Bucknell and Holy Cross Set for Decisive Standings Clash at Sojka on Saturday

LEWISBURG, Pa.- March finds the Bucknell Bison (15-12, 10-6 Patriot League) tied for fourth place with Holy Cross (17-10, 10-6 Patriot League) with two conference clashes remaining on the docket. The Gordian Knot can be cut this Saturday when the Crusaders visit Sojka Pavilion for a pivotal meeting in the Patriot League standings. Bucknell has the opportunity to grab fourth place and position itself for a quarterfinal home game for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign. The Bison took a giant step towards that goal on Wednesday defeating preseason league favorite Loyola 79-45 to snap a two-game losing streak. Holy Cross hammered Bucknell 63-37 when the two teams met earlier this year in Worcester. The Crusaders recently defeated third place Colgate 59-55. If the Bison defeat Holy Cross and Colgate falls, Bucknell will tie for third place, and the Orange & Blue have the tiebreaker over the Raiders. This will be the 80th meeting between the programs. Holy Cross has the 53-26 advantage and has won the last six contests. The tip is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell vs. Holy Cross
When: Saturday, March 1 at 2 p.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 (7.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.5 apg)
Sr. F/G: Isabella King (9.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg)
So. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (20.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Fr. G/F: Reese Zemitis (9.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.9 apg)
So. G/F: Elana Weisman (2.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.6 apg)

Senior Day

Bucknell will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday by honoring Isabella King and Sophia Sabino for their years of service to Bison women's basketball.

WITH A WIN OVER HOLY CROSS, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 16-12 on the season
• ... improve to 11-3 at home
• ... improve to 27-53 all-time against the Crusaders
• ... improve to 4-7 all-time against the Crusaders under Woodruff
• ... improve to 99-64 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 55-22 at home under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell rebounded with a 79-45 thrashing of Loyola on Wednesday night. The Bison led 22-16 after the first quarter and 46-22 at halftime. The Orange & Blue extended its lead to 38 points in the fourth quarter before showing mercy. The victory inserted Bucknell at 15-12 overall and 10-6 in the Patriot League.
• Ashley Sofilkanich was named to the USBWA Top 50 Midseason Watch List for the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year Award. The Bison forward was one of 11 mid-major players to earn the honor and only one of two Patriot League hoopers to notch the laurel.
• 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 17th nationally in blocks per game (2.2) and 19th in points per game (20.0).
• 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 20.5 ppg and 7.1 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 9.8 ppg and 10.0 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 HOLY CROSS
• Holy Cross finished 21-13 overall and 11-7 in the Patriot League in 2023-24. The Crusaders earned the #1 seed and won three games for the tournament title including a 61-56 victory over Bucknell in the quarterfinals. They defeated Tennessee Martin in the First Four before falling to Iowa in the Opening Round of the NCAA Tournament.
• The Crusaders sits at 17-10 overall and 10-6 in conference play. They played a regional non-conference schedule never leaving New England. Holy Cross and Bucknell are tied for fourth.
• Holy Cross's roster has 13 players with one transfer. Two players hail from Saint John Vianney the high school Bucknell star Ashley Sofilkanich attended.
• The Bison and the Crusaders share one common non-conference foe in 2024-25 in Vermont. The Crusaders's banner fell to the Catamounts while Bucknell triumphed.
• Holy Cross was picked to finish sixth in the ten-team Patriot League after graduation impacted the roster. No Crusaders made the Preseason All-League Team.
• Candice Green is 17-10 in her first season at Holy Cross and was recently lost the interim label.

SERIES HISTORY with THE CRUSADERS
• This is the 80th meeting between Bucknell and Holy Cross.
• The series originated in 1991 with the formation of the Patriot League.
• Trevor Woodruff is 3-7 all-time against Holy Cross and has lost the last six contests.

Series History with Holy Cross (Last Six Meetings)
12/30/22   Holy Cross                    L, 45-62
1/21/23 at Holy Cross                L, 50-69
1/3/24   at Holy Cross                L, 54-69
2/21/24   Holy Cross                    L, 47-58 (OT)
3/11/24 at Holy Cross (PLT) L, 56-61
1/15/25 at Holy Cross                L, 37-63

Series Record: 26-53
Record at Home: 17-19
Record at Holy Cross: 8-32
Neutral Site Record: 1-2
Trevor Woodruff Record: 3-7
Current Streak: Holy Cross W6
Longest Bucknell Winning Streak: 4 games

Last Time Out
• Bucknell trailed 9-8 but forged ahead 22-16 as the first quarter ended and went up 46-22 at halftime. The Bison offense continued to roll shooting a season-best 61.5%. Coach Trevor Woodruff emptied his bench in the fourth quarter for the 79-45 win. The result improved Bucknell to 15-12 overall keeping the team tied for fourth place with Holy Cross in the Patriot League standings.
• Bucknell shot 61.5% (32-of-52) and outrebounded Loyola 40-16. Loyola hit 34.5% (19-of-55) from the field and a mere 3-of-17 from three-point land (17.6%).
• Ashley Sofilkanich led Bucknell with 16 points and Isabella King scored 14 going 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Tuana Coskun tallied 11 points. Koi Sims paced Loyola with 13 points.

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET vs. LOYOLA (Md.)
Elena Houghton - Points (8)
Elana Weisman - Rebounds (7)

STREAKS OF NOTE
Isabella King - Starts (27)
Sophia Sabino - Starts (21)
Ashley Sofilkanich - Starts (55) & Double-Digit Scoring Games (11)
Reese Zemitis - Starts (17)

MORE MILESTONES UNEARTHED
• Isabella King reached 700 career points on the nose with a career-high 22 tallies versus Navy on Feb. 1, 2025 and sits at 772 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 143 career three-pointers - sixth all-time.
• Ashley Sofilkanich passed the 900-point mark against Army on Feb. 24, 2025. She currently sits at 924 points and has a decent shot at reaching 1000 points in two seasons. 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). She ranks fourth in career blocks (120).
•Sofilkanich has moved up the single-season charts ranking sixth in blocks (60) and field goals made (205), seventh in points (536), and tenth in free throws made (121).
• Reese Zemitis is ninth all-time in single-season three-pointers (53). She sits eighth in single-season three-point attempts (144).

Up Next

Bucknell concludes the regular season at American on March 5.

Bucknell and Holy Cross Set for Decisive Standings Clash at Sojka on Saturday

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Players Mentioned

Tuana Coskun

Nicole Davis

Caroline Dingler

Isabella King

Isabella King

Julie Kulesza

Kaylee Reinbeau

Sophia Sabino

Sophia Sabino

Ashley Sofilkanich

Ashley Sofilkanich

Elana Weisman

Reese Zemitis