For immediate release – 11/17/2015 -
Women's Basketball to Open Season at St. Mary's; Season Preview Included

LYNCHBURG, VA – The Randolph College women's basketball team travels to Maryland for its first game of the season on Tuesday night.  The WildCats will take on the Seahawks of St. Mary's College (Md.) at 6 p.m.  It is the second straight season the 'Cats have opened up with the Seahawks.  Last year, the WildCats defeated SMC at the RAD Center.

St. Mary's will provide live stats and video for the game.

Live stats can be found at http://www.smcmathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2015-16/boxscores/20151117_ugxj.xml and video can be seen at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/smcm/.

Here is the season preview for the WildCats.

2015-2016 Randolph College Women's Basketball Season Preview

After setting the record for most wins in a season, the Randolph College women's basketball team opens the 2015-2016 season with high expectations.  The team won 13 games and finished with a .500 record, including going undefeated in nonconference play.  While the team lost four contributors, including two who started over 20 games, the WildCats return three starters and several others who have played large roles for this upcoming season.

Abigail Bullins (Asheboro, NC/Asheboro) started 14 games during her junior season and played in 21 overall last year.  She was a Third-Team All-ODAC performer after scoring nearly 13 points per game.  Bullins is closing in on 1,000 points for her career.

Jacqueline Hockman (Manassas, VA/ Osbourn) and Taylor Samuels (Springfield, VA/ West Springfield) are the other two starter back for the WildCats.  Hockman started 22 games in the backcourt as a sophomore and averaged 7.4 points per game, which was almost double of what she had as a First Year.  Samuels rounds out the returning backcourt, as she started 20 games in her first season at Randolph.  She scored nearly six points per game, which included a career-high 18 against EMU.

The coaching staff also welcomes back several key contributors from last year, including four in the frontcourt.  Junior Korin Harris (Upper Marlboro, MD/ Elizabeth Seton) averaged over seven points per game, as well as four rebounds a game.  Alexis Calloway (Williamsburg, VA/ Bruton) played in every game except one as a First Year, and is the leading returning rebounder to the squad.  Sophomore Camille Gallagher (Chapel Hill, NC/ Carboro) and junior Darian Thornton (Christiansburg, VA/ Christiansburg) also return up top.  The two registered double-digit appearances last year and will look to increase their roles in 2015-2016.

Three returning sophomores are back at the guard positions as well in 2015-2016.  Daijah Johnson (Beltsville, MD/ St. Vincent Pallotti) started two games as a First Year and saw action in all but three contests.  Maura McMahon (Blacksburg, VA/ Blacksburg) and Lauren Moore (Silver Spring, MD/ Springbrook) provide depth and experience to the backcourt after seeing time in a combined 27 games last year.

Randolph also welcomes four newcomers to the fold in 2015-2016.  Rebecca Harvey (Orange, VA/ Orange County) and Autumn Troxell (Front Royal, VA/ Warren County) bring great size to the frontcourt.  Both players started all four years for their high school teams and will look to make immediate impacts.  Jayla Eure (Chesapeake, VA/ Western Branch) and Hope Randolph (Derwood, MD/ Magruder) also enter Randolph with great credentials.  Each played all four years in high school, starting three in the backcourt.

With three starters returning from the winningest team in program history, the WildCats will once again look to make noise regionally and in the demanding Old Dominion Athletic Conference.  The 'Cats will open up with two Capital Athletic Conference opponents, including the Hyatt Place Tipoff Tournament against Mary Washington University.