WEST CHESTER, Pa.- After advancing to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championship game for the first time in program history a year ago, head coach
Kiera Wooden and the 13th-ranked West Chester University women's basketball team enter the 2023-24 season with high expectations once again. The Golden Rams will begin their yearly pursuit of a Championship on Saturday at 7 p.m. against a fellow 2023 NCAA Tournament participant in RV Elizabeth City State University.
PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATION
Following its historic 2022-23 season, West Chester has found itself on the receiving end of some early respect on the local and national levels. At the end of October, West Chester made its first bit of history of the 2023-24 season. It was selected 13
th in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Preseason Poll, the Golden Rams' highest ranking in their DII program history. This ranking was reciprocated in the Division II Collegiate Sports Communicators poll, marking the Golden Rams highest ranking in that poll since December of the 2014-15 season when the team spent back-to-back weeks in the top 10.
On the more local level, Wooden's charges were also tabbed as the unanimous preseason favorites to repeat as Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division Champions in the preseason poll released in mid-October, earning all eight first-place votes available to them.
LOOKING BACK
A season ago, West Chester completed one of the most impressive turnarounds in recent memory, finishing the year with a record of 124-9 and 18-4 in league play, matching the most wins overall under head coach
Kiera Wooden since her first season in 2014-15 when the team advanced to the PSAC Championship game. The Golden Rams 18-league victories helped the Purple and Gold capture a share of the PSAC East Regular Season crown for the first time since the 2017-18 season, which was also the team's last NCAA Tournament appearance before a year ago.
In the 2022-23 postseason, West Chester advanced to the Semifinal round of the PSAC Tournament, falling to California (Pa.) in Heartbreaking fashion before exacting revenge on the Vulcans in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. West Chester entered the NCAA Tournament as the highest seed (third seed) it had ever been in the 64-team NCAA Division II Tournament field era, eventually advancing to the Regional Final vs. host Glenville State, where the Pioneers handed the Golden Rams their ninth and final loss of the 2022-23 season.
FLOCK TALK
West Chester returns the entirety of its starting five and over 90 % of its offense from 2022-23, headlined by Women's Basketball Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-American
Leah Johnson (Columbus, N.J./Notre Dame), First Team All-PSAC selection
Emily McAteer (Thornton, Pa./Garnet Valley), Eastern Division Defensive Player of the Year
Michelle Kozicki (Thornton, Pa./Garnet Valley), and Second Team All-PSAC
Anna McTamney (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh). All four Golden Rams averaged north of 12.5 points per game a year ago, led by 16.4 from Johnson, 15.6 from McAteer, 13.1 from Kozicki, and 12.8 from McTamney.
Johnson had a 2022-23 season for the ages and finished the year with the third most points in single-season history (542) while also becoming the latest Golden Ram to join the 1,000-point club. The graduate student guard also set a new program record for points in a single game with a jaw-dropping 44-point effort vs California (Pa.) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. This effort came after a season that saw the Columbus, New Jersey native score 38 points in a setback against West Virginia State, marking the most points by a Golden Ram in a single game under Wooden.
McAteer, Kozicki, and McTamney all enjoyed stellar first seasons wearing the Purple and Gold, joining WCU ahead of the season as transfers from Loyola (Md.), La Salle, and U Sciences, respectively. McAteer finished the year third in single-season history in rebounding, corralling 276 rebounds, while ranking sixth in scoring with 515 points. The senior forward ended the season with 13 double-doubles, the most by a Golden Ram since the 2017-18 season, after registering a double-double in two of three NCAA Tournament games for WCU.
Kozicki added 10 double-doubles of her own, combining with McAteer and Johnson as one of the more dangerous trios in Division II women's basketball a year ago, while also becoming the first PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year since Alexandra Lennon in 2013.
McTamney was another consistent offensive threat throughout the season, scoring in double figures in 24-of-33 games, including 12 in a row in the middle of the season to help WCU capture its first Eastern Division crown since the 2017-18 season.
In addition to this strong returning group, which made up much of the Golden Rams starting five a year ago, West Chester also returns several key players, including its fifth starter in forward
Morgan Warley (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria), along with
Alianna Hopta (York, Pa./West York), one of the Golden Rams three captains
Kaziah Ross (Binghamton, N.Y./Binghamton), Alana Boyer (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquenita), Briana Seltzer (Reading, Pa./Reading), Valerie McGriff (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), and Rachel Conran (Springfield, Pa./Springfield).
Wooden and the Golden Rams also welcome a talented group of newcomers, including
Kyla Glasser-Hyman (Inzai, Japan/Hightstown), Hannah Kelley (Wilmington, Del./Ursuline Academy), Jayde Boyd (Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic), Erin Daley (Lafayette Hill, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh), and Sofia Coleman (Dresher, Pa./Gwynedd Mercy Academy).
Boyd and Coleman join the Golden Rams with college basketball experience, transferring in from Mercyhurst and Kutztown, respectively.
Boyd, a grad student at WCU, will have the chance to be an instant impact type of player for West Chester after being a two-time All-Conference selection and multi-year starter for the Lakers. In her final season with Mercyhurst, Boyd started in 22 of 28 games for the Lakers and ranked second in scoring and rebounding, averaging 11.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She poured in a season-high 26 points at Clarion in February of last season while also ranking third on the team in assists with 45 and leading the team in steals with 27. Coleman joins West Chester after spending her rookie season at Kutztown, appearing in five games and scoring four points along with three rebounds in her lone season as a Golden Bear.
THE SLATE
West Chester will again open its 2023-24 season in Hollinger with the 36
th Carol Eckman Memorial Classic presented by Hampton Inn of Exton/Downingtown, returning to host this Tournament after a one-year hiatus in 2022-23.
The opening weekend against CIAA foes Elizabeth City State University and Livingstone College will be the first of four consecutive home games for WCU to open the season as the team remains home to host Wilmington at 1 p.m. on November 18 and Chestnut Hill at 5:30 p.m. on November 20. West Chester will end the month of November with its first road trip of the season, a quick visit to Jefferson on Sunday, November 26, before returning home to host Slippery Rock and Edinboro on the first PSAC Crossover weekend of the year on December 1-2.
West Chester will open December with a 3 p.m. matinee against Slippery Rock on Friday, December 1, before hosting Edinboro on Saturday, December 2, beginning at 2 p.m. After this weekend, West Chester will briefly step out of PSAC play to host Lincoln on December 5 at 5:30 p.m. in its final home game until December 30 vs Clarion. Before its home matchup vs Clarion, West Chester will trek across the state to take on Boyd's old team in Mercyhurst on Monday, December 18 at 5:30 before staying in Erie to face perennial power Gannon on Tuesday, December 19 at 5:30 p.m. as well.
After its matchup against Gannon, West Chester will have a well-deserved break before its next matchup against Clarion, which will be the final home game of the 2023 half of the season. The Golden Rams will begin the New Year with a visit to NCAA Tournament foe California (Pa.) on January 3 before heading to Lock Haven on January 6 for its first PSAC East game. West Chester returns home for its Eastern Division home opener on January 10 vs Shepherd before hosting East Stroudsburg on January 13 at 1 p.m. in Hollinger. After this matchup, WCU heads back out on the road for two weeks, visiting Kutztown on January 17 and Shippensburg on January 24 before returning home to start a busy three-game in five days against Mansfield on January 27, which is also Alumni Day. The Golden Rams continue their midseason gauntlet with a matchup against Millersville on January 29 before heading to Bloomsburg on January 31 for its final game of the month.
West Chester will begin February with a home game against Lock Haven on February 3 before another road trip, which sends the Golden Rams to Shepherd on February 7 and ESU on February 10. Wooden's charges return home for a pair of big games against Kutztown and Shippensburg on the 14
th and 21
st before heading to Mansfield and Millersville on the 24
th and 28
th for the final road games of the regular season. The Golden Rams will cap off the 2023-24 regular season at home against Bloomsburg beginning at 1 p.m. on what is also scheduled as Senior Day for the Purple and Gold.
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RAMS!
Tickets will be sold at the door and remain the same as a year ago, with prices set at $20 for single-game century club tickets, $10 for adults, and $5 for children/seniors.
Check out the first women's basketball edition of Inside the Huddle for an extended conversation with coach Wooden as well as a sit down with graduate student guard
Leah Johnson via this
link.
As always, fans are encouraged to visit wcupagoldenrams.com and follow West Chester Athletics on social media for all the latest news and notes on the Golden Rams varsity athletic programs.
