Schedule
Hillsdale (3-5, 1-1 G-MAC) at Ursuline (1-7, 1-1 G-MAC) | 2 p.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 14 | Stano Athletic Center | Pepper Pike, OH
 
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Live Stats, Webcast, Ticket Links
 
 
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Ursuline Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Ursuline Stats | G-MAC Standings
 
 
Projected Starters
 
Hillsdale:  #3 Lauren McDonald, Sr., G, Chicago, IL/St. Ignatius/Air Force (15.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg. 2.8 apg, 1.6 spg); #5 Sarah Aleknavicius, Fr.,G/F, Grafton, WI/Grafton (2.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg); #15 Kendall McCormick, Sr., G, Hinckley, OH/Highland (7.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.4 spg); #21 Savannah Smith, So., F, Liberty Twp., OH/Lakota East (10.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg); #30 Caitlin Splain, Sr., G, Powell, OH/Olentangy Liberty (14 ppg, 4.5 rpg)
 
Ursuline: #2 Leah Mencer, G, So., Peninsula, OH/Woodridge (4.4 ppg);  #5 Kamryn Dziak, Sr., G, Amherst, OH/Steele/Georgia St. (11 ppg, 1.3 spg); #10 Sophia Kline, So., F, Sugar Grove, OH/Berne Union (9.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.3 spg, 1.6 bpg); #12 Riley Stopp, Sr, F, Mentor, OH/Cornerstone Christian (12.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3 apg); #24 Madyson Stottsberry, Sr., G, Newark, OH/Newark (9.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.1 apg)
 
 
Scouting the Opposition
 
Ursuline: The graduation of the Cloonan twins, four year starters and stalwarts for the Arrows, have left Ursuline in a rebuilding mode, with losses in their first seven games. However, the Arrows may be turning the corner entering conference play, with a close loss to Kentucky Wesleyan and their first win over Thomas More on the road this past weekend.

With the Cloonans gone, Ursuline is leaning heavily on two veteran returners with significant starting experience who have seen their roles grow this season in seniors Riley Stopp and Madyson Stottsberry. Also key to the Arrows' efforts are sophomore center Sophia Kline, an imposing post presence, and talented grad transfer Kamryn Dziak, who joined Ursuline from Division I Georgia St. and is averaging double-digit points so far.

Improved defense has helped the Arrows in the last couple of weeks, but generating offense has been an issue for Ursuline, which has yet to break 70 points in a contest. The Arrows will look to their role players to provide more scoring punch as Ursuline attempts to make a run in G-MAC play.
 
 
Scouting Hillsdale
 
Coming off the best regular-season conference finish in over a decade, and with a significant chunk of talent returning, hopes are high that the rise can continue for the Hillsdale College women's basketball program in 2024-25.

Seven of Hillsdale's top eight minutes-getters return from a squad that went 17-12 and had Hillsdale's first top four conference finish since 2008-09 last season, including six players who started six or more games.

Leading the way is senior combo guard Lauren McDonald, who exploded with a stellar all-around season in 2023-24 that saw her receive second-team All-G-MAC honors. McDonald can play and defend multiple positions and is an elite three-level scorer as well as an above-average rebounder for her height.

The Chargers can surround McDonald with a veteran supporting cast, including defensive pest Kendall McCormick and proven sharpshooter Caitlin Splain on the wings.

Hillsdale has one huge hole to fill in the starting lineup with the graduation of forward Sydney Mills, the program's all-time leading rebounder. Replacing her production will be a team effort – starting with larger roles for a variety of second year players who impressed in 2023-24.

Wings Sydney Pnacek and Annalise Pietrzyk both spent time in the starting lineup for Hillsdale in their first season on the floor for the Chargers, with both becoming important parts of the rotation and making critical offensive contributions down the stretch. Along with those two, fellow sophomore Savannah Smith, an athletic post player who received more playing time late in the year, also will compete for more minutes and could shine in an expanded role. Juniors Payton Adkins and Emma Ruhlman also could crack the rotation more consistently with another year of experience under their belts.

Hillsdale expects the rotation to be shaken up by a strong incoming freshman class that includes twin sisters Emilia Sularski and Magdalena Sularski, who starred at a high level in Illinois high school basketball with Benet Academy, gifted and versatile wing Sarah Aleknavicius, and a strong 6-foot-2 post presence in Ellie Bruce.
 
Head Coach Brianna Brennan returns for her second season, along with both assistants Abbey McNeil and Morgan Galloway.

 
Matchup History

Hillsdale leads the all-time series with Ursuline 9-5 thanks to a run of five straight victories over the Arrows the last three seasons, including a 61-50 road victory and an 85-56 home win in 2023-24. Prior to that run, Hillsdale had lost four straight to Ursuline in what has been a series of streaks so far.
 
 
Other Notes

• The Chargers were picked to finish tied for fourth with Kentucky Wesleyan in the 2024-25 G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll after tying for fourth place in the conference race in 2023-24. Defending champion Ashland was picked to repeat as conference title-winner, while Malone was selected to finish second and Findlay was picked to take third.
• Returning All-G-MAC honoree Lauren McDonald is a key player for the Chargers, averaging 15.5 points to lead Hillsdale through its first eight contests. McDonald is shooting a solid .495 from the floor so far, impressive for a guard, and also leads the team in assists and steals while ranking second in rebounds. The Chicago native enters following a 2023-24 campaign where she led Hillsdale in scoring and assists and was second on the team in rebounds, steals and blocked shots while making clutch baskets in overtime victories over Malone and Ohio Dominican.
• Hillsdale has a number of sharpshooters from deep, headlined by senior Caitlin Splain, who currently sits in sixth all-time in program history in made 3-pointers with 196 after knocking down four on Thursday in a win over Ohio Dominican Splain has a real shot of challenging the program's all-time made 3-pointer record of 237 set by Chelsea Harrison from 2008-2012 if she can stay healthy and maintain her career-average clip. While they're not on a record-setting pace, sophomores Annalise Pietrzyk and Savannah Smith both shot above .350 from deep last year as well for the Chargers and can provide range.
• Senior Kendall McCormick was a revelation for the Chargers defensively last season, showing improved offensive game while serving as one of the best on-ball defenders in the G-MAC with an average of two steals per contest, and she opened the 2024-25 season with 11 steals in eight games, while also grabbing an impressive 6.8 rebounds per game to lead Hillsdale so far.
• Sophomore Savannah Smith is making the leap this season after coming off the bench her first year in 2023-24. Smith has already more than doubled her total of double-digit scoring games with five in eight starts so far this season, and is averaging a solid 10.9 points per game. She's forming a strong post tandem with freshman Ellie Bruce, who's been an instant contributor off the bench for the Chargers as well with 4.9 points per game.
• Hillsdale's defense ranks among the top in the G-MAC so far, as the Chargers are conceding just 64 points per game, currently fifth in the G-MAC but just 0.4 points per game out of third place against a tough schedule. The Chargers are getting the job done by forcing turnovers and dominating the defensive glass, limiting opposing teams' second chances. Hillsdale averages 35.6 rebounds per game and will look to continue that performance on the glass throughout the G-MAC season.