Bucknell University Athletics
Women's Basketball Announces 2026 Non-Conference Schedule
8/25/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Bucknell head women's basketball coach Trevor Woodruff has put together an exciting and challenging non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season including contests against SEC, ACC and Big East opponents. The Bison will play a total of 13 non-conference games, hosting five in Sojka Pavillion and traveling for the other eight.
Of the 13 non-conference opponents, Bucknell women's basketball will face three of them for the first time in program history. Of the other 10, Bucknell is 35-56 against those teams making it an extremely challenging schedule that will prepare the Bison for the intense competition of Patriot League play.
Bucknell will open the 2026-27 season on the road in a night game against SEC opponent Florida on Monday, Nov. 2. This will be the first time that the two programs match up in women's basketball. Last season, the Gators went 18-15 overall and dominated on their home court with a 13-5 record. In its 2025-26 schedule, Florida met up with a fellow Patriot League opponent Navy in Annapolis and fell to the Midshipmen 69-54. The Gators earned one ranked win in SEC play as they defeated #25/24 Alabama at home.
The Bison will then stay on the road for their second game of the 2026-27 season against Brown University on Saturday, Nov.7 before coming back to Lewisburg for a Wednesday night home opener. Starting the Sojka season for women's basketball, the Bison will take on Fordham at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11. These two teams have met a total of 23 times since 1983 with its last contest being in the 2021-22 season. While the Rams hold the overall record over the Bison 16-7, Bucknell took the last contest over Fordham 73-64.
After its home opener, Bucknell heads back on the road for two consecutive games against Mount Saint Mary's on Saturday, Nov. 14 and UAlbany on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The Mount and the Bison have met 12 times since 1990, including a game in last season's non-conference slate. Mount Saint Mary's holds the overall record 7-5, but Bucknell took the win at home last season over the Rams 49-45. On the UAlbany side of things, the Bison hold the overall record 4-3 since 1999, but the Great Danes pulled off an overtime victory in Sojka last season 65-62.
On Saturday, Nov. 21 Bucknell will host its second non-conference game of the season against MAAC opponent Iona. The Bison are 6-5 over the Gaels since the teams first met in 1992, but they have not faced off since the 2022-23 season. Bucknell took that last game 55-52.
Right before Thanksgiving, the Bison will travel to LeMoyne where they will see a familiar face in former assistant coach and director of women's basketball operations, Shelby Case who is now an assistant coach for the Dolphins. The second game in program history between these two teams will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Bucknell currently holds a 1-0 lead over LeMoyne after it won last season's contest 65-41.
After a nice Thanksgiving meal, the Bison will host Delaware State on Friday, Nov. 24 in a Black Friday clash. This will be the first time since the 2006-07 season that the two teams will meet, with the Bison holding a 4-1 lead over the Hornets.
Bucknell then hits the road once for a two-game stretch of firsts. The Bison will begin by hopping on a plane to take on Big East opponent DePaul on Sunday, Nov. 29 for the first time in program history. Then, Bucknell will move on to JMU on Saturday, Dec. 5 for their first contest in program history.
After the road stretch, Bucknell will host Division II opponent Susquehanna University in a local clash at Sojka. These two teams have met four times since 1973, with the last meeting being during the 1975-76 season. Bucknell holds an undefeated 4-0 record over the River Hawks.
The Bison will then have a ten-day break before they finish off their non-conference season with one away and one home game. Bucknell first travels to Syracuse for a Friday morning game. The two teams have met twice since 2018, with Syracuse up 2-0 over Bucknell. The ORange had a successful 2025-26 season going 24-9 overall and 12-6 in ACC play. Syracuse defeated #8 Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament before falling to #1 UConn to end their season.
Finishing off the non-league slate, Bucknell will play host to Delaware on Monday, Dec. 21 in Sojka Pavillion. Delaware has historically bested the Bison as it holds a 21-3 record in the past 44 years. Most recently, the Bison defeated Delaware 80-51 during the 2015-16 season.
