Schedule
Illinois-Springfield (0-0, 0-0 GLVC) at Hillsdale (0-0, 0-0 G-MAC) | 5 p.m. ET Friday, Nov. 14 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Purdue Northwest (0-0, 0-0 GLIAC) at Hillsdale (0-0, 0-0 G-MAC) | 7 p.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 15| Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
 
Follow/Watch
Live Stats, Webcast, Ticket Links
 
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster |  UIS Roster  | Purdue NW Roster | 2024-25 Hillsdale Stats | 2024-25 UIS Stats | 2024-25 Purdue NW Stats | G-MAC Standings
 
 
Players to Watch*
 
Hillsdale:  #5 Sarah Aleknavicius, So.,G/F, Grafton, WI/Grafton (1.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg); #21 Savannah Smith, Jr., F, Liberty Twp., OH/Lakota East (9.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg); #23 Annalise Pietrzyk, Jr., G, Lockport, IL/Providence Catholic (7.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg); #24 Ellie Bruce, So., C, Lancaster, OH/Fisher Catholic (7 ppg, 2.1 rpg); #40 Emma Ruhlman, Sr., G, Warren, PA/Warren (4.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
 
Illinois-Springfield: #1 Brynn Tabeling, G, Gr., Tuscola, IL/Tuscola (Limestone transfer);  #2 Tatianna McLaren, Jr., F, Chicago, IL/Phillips (1 ppg); #3 Kayla Rice, Jr., G, Rock Island, IL/Rock Island (15.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2 apg, 2.9 spg); #7 Kennedy Osterman, Gr, G, Pewaukee, WI/Pewaukee (UW-Oshkosh transfer); #33 Allysia McDaniel, Jr., C, Dallas, TX/John Paul II (6.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
 
Purdue NW: #2 Riley Milanusic, So., G, Dyer, IN/Lake Central (3 ppg); #22 Thaya Luse, Sr., G/F, Elburn, IN/Example Academy/Wayne St. U. (4.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg); #24 Zoe Spoelman, Sr., F, Grand Haven, MI/Grand Haven (6 ppg, 6 rpg); #30 Ciara Sims, So., G, Fort Wayne, IN/Snider (4.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg); #32 Alyssa Cole, Sr., F, Nashville, IL/Nashville Comm./Parkland College (13.7 ppg, 7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1 spg)
 
*2024-25 Stats
 
 
Scouting the Opposition
 
Illinois-Springfield: It's another major reset for the Prairie Stars in year two of Olivia Birt's head coaching tenure, as UIS returns just three players from last year's 5-23 squad and have brought in a slew of new faces to fill out the roster.

Birt does have one huge piece returning in star guard Kayla Rice, a second-team All-GLVC player in 2024-25 who led the Prairie Stars in nearly every statistical category and gives UIS a foundation to build on. She's joined as a returner by junior center Allysia McDaniel, who started for the Prairie Strs at center last season, and forward Tatianna McLaren, who played a limited role for UIS in 2024-25.

The success or failure of the Prairie Stars this season will depend heavily on how quickly new faces acclimate to the program. Two key additions are graduate transfers Brynn Tabeling, from DII Limestone, and Kennedy Osterman, from DIII Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Both players have needed collegiate experience that will help a young team will have to lean heavily on its seven-player freshman class out of necessity this season.

This Friday is the seventh meeting between the Chargers and Prairie Stars all time. Hillsdale is 5-1 in the previous six meetings, including a 76-52 win in last season's Midwest Crossover. UIS' lone victory over the Chargers was an 82-58 win in 2023.  
 
Purdue Northwest: After resetting the roster in head coach Jesse Ford's first season in 2024-25, the Pride are hoping to take a step forward with more continuity in 2025-26.

PNW returns two starters from last season's six-win squad, and have a clear leader offensively and defensively in senior Alyssa Cole, who averaged 13.7 points and seven rebounds per game to lead the Pride in 2024-25. Wayne State transfer and wing Thaya Luse also returns after starting 22 games for PNW last season.

Local product Aniya Bishop also returns after serving as one of the team's top substitutes in 2024-25, along with two key backup guards from last season, Riley Milanusic and Ciara Sims.

PNW is hoping for the healthy return of forward Zoe Spoelman, who was playing a big role for the Pride last season before an injury cut her season short just three games in. The Pride have added size in its incoming class, including 6-foot 5 freshman Tristan Stoutermire, as well as transfer guard Sonya Wagner.

Hillsdale is 1-2 against Purdue Northwest in three meetings and lost a 75-74 overtime game on the road to the Pride last season.
 
 
Scouting Hillsdale
 
The 2024-25 season was a dream one for the Chargers, who won over 20 games, placed higher in the conference than in any season since 2008-09, and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2018.

From the outside, there's reason to expect the 2025-26 campaign to be a step back for Hillsdale. The Chargers graduated three senior starters, two All-G-MAC players and three of their top four scorers from last season's breakthrough team, and real question marks exist about whether Hillsdale can replace all that production.
 
That said, there's plenty of reasons for optimism for the Chargers as well. In spite of all the graduation losses, Hillsdale still has plenty of exciting talent to build around, and it's not too hard to see a path for the Chargers to be a contender in the G-MAC again in 2025-26 if everything pans out.

While Hillsdale's veteran guards were the focal point for Hillsdale in 2024-25, the 2025-26 edition of the Chargers is definitely centered in the post. The top returning scorer for Hillsdale is junior Savannah Smith, a talented and athletic post who was coming into her own as a force down low before a February injury cut her season short. That injury hurt the Chargers last season, but could have a silver lining in 2025-26 as it gave then-freshman Ellie Bruce a significant amount of high-leverage action. The 6-foot-2 Bruce grew tremendously as a player in the final month of the season after being thrust into a central role, and between her and Smith, Hillsdale should have one of the best 1-2 punches in the paint in the G-MAC this season.

On the wing, Hillsdale has holes to fill but returns a stalwart presence in 2025-26 starter Emma Ruhlman, as well as two veteran players who came off the bench last season but should be ready for bigger roles in juniors Annalise Pietrzyk and Sydney Pnacek. All three are dangerous 3-point shooters.
 
One X-factor for the Chargers is Sarah Aleknavicius. The sophomore was solid defensively as a freshman, and if her offensive game takes off with a year under her belt, she could cause real problems for opponents.

Hillsdale will have to find a new lead guard to replace All-G-MAC players Lauren McDonald and Caitlin Splain. That means a bigger role for twins Emilia and Magdalena Sularski, who will be expected to step into more playing time and make an impact in year two, as well as potentially more time for senior Payton Adkins.
 
The unknown element that could make the difference for the Chargers in 2025-26 is a strong freshman class. Hillsdale brought in size to pair with Smith and Bruce in the paint in 6-foot-3 Addison Kincaid, 6-foot-2 Katie Graves and 6-foot-1 Grace McKinney, along with a prolific combo guard in Maddie Smith who will challenge Emilia and Magdalena Sularski for the lead guard role. If Hillsdale's freshmen prove themselves ready early on for big roles, that will greatly enhance the Chargers' depth and make it more likely Hillsdale goes on a run.
 
Hillsdale is coached by Brianna Brennan, who is in her third year at the helm and was named the BCAM College Coach of the Year for the state of Michigan after guiding the Chargers to the tournament. Abbey McNeil returns for her third season as associate head coach, and alumnus Sophia Pierce is back in Hillsdale for her first season as an assistant coach to round out the staff.
 
 
Other Notes

• The Chargers were picked to finish fifth in the 2025-26 G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll after earning runner-up honors in the conference race in 2024-25 and reaching the G-MAC Tournament championship game. Defending champion Ashland was picked to repeat as conference title-winner, while Malone was selected to finish second and Northwood was picked to take third. Findlay was picked to finish fourth, beating out Hillsdale by five points in a tight race.
• One of the most interesting returning players for Hillsdale in 2025-26 is junior Annalise Pietrzyk, who's been an absolute sharpshooter off the bench throughout her career to date. Pietrzyk shot 42% from 3-point range last season with 50 makes and has hit 39.5% from deep in her career, making her one of the most dangerous players from long range in the G-MAC. Her ability to space the floor will be important for the Chargers as she takes on a bigger role as a junior.
• The Chargers figure to have one of the top post tandems in the G-MAC in 2025-26 in junior Savannah Smith and sophomore Ellie Bruce. A gifted player who plays bigger than her listed height thanks to her athleticism and inside-outside game, Smith averaged 9.8 points per game and was a key offensive piece for Hillsdale in 2024-25 through 21 games before a season-ending injury. In her absence, Bruce took on a bigger role, including a pair of 18-point games that matched her career high and her first-ever double-double after Smith went down. That experience should make her very tough to play against as Smith also returns healthy and looking to make a mark in 2025-26.
• Hillsdale's impressive success in 2024-25 was built on one of the G-MAC's best defenses. The Chargers conceded just 60.8 points per game last season, third-best in the G-MAC, and held opponents to 39.2% shooting from the floor and 28.4% from 3-point range. Hillsdale also was among the G-MAC's best at taking care of the ball, with a 0.99 assist to turnover ratio, second best in the G-MAC. The Chargers will look to maintain those positive numbers and carry them over into the 2025-26 campaign.