Women's Basketball Travels to Baltimore to Face Loyola (Md.) on Wednesday Night

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison (10-9, 5-3 Patriot League) return to the road after logging a two-game winning streak at Sojka Pavilion to face the preseason league favorite Loyola (Md.) Greyhounds (7-12, 1-7 Patriot League) on Wednesday night. The Bison handled Boston 74-59 on Saturday to improve above .500 for the first time since earlier this month. The Orange & Blue are squaring off for the 37th time with Bucknell holding a commanding 28-8 series advantage. Bucknell has won ten straight games over the Baltimore-based foe. The tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell at Loyola (Md.)
When: Wednesday, January 29 at 7 p.m.
Where: Baltimore, Md.- Reitz Arena
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics: loyolagreyhounds.com

Last Game's Starters:
R-Jr. G: Sophia Sabino (6.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.5 apg)
Sr. F/G: Isabella King (7.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.3 apg)
So. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (20.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.6 apg)
So. F: Tuana Coskun (7.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Fr. G/F: Reese Zemitis (8.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.8 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER LOYOLA (MD.), BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 11-9 on the season
• ... improve to 4-7 on the road
• ... improve to 29-8 all-time against the Greyhounds
• ... improve to 11-1 all-time against the Greyhounds under Woodruff
• ... improve to 94-61 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 41-38 on the road under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell won its second straight game with a decisive 74-59 victory over the Boston Terriers. The Bison led for 36 minutes and never trailed after the first quarter. The Orange & Blue shot a season's finest 57.4% and held Boston 41.8% from the field.
• Ashley Sofilkanich won her fourth Patriot League Player of the Week for 66-point performance in Bucknell's 2-0 week. The sophomore scored 44 points against Colgate tying Bison legend Molly Creamer's single game record.
• Sofilkanich earned three slots on the 2023-24 All-Patriot Defensive, Rookie, and Third Teams. She is the first Bison to do so.
• Sofilkanich ranks tenth nationally in blocks per game (2.42).
• The Orange & Blue have nine newcomers (six freshmen & three transfers) on the roster.
• 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. She has been on fire this season averaging 20.4 ppg and 6.4 rpg.
• Tessa Brugler became the second active former Bison to sign overseas when she inked a deal with Balencesto Miralvalle Club, in picturesque Plasencia, Spain. The team plays in the Spanish Liga Femenina (LF2) league - the third tier of Spanish professional basketball. She currently averages 8.9 ppg and 9.4 rpg.
• 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 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 LOYOLA (MD.)
• Loyola finished 16-15 overall and 10-8 in the Patriot League in 2023-24 finishing tied for second which was its best placement in the Patriot League since joining the conference in 2013-14. Due to tiebreakers, they received the fourth seed in the Patriot League Tournament. They defeated fifth seeded Lehigh in the quarterfinals before losing to the top seeded Holy Cross Crusaders in the semifinals.
• The Greyhounds posted a winning record in non-conference play going 6-5. Loyola has not gained traction in conference play due to injuries and has gone 1-7 in the PL and 7-12 overall.
• Loyola's roster holds 15 players with zero transfers.
• The Bison and the Greyhounds both played Mount St. Mary's in non-conference. Bucknell won while Loyola lost.
• Loyola was picked to finish first in the ten-team Patriot League. Senior forward Lex Therien slotted on the Preseason All-League Team and received Preseason Player of the Year but hasn't played since November because of injuries.
• Danielle O'Banion is 38-72 in her four seasons at Loyola (Md.).

SERIES HISTORY with THE GREYHOUNDS
• This is the 37th meeting between Bucknell and Loyola (Md.).
• The series started in 1984 before the teams became conference foes.
• Trevor Woodruff is 10-1 all-time against the Greyhounds and has won ten straight.

Series History with Loyola (Md.) (Last Six Meetings)
1/8/22         Loyola (Md.)         W, 62-42
1/29/22       at Loyola (Md.)     W, 65-40
1/11/23       at Loyola (Md.)     W, 56-50
1/28/23       Loyola (Md.)         W, 73-37
1/31/24       at Loyola (Md.)     W, 61-59
2/28/24       Loyola (Md.)         W, 74-56

Series Record: 28-8
Record at Home: 17-2
Record at Loyola (Md.): 11-5
Neutral Site Record: 0-1
Trevor Woodruff Record: 10-1
Current Streak: Bucknell W10
Longest Bucknell Winning Streak: 10 games

Last Time Out
• Bucknell improved to 5-3 in conference play with a decisive 74-59 victory over the Boston Terriers, marking three straight wins over the Massachusetts foe. The Orange & Blue never trailed after the first quarter. The Bison led 35-24 at halftime and coasted to the double-digit win despite having to fend off a couple of mini-Boston runs. The result returned Bucknell to above .500 overall (10-9).
• Bucknell shot a season's best 57.4% (27-of-47). The Bison's three-point shooting was also 50.0% as the team went 9-of-18. Boston hit 41.8% (23-of-55) of its chances. Bucknell out-rebounded the Terriers, 31-19.
• Ashley Sofilkanich scored 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. Sophia Sabino provided 15 points with Reese Zemitis contributing 13. Anete Adler led Boston with 15 points off the bench.

STREAKS OF NOTE
Tuana Coskun - Starts (19)
Isabella King - Starts (19)
Ashley Sofilkanich - Starts (47)

MORE MILESTONES UNEARTHED
• Isabella King reached 600 career points against Dartmouth on Dec. 6, 2024 and currently has 672 overall. King broke into the top ten for career three-pointers with 111 when she hit three versus Robert Morris on November, 29, 2024. She now has 127 career three-pointers - sitting eighth all-time.
• Ashley Sofilkanich passed the 700-point mark against Navy on Jan. 18, 2025. She currently sits at 772 points. She tied Molly Creamer's Bucknell single-game point record (44) against Colgate. She also set the Sojka Pavilion record for points (44) and field goals made (16).
• Trevor Woodruff reached the 200 career win mark as a women's basketball head coach after defeating Vermont on Dec. 4, 2024.

Up Next

Bucknell welcomes Navy to Sojka Pavilion on Feb. 1.

Women's Basketball Travels to Baltimore to Face Loyola (Md.) on Wednesday Night

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Players Mentioned

Tuana Coskun

Nicole Davis

Caroline Dingler

Isabella King

Julie Kulesza

Kaylee Reinbeau

Sophia Sabino

Ashley Sofilkanich

Reese Zemitis