Wheeling, W. Va. – In The first season under head coach Ella Skeens the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team brought the energy on the court and continued their standard of winning basketball over the past couple of seasons. In year two, the Cardinals will rely on some of their returning veterans to lead a young team on their road back to the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament. On Tuesday, the team released their 2026-2027 schedule, featuring 12 home contests and a mid-season Florida trip to challenge themselves against the best in NCAA Division II.
Last season, The Cardinals featured a veteran roster, with two of their five starters having been contributors across their 4 years with the program. After going 3-2 through their non-conference schedule, including a three-game win streak following a season opening loss, the Cardinals headed into their MEC schedule to be in the road to the conference tournament. Wheeling would split their first four MEC games of the year, with a conference opening win against Point Park and a win before the break against Davis & Elkins. After falling to Cedarville in their Christmas break game, the second half schedule proved to be challenging with Wheeling dropping three of their first four MEC games in January. They turned things around with a three-point road win at conference leading Glenville State that propelled them into a 4-1 stretch that got them right back into the hunt. Heading into February.
Down the stretch, the Cardinals would split their first four games before going into the run that eventually clinched them the first round bye in the MEC Women's Basketball Tournament. It started with a February 14th win against Frostburg State, And the Cardinals would go on to win their final five regular season games to clinch the No. 6 seed In the MEC Women's Basketball Tournament. Wheeling would draw #3 seeded Charleston After earning the first round buy, and would fall 69-55 to bring their season to an end. It was a season full of ups and downs for a young Cardinal team, and they will look to use that experience to not only get back to the tournament in 2027, but compete for an MEC Championship. They graduated two of their five starters, but have young talent returning to step into that leadership role.
The Cardinals will once again start the 2026-2027 season at home, when they host Walsh on November 9th inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. It will be the only home game for the Cardinals in the opening month, as they hit the road for the annual MEC/ Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Challenge, hosted by Edinboro University. The Cardinals will take on the host Fighting Scots On Friday, November 13, before wrapping up the weekend against CAL-U. A road game against Pitt Johnstown Will wrap up the early season non-conference schedule with NEC play starting in December. Wheeling will once again be at home for their conference opener, welcoming in Concord on December 2. They will play three of their first five conference games at home, with a back-to-back road trip to Shawnee State and Davis & Elkins before the Cardinals host Point Park and West Virginia Wesleyan to round out their first half conference schedule.
As they hit the Christmas break, the Cardinals will travel down to fort Lauderdale, Florida for the Florida challenge hosted by Nova Southeastern. Wheeling will take on Chestnut Hill College on December 18 and the host sharks on the 19th before going home for the Christmas break. They hit the road for their first two games out of the break, with trips to Glenville State (Jan 2) and Frostburg State (Jan 6). January we'll see the Cardinals at home for four of the the next eight games, as they welcome in Fairmont State and West Virginia State on January 9 and 13. A trip to Charleston and West Liberty breaks the home stand before the Cardinals come back home to take on Davis & Elkins on January 23. They go back-to-back to end the month with a road game against Point Park on January 27, before hosting Shawnee State on January 30. Wheeling will play at home three times in February, hosting Frostburg State (Feb 6), Glenville State (Feb 17), and Charleston (Feb 24). They will wrap up the season on the road against West Liberty on February 27.
The Wheeling University Women's Basketball kicks off the 2026-2027 on Monday, November 9, when they host Walsh at 5:30 PM.
