INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP women's basketball program and interim head coach
Craig Carey opens the curtain on the 2022-23 season on Friday and Saturday at home, playing host to the PSAC/MEC/CIAA Challenge at the KCAC.
The Crimson Hawks play on consecutive days at 7:00 p.m., beginning the year with Davis & Elkins on November 11 before closing out the weekend with Lincoln on November 12.
IUP was picked fourth in the PSAC West preseason poll, which once again looks like a formable division from top to bottom. The Crimson Hawks took the floor for an exhibition matchup at Duke on November 5 at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
All games will be streamed live on the PSAC Digital Network, courtesy of IUP-TV Sports and the department of Communications Media.
PSAC/MEC/CIAA CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
- Friday, November 11
- Slippery Rock vs. Lincoln – 5:00 p.m.
- IUP vs. Davis & Elkins – 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday, November 12
- Davis & Elkins vs. Slippery Rock – 5:00 p.m.
- IUP vs. Lincoln – 7:00 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION – DAVIS & ELKINS
GAME INFORMATION – LINCOLN
IUP NEWS AND NOTES
- IUP begins the 2022-23 season with three consecutive home tilts, two coming this weekend before hosting Rosemont for Education Day on November 16 with a special 11:00 a.m. tipoff.
- The trio of Kiera Baughman, Alana Cardona and Gina Adams paced the Crimson Hawks in the exhibition against Duke. Baughman dropped in 12 points and picked up two rebounds, while Cardona and Tierra Preston grabbed a team-high six rebounds each against the Blue Devils.
- Friday begins what the Crimson Hawks hope will be the program's eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. IUP will need to learn on the fly, however, needing to replace four of the team's top five scorers from 2021-22.
- Last week's exhibition against Duke is part of the development process in the preseason, traditionally challenging themselves with Division I competition.
- Anna Rafferty is among several newcomers looking to contribute immediately for IUP, seeing 12 minutes of action in exhibition play with four boards.
- Head coach Craig Carey hopes for IUP to push the pace with an up-tempo style of play in 2022-23. He began his tenure in late September, coming from the NCAA DI ranks as an assistant at West Virginia.
SCOUTING DAVIS & ELKINS
- 2021-22 Overview | Overall: 8-20 | MEC: 5-17 | Home: 4-9 | Away: 3-9 | Neutral: 1-2
- Friday's matchup will pit a pair of first-year head coaches against each other, with Carey guiding the IUP side and Donna Carr set for her coaching debut at Davis & Elkins.
- Carr arrives in Elkins after a stint at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, serving as an assistant coach for two seasons.
- Davis & Elkins transitioned to the MEC a few years ago, providing a better geographic fit than the previous conference of the G-MAC.
- The Senators were picked at the bottom of the MEC standings, but welcome back a few key returners for the upcoming season. Peyton Adams and Marissa Berlin provide the Senators with a viable inside-outside duo.
SCOUTING LINCOLN
- 2021-22 Overview | Overall: 22-8 | CIAA: 12-4 | Home: 11-4 | Away: 8-4 | Neutral: 3-0
- Lincoln is tasked with replacing 10 players from its 2021-22 CIAA Championship squad a season ago. The Lions fell in the NCAA Tournament to eventual national champion Glenville State last March.
- Sophomore guard Jaleesa Lanier, who started in 19 of 28 games a season ago, is the lone returning starter for Lincoln. Youngstown State transfer Kayiona Willis will also be a contributor at the guard position for the Lions.
- Lincoln was picked to repeat as the winners of the CIAA in 2022-23.
- Head coach Janice Washington returns for her second season at the helm of the Lions in 2022-23.
FOLLOW
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.
