Across the country, there may be no one who got the NCAA Division II women's basketball season off to a hotter start than Annalise Pietrzyk.

The Hillsdale College junior was sensational as Hillsdale rolled past Illinois-Springfield and Purdue Northwest at home on back-to-back nights, leading the Chargers in scoring in both contests.

Key to her play was a scorching performance from 3-point range. Pietrzyk knocked down nine 3-pointers across the two games and shot 69.2% from deep overall, with 19 points on four made 3-pointers against UIS and 17 and five made 3-pointers against Purdue Northwest. Not just a sharpshooter, Pietrzyk also averaged 5.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds across the two contests, while also playing solid defense.

Pietrzyk already had a reputation as a shooter entering the 2025-26 campaign, after shooting 42% from deep and knocking down 50 as a top substitute for the Chargers last season. Opening weekend, however, was an encouraging sign that the junior can continue to produce with efficiency despite a new starting role and a much higher shooting volume than in years past. 

Pietrzyk and Hillsdale will put their red-hot start to the test against a tough Wayne State squad on Wednesday as Hillsdale hits the road for the first time this season. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. in Detroit.