Schedule
Hillsdale (2-0, 0-0 G-MAC) at Wayne State (2-2, 0-0 GLIAC) | 6 p.m. ET Wednesday, Nov. 19 | Wayne State Fieldhouse | Detroit, MI
Hillsdale (2-0, 0-0 G-MAC) at Lake Superior State (0-2, 0-0 GLIAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 22 | Bud Cooper Gym | Sault Ste. Marie, MI
 
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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
 
 
Projected Starters
 
Hillsdale: #4 Magdalena Sularski, So., G, Lemont, IL/Benet Academy (2.5 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1 spg);  #5 Sarah Aleknavicius, So.,G/F, Grafton, WI/Grafton (10.5 ppg, 3 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2 spg, 1.5 bpg); #23 Annalise Pietrzyk, Jr., G, Lockport, IL/Providence Catholic (18 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.5 apg); #24 Ellie Bruce, So., C, Lancaster, OH/Fisher Catholic (14.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2 bpg); #40 Emma Ruhlman, Sr., G, Warren, PA/Warren (8 ppg, 4 rpg, 2 apg)
 
Wayne St.: #3 Jaci Tubergen, G, Sr., Hudsonville, MI/Hudsonville/Bowling Green (6.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg);  #13 Karrington Gordon, Gr., G/F, Lincoln Park, MI/Lincoln Park/Central Michigan (8.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.5 spg); #15 Gabi Lutchka, Sr., F, Grass Lake, MI/Grass Lake (9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.8 spg); #21 McKenna Ferguson, Jr, G, Grandville, MI/Byron Center (18.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg,  4.5 spg); #30 Taylor Thompson, Sr., F, Grand Blanc, MI/Grand Blanc (13.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3 apg, 2 spg)
 
LSSU: #12 Dara Capaldi, Jr., G, East Detroit, MI/La Lumiere (IN)/Eastern Michigan (3 ppg); #14 Chloe Watson, Jr., G, Hemlock, MI/Hemlock/Mid-Michigan College (4.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg); #22 Lara Aguzzi, Jr., G, Newton, MA/Newton North/St. Peter's U. (6 ppg, 6 rpg); #30 Grace Bradford, Sr., F, Maple City, MI/Glen Lake (4.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg); #33 Clare Conzelmann, Fr., Frankenmuth, MI/Frankenmuth (13.7 ppg, 7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1 spg)

 
Scouting the Opposition
 
Wayne State: The Warriors are looking to build off a 20-win campaign and NCAA Tournament berth in the rugged Midwest Region last season. Wayne State returns three starters from that squad, led by second-team All-GLIAC forward Taylor Thompson.

Along with Thompson's return, the Warriors also welcome back guard McKenna Ferguson and forward Gabi Lutchka, both impressive sharpshooters and standout defensive players who help balance the floor for Wayne State.

To help plug the holes in the lineup created by graduations, Wayne State added an impact transfer in former Central Michigan starter Karrington Gordon, who's already having an impact for the Warriors four games into the season. Another DI transfer in her second year at Wayne, Jaci Tubbergen, rounds out the starting lineup, while veterans Lexi Boyke, Emily Homan and Annabel Ayrault also play important roles off the bench.

Hillsdale is 36-35 all time against Wayne State dating back to the two programs' first meeting as varsity teams in 1981, but the Warriors have won eight of their last 10 games against the Chargers, including an 80-67 final in 2024.

Lake Superior State: After several seasons of sub-.500 basketball, the Lakers are looking to take a step in the right direction after major offseason roster moves by second-year coach Grace Howrigon.

One thing that hasn't changed for LSSU is All-GLIAC honoree Grace Bradford, a double-double machine and the foundation for the Lakers at both ends of the floor. To support her, LSSU has added multiple transfers – former DI guards Dara Capaldi and Lara Aguzzi and JuCo transfer Chloe Watson, as well as standout freshman Clare Conzelmann.

Holdovers Makenna Clement and Malia Thelen, as well as new pieces Lauren Wilder and Seyyane Matthew, provide important support off the bench. The Lakers took two losses to G-MAC contenders to open the season and will look to avoid another slow start at home this weekend.

The series between the Chargers and Lakers is an old one, that also goes back to the foundations of Hillsdale's program in 1981-82. LSSU leads the series 37-25, but the Chargers have won 12 of the last 14 meetings, including a 61-53 victory last season. LSSU's last win in the series did come in the most recent game in Sault Ste. Marie, an 85-80 final in Nov. 22, 2022.
 
 
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.
• Annalise Pietrzyk kicked off the 2025-26 season with a weekend to remember, shooting 69.2% from deep and leading the Chargers in scoring and assists in a pair of wins to earn G-MAC Player of the Week honors for the second time in her career. It's the latest indication that Pietrzyk, a career 41.4% 3-point shooter, may be ready to step into a leading role after two successful seasons as the Chargers' top scorer off the bench.
• 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. The pair worked well together in Hillsdale's opening weekend, combining to average 25 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in two victories for the Chargers to kick off the 2025-26 campaign.
• One of the keys for Hillsdale to be successful in 2025-26 is a big step forward from sophomore Sarah Aleknavicius, and early returns are positive, as the second-year player shot well from the floor and averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 assists in a 2-0 start for the Chargers. One of the best defenders last season for the Chargers, an improved offensive game in year two could make Aleknavicius a force to be reckoned with this season.
• 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