Women's Basketball Welcomes Second Place Army in Saturday Matchup

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison (11-10, 6-4 Patriot League) will look to rebound against the Army Knights (16-4, 8-2 Patriot League) tomorrow after witnessing its three-game winning streak snapped by Navy last Saturday. The Orange & Blue fell to fifth place with the loss but remain in contention for a first round bye in the quarterfinals. The top six teams are bunched together in the Patriot League and the Bison have four games against the grouping in the final stretch. It is the 74th meeting between Army and Bucknell. The Bison own a 45-28 advantage but Army won last year's joust in Sojka. Bucknell is celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The tip is scheduled for noon.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell vs. Army
When: Saturday, February 8 at Noon
Where: Lewisburg, Pa.- Sojka Pavilion
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics: BucknellBison.com

Last Game's Starters:
R-Jr. G: Sophia Sabino (6.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Sr. F/G: Isabella King (8.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.3 apg)
So. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (20.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.9 apg)
So. F: Tuana Coskun (7.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Fr. G/F: Reese Zemitis (9.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.8 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER NAVY, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 12-10 on the season
• ... improve to 8-3 at home
• ... improve to 46-28 all-time against the Black Knights
• ... improve to 7-3 all-time against the Black Knights under Woodruff
• ... improve to 95-62 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 53-22 at home under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell's three-game winning streak was snapped in a 79-75 overtime loss to Navy at Sojka. The Bison led by 17 points in the first quarter before the Midshipmen slowly evaporated the advantage. Navy outscored the Bison in overtime to seal the win and fourth place in the conference.
• 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 ninth nationally in blocks per game (2.4).
• 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 ARMY
• The Black Knights finished 12-17 overall but went 9-9 in conference play to finish as the sixth seed in the tight Patriot League. They dropped a 65-63 decision to the third seeded Boston Terriers in the PL Quarterfinals.
• Army sits at 16-4 overall and 8-2 in conference play and has secured second place. They went 8-2 in non-conference play but did not play a single high major squad. Their only conference losses have come to league-leading Lehigh and third place Holy Cross.
• Army's roster has 15 players with zero transfers. It is a national roster as expected with players from a variety of states.
• The Bison and the Black Knights shared zero common non-conference foes in 2024-25.
• Army was picked to finish fourth in the ten-team Patriot League and has exceeded expectations so far. No Black Knights made the Preseason All-League Team. Trinity Hardy was on the All-Patriot League Second Team in 2023-24.
• Missy Traversi is 57-51 in her fourth season as head coach of the Black Knights.

SERIES HISTORY with THE BLACK KNIGHTS
• This is the 74th meeting between Bucknell and Army.
• The series began in 1984 with an Army victory.
• Trevor Woodruff is 7-3 all-time against Army.

Series History with Army (Last Six Meetings)
1/22/22   at Army           L, 62-69
2/23/22   Army W, 79-51
1/18/23   Army L, 43-52
2/4/23 at Army           W, 60-50
1/27/24   Army L, 66-75
2/24/24   at Army           W, 65-63

Series Record: 45-28
Record at Home: 26-10
Record at Army: 18-18
Neutral Site Record: 1-0
Trevor Woodruff Record: 6-3
Current Streak: Bucknell W1
Longest Bucknell Winning Streak: 9 games

Last Time Out
• The Bison dropped to 6-4 in conference play and saw its three-game winning streak broken when Navy edged the team 79-75 in Sojka. The Orange & Blue led 27-10 early and 35-27 at halftime. The Mids kept coming and completely eliminated the lead. The Bison went cold in overtime and Navy prevailed. The result moved Bucknell to 11-10 overall and dropped them below Navy in the conference standings.
• Bucknell shot a rough 38.8% (26-of-67) but hit more than 50% of its shots in the first and third quarters. The team went 1-of-9 (11.1%) in overtime. The Bison's free throw percentage was 88.9% (16-of-18). Navy went 82.1% (23-of-28) on its chances from the charity stripe. The    Bison out-rebounded the Mids, 41-38 but committed 13 turnovers to Navy's seven.
• Ashley Sofilkanich tallied 21 points on 9-of-23 shooting and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe. Isabella King scored a career-high 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Five Midshipmen scored in the double-digits led by Morgan Demos's 20 points..

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET vs.NAVY
Ashley Sofilkanich - Assists (7)

STREAKS OF NOTE
Tuana Coskun - Starts (21)
Isabella King - Starts (21)
Ashley Sofilkanich - Starts (49)
Reese Zemitis - Starts (11)

MORE MILESTONES UNEARTHED
• Isabella King reached 700 career points on the nose with a career-high 22 versus Navy on Feb. 1, 2025. 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 132 career three-pointers - sitting eighth all-time.
• Ashley Sofilkanich passed the 800-point mark against Navy on Feb. 1, 2025. She currently sits at 814 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

The Bison journey to Massachusetts on Feb. 12 to face the Boston U. Terriers.

Women's Basketball Welcomes Second Place Army in Saturday Matchup

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Players Mentioned

Tuana Coskun

Nicole Davis

Caroline Dingler

Isabella King

Julie Kulesza

Julie Kulesza

Kaylee Reinbeau

Kaylee Reinbeau

Sophia Sabino

Ashley Sofilkanich

Reese Zemitis