Women's Basketball Hosts Saturday Brunch Game Versus Youngstown State

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison women's basketball team (1-4) continues play at Sojka Pavilion with a Saturday showdown versus the undefeated Youngstown State Penguins (4-0). The Bison won its first game of the 2024-25 campaign Wednesday with a decisive 63-47 victory in the US Route 15 Rivalry against Mount St. Mary's and seek to continue its newfound momentum versus a potent Horizon League foe. It is the first meeting between the two schools since 2018 and the Bison have won the last two games. The tip is scheduled for 11 a.m. as part of a home triple-header day with football and men's basketball.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell vs. Youngstown State
When: Saturday, November 23 at 11 a.m.
Where: Lewisburg, Pa.- Sojka Pavilion
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics: bucknellbison.com

Last Game's Starters:
R-Jr. G: Sophia Sabino (5.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 4.8 apg)
Sr. F/G: Isabella King (7.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.2 apg)
So. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (18.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.4 apg)
So. F: Tuana Coskun (6.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.0 apg)
So. G: Anna Kunzwiler (5.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER YOUNGSTOWN STATE, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 2-4 on the season
• ... improve to 2-0 at home
• ... improve to 5-8 all-time against the Penguins
• ... improve to 1-0 against the Penguins under Woodruff
• ... improve to 85-56 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 47-19 at home under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell finally broke through in the wins column with a decisive 63-47 victory over US Route 15 Rival Mount St. Mary's on Wednesday night. Bucknell led for 38 minutes while the Mountaineers merely spent 27 seconds ahead. The Orange & Blue zoomed ahead 15-10 after the first period and led 28-23 at halftime. The third quarter proved crucial with the Bison outscoring the Mount 22-7 to firmly establish control. Mount St. Mary's outscored Bucknell 17-13 in the final quarter but never inched closer than 16 points. Ashley Sofilkanich recorded her fourth straight 20+ point game by dropping 22 on the hapless Mountaineers. She added a career-high 16 rebounds for a double-double. Jo Raflo returned for the Mount and proved the lone bright spot tabbing 12 points for her cause.
• Ashley Sofilkanich earned three slots on the 2023-24 All-Patriot Defensive, Rookie, and Third Teams. She is the first Bison to do so.
• The Orange & Blue have nine newcomers (six freshmen & three transfers) on the roster. Only four players return from the 2023-24 team.
• Bucknell finished 13-18 overall and 9-9 in Patriot League play last season. The Bison reached the 2024 Patriot League Quarterfinals, playing as the No. 8 seed in the tournament, but they fell 61-56 to No. 1 seed Holy Cross.
• Bucknell graduated four seniors in the spring: Nicole Davis, Caroline Dingler, Julie Kulesza, and Kaylee Reinbeau. Dingler served as the 2023-24 captain and Kulesza was a three-point threat off the bench.
• Bucknell was picked eighth in the 2024-25 Patriot League Preseason Poll. The Bison were picked sixth last season and finished eighth in the conference.
• Sofilkanich received two preseason honors. She was named Preseason Defender of the Year and notched a spot on the Patriot League's Preseason Five. Her 60 blocks ranked eighth on the Bucknell single-season list.
• Senior Isabella King was named captain ahead of the 2024-25 season.
• This summer, Bucknell graduate Taylor O'Brien signed with the Essex Rebels of the Women's British Basketball League. O'Brien dominated the circuit with the Leicester Riders having won Player of the Month for December and a spot on the All-League Team.
• Head coach Trevor Woodruff is in his sixth season at Bucknell. He was named PL Coach of the Year in his first two seasons.
• Sherill Baker was recently promoted to associate head coach. Baker came to Lewisburg after a stint at George Washington University. Baker played in the WNBA and overseas professional leagues. She was dubbed "The Queens of Steals" for her defensive prowess at Georgia.
• Three new coaches joined the staff. Owen Brown left the University of San Francisco to join the Bison community. Shelby Case was hired as an assistant coach/director of operation combo. Case played at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Edward Joyner was hired before the FDU game. He spent 15 seasons as the men's head coach at Hampton.

SCOUTING YOUNGSTOWN STATE
• Youngstown State went 14-18 overall and 9-11 in conference play last season. They earned the seventh seed in the conference tournament and defeated tenth-seeded IUPUI in the first round. Their season ended in the quarterfinals against two-seeded Green Bay.
• The Penguins have started the season on fire going 4-0. Youngstown has played two non-Division I opponents in Lake Erie College and Clarion while Mercyhurst has just transitioned to Division I. The fourth victim was St. Bonaventure. The opening game against North Dakota was canceled due to power outages on campus. The Clarion game was added as a replacement.
• YSU's roster contains 15 players, including transfers from Akron and Cleveland State where Coach Jackson spent her last two stops.
• Youngstown State will play Big Ten foe Ohio State.
• The Bison and the Penguins share one common opponent (Robert Morris) this season.
• YSU was picked to finish fifth in the 11-team Horizon League. They return five players and ten newcomers (six freshmen and four transfers).
• Melissa Jackson is 4-0 in her first season at YSU. She previously spent five years as Akron's head coach.

SERIES HISTORY with THE PENGUINS
• This is the thirteenth meeting between the Bison and the Penguins.
• Youngstown State leads the series, 8-4, but Bucknell has won the last two meetings.
• Trevor Woodruff has never faced Youngstown State.

Series History with Youngstown State (Last Six Meetings)
12/29/12   at Youngstown State       L, 51-69
11/26/13   Youngstown State            W, 66-41
11/25/14   at Youngstown State       L, 54-69
12/2/15     Youngstown State          L, 47-55
11/24/17   at Youngstown State       W, 66-60
12/18/18   Youngstown State            W, 73-68

Series Record: 4-8
Record at Home: 3-3
Record at Youngstown State: 1-5
Neutral Site Record: 0-0
Trevor Woodruff Record: 0-0
Current Streak: Bucknell W2
Longest Bucknell Winning Streak: W2

Last Time Out
• Bucknell recorded its first win of the 2024-25 campaign in a 63-47 victory over the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers. The Bison only trailed for 27 seconds and led for over 38 minutes. The Bison had the 28-23 halftime advantage and put the game away in the third quarter outscoring Mount 20-7 in the decisive frame. Bucknell coasted to the worry-free win despite Mount scoring 17 points to the Bison's 13 in the last stanza.
• Bucknell shot its best percentage of the season hitting 45.5% (25-of-55) from the field. Mount struggled only knocking down 17-of-58 (29.3%) of its chances - the lowest this season for a Bison foe. Mount had 14 free throw chances to Bucknell's six making 10 to the Orange & Blue's five.
• Ashley Sofilkanich ran her string of 20+ point games to four by scoring 22 points. She crossed the 20-point mark on a three-pointer. The sophomore star hit 10-of-15 shots from the field and 1-of-2 from the foul line. Reese Zemitis scored 13 points. Mount St. Mary's Jo Raflo returned from injury to tally 12 points.

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET vs. MOUNT ST. MARY'S
Ashley Sofilkanich - Rebounds (16) & Assists (5)

STREAKS OF NOTE
Ashley Sofilkanich - Starts (33) & 20-Point Games (4)

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Bucknell University Athletics

Women's Basketball Hosts Saturday Brunch Game Versus Youngstown State

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Players Mentioned

Tuana Coskun

Nicole Davis

Caroline Dingler

Isabella King

Julie Kulesza

Anna Kunzwiler

Kaylee Reinbeau

Sophia Sabino

Ashley Sofilkanich

Reese Zemitis

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