Wheeling, W. Va. - A new era of Wheeling Women's Basketball (0-0, 0-0) tips-off this weekend with a new head coach and eight new players on this year's roster. They begin their non-conference schedule with home doubleheader action this weekend, battling CAL-U on Friday and Edinboro on Saturday, with both tip-offs scheduled for 2 PM. Wheeling's young team is looking to show what they can do on the court and make an early season statement as they prepare for the 2025-2026 Mountain East Conference (MEC) schedule.
The 2024-2025 season was another huge step forward as they improved their conference win total and reached the 17-win mark for the second season in a row. They used a grueling non-conference schedule, that saw them go 2-3 over the first five games, before hitting their stride in the conference schedule. They would go 3-2 over their first five conference games of the season and headed into the break with their record sitting at 5-6 overall. After dropping a tough contest on the road to start the second half to Fairmont State, they would go on to win five of their next six conference games to set themselves up for a run in the MEC Tournament. The Cardinals would end the season 13-7 in conference play and earned the #3 seed in the tournament field, their highest finish since the 2021 spring season. They would take on #6 Glenville State in the Quarterfinals, but their run would come to an end with a 58-49 loss to round out the season.
Despite all of the young talent, the Cardinals return several strong leadership pieces, including the reigning MEC Defensive Player of the Year Kenzie Dalton. Dalton has been a regular in the starting lineup since her freshman year, and was a leader on both sides of the ball during her junior season. She led the team with 90 steals and 124 assists during the season, while averaging 8.9 points per game. Her most successful stretch of the season came down the stretch as she put together back-to-back 21 point games against Concord and Glenville State to set a new career-high. She would sit second in the conference in steals and fourth in the conference in both assists and assists/game (4.3). She will continue to be a leader on the court as she helps move the young Cardinals forward on the court.
On the offensive side, the Cardinals leading scorer from their returner group is Emilia Sierra Lacosta, who finished just outside of averaging double digit points per game with 9.4, tying for third on the team in that category. She was also the team's leading three-point shooter from a season ago, shooting 31.7% from beyond the arc and 35.8% from the floor. Sierra Lacosta played in all 29 games for the Cardinals, starting 25, and will once again be relied on as a key contributor for the Cardinals throughout the year. With eight new players on this year's team, including four true freshmen. Leading the charge is Martinsburg, West Virginia native Liv Bolduc who comes to the Cardinals from Saint Johns Catholic Prep. Bolduc finished her career as the Crusader's all-time leader in both points and assists, and was named the Lady Gael Tournament MVP. She looks to make a splash in her first season with the Cardinals.
As they tip-off the season, the Cardinals will get a heavy dose of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play, with each of their first three opponents coming from the conference. Along the way, the Cardinals will have the luxury of playing on their home floor, with each of their first six match-ups coming on their home court. The Cardinals went 9-3 on their home court throughout the 2025-2026 season, and will look to once again defend the nest. The home stretch will see the Cardinals inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center through the start of December, including their MEC opener against Point Park on December 3rd, and they look to take advantage and get off to a hot start.
The Match-ups
CAL-U: The Cardinals and Vulcans are meeting for the 10th time in program history, with CAL-U leading the all-time series at 8-1. The Cardinals have never won a home game against the Vulcans, going 0-2 in their home gym compared to an 0-4 record on the road. Wheeling has averaged 66.67 points per game in the all-time series, and is looking for their first win against the Vulcans since the 2006 season. Their last meeting came on November 9th, 2024, in a game that CAL-U would win 81-56. Former Cardinal Kaylee Marvin led the way with nine points, while Kenzie Dalton led the way with five assists and seven points.
Edinboro: The Cardinals and Fighting Scots are meeting for the sixth time in program history, with Edinboro leading the way at 3-2. The Cardinals are 1-1 in home games against Edinboro, compared to an 0-2 record when they go on the road. The Cardinals have averaged 65.4 points per game in the all-time series, and the two teams have split the last two meetings. Their last meeting came on November 8th, 2024, in a game that Edinboro would win 78-62. Emilia Sierra Lacosta would lead the way with 19 points, going 5-8 from the three-point line, while former Cardinal Rachel Wilson added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The Details
The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team tips-off their season on Friday, November 14th, when they battle CAL-U at 2 PM. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
