons with the Pioneers, averaging over 5.5 points per game. In her two seasons, Lagase shot .333 from the floor, .282 from beyond the arc. Lagase was also a crucial rebounder for the Pioneers, averaging over 4.5 boards per game in her career, and 5.6 rebounds per game last season, while amassing 67 assists, 16 blocks, and 30 steals throughout her career. McCaskill, who missed the previous season due to injury, shot .286 from the floor last season with 18 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and two steals. 
 
Last Ride: A pair of Pioneers have returned to run it back for the last time this season in McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) and Carly Atty (Tribes Hill, NY/Fonda-Fultonville). Simmons has continued to be a driving force of the Pioneer offense in her time in Utica, averaging over 11.5 points per game throughout her career, amassing a total of 666 points. Averaging over 30 minutes per game, Simmons has managed to shoot .336 from the floor, .234 from three and .725 from the foul line in her three seasons, while averaging 6.3 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, with 24 blocks, and 109 steals. Last season, Simmons averaged 13.5 points per game through almost 35 minutes per game, while shooting .341 from the floor and .250 from three and averaging 7.4 rebounds per game and a team high 55 assists. In her first season as a Pioneer, Carly Atty (Tribes Hill, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) averaged almost four points per game through 27 minutes of play time per game, while shooting .265 from the floor. Atty also amassed 76 total rebounds with 38 assists, four blocks, and 12 steals. 
 
Back for More: After securing her second career All-Conference nod last season, Vanessa Hall (Independence, NY/Whitesville Central) has returned for her junior campaign with the Pioneers. In her two seasons, Hall has averaged 17.6 points per game, though an average of 33 minutes per game. From the floor, Hall has managed to shoot .464, while managing .364 from three. Hall has also been solid from the free throw line, shooting .805 through her two seasons. Hall has also been a statement piece under the rim, nabbing an average of 5.4 rebounds per game, while totaling 11 blocks and 40 steals. Last season, despite missing four games, Hall was second in the conference in scoring, averaging 17.9 points per game, and was one of only five players in the conference to eclipse 375 points in a season. Leading the team in field goal percentage, Hall converted on over 47 percent of her attempts from the floor last season. Hall is on pace to surpass the 1,000 point milestone this season, only needing 175 more points to eclipse the mark.
 
Veteran Presence: Returning for the Pioneers this season are Natalie Cornell (Greenwood, NY/Jasper-Troupsburg) and Hanna Godkin (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes). Cornell returns for her sophomore season after a fantastic freshman campaign, where she played in all 25 games for the Pioneers, starting in 13 games. The center averaged over five points per game, while shooting just under .400 from the floor, and averaging 3.8 rebounds per game with 21 assists, four blocks, and seven steals. Godkin returns to the floor after averaging over 26.6 minutes per game last season, while shooting .325 from the floor. Godkin has amassed almost 200 points in her career with the Pioneers, and has averaged three rebounds per game. 
 
Fresh Faces: Seven new faces are set to take the floor for the Pioneers this season in Madalynne Enos (Westmoreland, NY/Westmoreland), Madison Marusic (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer), Kierstin Einhiple (Hemlock, NY/Livonia), Destiny Herring (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle), Jayla Bell (Lyons, NY/Lyons), Madison LaDuke (Massena, NY/Massena Central), and Addie Oram (Marathon, NY/Marathon). Enos spent her high school career at nearby Westmoreland where she was a Section II All-Tournament team selection in 2023, as well as a three time CSC All-Star selection. Marusic, a 1000 point scorer from Herkimer was a four-time CSC All-Star selection, as well as named the 2022 Section III CSC Co-MVP. Einhiple, from Hemlock, NY was a 2025 Section V Senior All-Star selection. LaDuke, a graduate of Massena Central, found herself on the 2023-24 Section X Second-Team in the central division. Oram, a freshman out of Marathon, NY was a three time IAC Honorable Mention honoree, as well as a First-Team League All-Star selection last season. Head Coach Allison Coleman will look to these newcomers to make an impact early in the season. 
 
Scouting Union: The Union College Garnet Chargers will also be opening its season as they square off against the Pioneers on Friday. Last season, Union had posted a 13-13 overall record and were 10-8 in Liberty League play. The Garnet Chargers fell in the opening round of the Liberty League tournament to Skidmore College on the road by a score of 46-43. The Garnet Chargers have returned two of their top three scorers from last season in Jelena Perovic and Olivia Cunningham. Perovic led the team in points last season with 297, averaging over 13.5 points per game, while Cunningham totaled 176 points and averaging 6.8 points per game. Perovic and Cunningham also led the Garnet Chargers in rebounding last season with Perovic averaging 6.7 rebounds per game with Cunningham averaging five. Grace Arcoleo, the team's top playmaker, has returned this season after leading the team in assists with 85. In last season's opening matchup, the Pioneers and Garnet Chargers squared off, with Union taking the matchup by a score of 91-61. 
 
Up Next: The team travels to take on the Plattsburgh State Tournament, hosted by Plattsburgh State. Game one against SUNY Potsdam is set for 7:30pm on Friday, November 14.