Monday, November 3
Morgantown, W.Va.
7 PM
Purdue Fort Wayne
at
West Virginia
Rylee Bess
Photo by: Josh Gales
Purdue Fort Wayne Women's Basketball Regular Season Tips Off at West Virginia
10/31/2025 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Purdue Fort Wayne women's basketball team is officially back. The Mastodons open the 2025-26 regular season at West Virginia on Monday (Nov. 3) at 7 p.m.
Game Day Information
Who: West Virginia Mountaineers
When: Monday, November 3 | 7 PM
Where: Morgantown, W.Va. | Hope Coliseum
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | West Virginia | Horizon League
Know Your Foe
West Virginia is receiving votes in the AP Top 25 poll. The Mountaineers are coming off a 25-8 season, which saw them win a game against Columbia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 12 North Carolina. Retooling from last year, WVU has added transfers from Houston, Texas Tech, Butler, Norfolk State and Wisconsin. Of note for fans of the HL, 2024 Horizon League Freshman of the Year Carter McCray (NKU) now plays at WVU after a year at Wisconsin. Sydney Shaw is the leading returning scorer after 11.4 points per game last year.
Series History
West Virginia won the only game in the series 82-48 in 2014 in Morgantown.
In the Polls
Purdue Fort Wayne is receiving votes in the Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. The Mastodons spent eight weeks in the Top 25 last season and received votes in all but the first poll of the 2024-25 season.
We Love Threes!
Over the last two seasons, Purdue Fort Wayne has hit 10 or more 3-pointers in 33 games, which ties for the third-most in Division I over that stretch.
Watch Out For Marchesano!
Purdue Fort Wayne head coach Maria Marchesano was selected for the Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award Preseason Watch List. The 2025 Horizon League Coach of the Year is the only coach from the Horizon League and the only one from the state of Indiana to be named for the list of 20.
Exhibition? Check!
Five Mastodons scored in double-figures in their exhibition game against Manchester: Alana Nelson (15), Ella Riggs (12), Nika Lokica (10), Rylee Bess (10) and Hillary Offing (10).
Alums In Hoops
Four Mastodons from last year's roster are still involved in basketball. Lauren Ross is an assistant coach for Purdue Fort Wayne, Amellia Bromenschenkel is an assistant coach for Northern Iowa and Audra Emmerson is an assistant coach for Western Michigan. Sydney Freeman signed a professional contract to play with Basket Slovanka in the Czech Republic.
All-Around All-Americans
The Mastodons have three former NAIA All-Americans on the roster: Jordan Reid (Third Team - 2023-24), Alana Nelson (Second Team - 2023-24, 2024-25, Honorable Mention - 2022-23) and Lauren Lee (First Team - 2023-24, 2024-25).
So Smart!
Purdue Fort Wayne had a cumulative team GPA of 3.66 in the spring 2025 semester.
So Much Winning
Purdue Fort Wayne had a 17-game winning streak from December 4, 2024 through February 8, 2025. This streak was the longest in program history, breaking the previous best of 14 in a row. At the time it was broken, it was the second-longest active streak in the country. The 15 league wins in a row was the seventh-longest league game winning streak in the nation at the time. In this stretch, Purdue Fort Wayne trailed for just 112:23 (16.5 percent of minutes) and won six games wire-to-wire.
Home Sweet Gates
Purdue Fort Wayne is 42-21 at home under head coach Maria Marchesano and 27-6 over the last two years.
Magic Numbers 70 and 80
Under head coach Maria Marchesano, the Mastodons are 49-8 when they score 70 points or more and 23-2 when they hit 80.
Landlord of the Year
In addition to her head coaching duties, Maria Marchesano is the landlord for Purdue Fort Wayne media services assistant Eli Jones and graduate assistant Tristen Bronaugh. She has a 1-0 record in garbage disposal replacements.
Replacing Production
The Mastodons that exhausted eligibility last season combined for 6,769 career points at the Division I level. Amellia Bromenschenkel (1,536), Audra Emmerson (985), Sydney Freeman (1,625), Sydney Graber (311), Jazzlyn Linbo (804) and Lauren Ross (1,508).
A Look Back at 2024-25
The 2024-25 season for Purdue Fort Wayne was the best in program history by many measures. Here's some highlights:
∙ Program records in points (2,735), field goals (999), 3-point field goals (338), rebounds (1,271), steals (344), wins (27), consecutive wins (17), home wins (15), road wins (11), wins away from home (12) and games played (36)
∙ Earned a berth to the WNIT Great 8, the furthest postseason run in program history
∙ Undefeated in December and January
∙ Lauren Ross became the first player to lead the NCAA in 3-point percentage (47.6) and free throw percentage (94.8)
∙ Lauren Ross was one of 17 players in NCAA history to shoot 45/45/90
∙ Lauren Ross was named an Academic All-American
∙ Maria Marchesano was selected as the Horizon League Coach of the Year
∙ Lauren Ross was the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year
∙ Jordan Reid was the Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year
∙ Jazzlyn Linbo was the Horizon League Sportsmanship Award winner
∙ Jazzlyn Linbo set a program record with a 58.3 season-long field goal percentage
Last Time Out
The Mastodons hosted over 800 students from Fort Wayne Community Schools for their annual Fitness Day exhibition. The 'Dons beat Manchester 92-30. Alana Nelson scored a team-high 15 points.
Next Time Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will head to Cincinnati, Ohio to play Xavier on November 7 before coming home to host Purdue on November 12.
Game Day Information
Who: West Virginia Mountaineers
When: Monday, November 3 | 7 PM
Where: Morgantown, W.Va. | Hope Coliseum
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | West Virginia | Horizon League
Know Your Foe
West Virginia is receiving votes in the AP Top 25 poll. The Mountaineers are coming off a 25-8 season, which saw them win a game against Columbia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 12 North Carolina. Retooling from last year, WVU has added transfers from Houston, Texas Tech, Butler, Norfolk State and Wisconsin. Of note for fans of the HL, 2024 Horizon League Freshman of the Year Carter McCray (NKU) now plays at WVU after a year at Wisconsin. Sydney Shaw is the leading returning scorer after 11.4 points per game last year.
Series History
West Virginia won the only game in the series 82-48 in 2014 in Morgantown.
In the Polls
Purdue Fort Wayne is receiving votes in the Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. The Mastodons spent eight weeks in the Top 25 last season and received votes in all but the first poll of the 2024-25 season.
We Love Threes!
Over the last two seasons, Purdue Fort Wayne has hit 10 or more 3-pointers in 33 games, which ties for the third-most in Division I over that stretch.
Watch Out For Marchesano!
Purdue Fort Wayne head coach Maria Marchesano was selected for the Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award Preseason Watch List. The 2025 Horizon League Coach of the Year is the only coach from the Horizon League and the only one from the state of Indiana to be named for the list of 20.
Exhibition? Check!
Five Mastodons scored in double-figures in their exhibition game against Manchester: Alana Nelson (15), Ella Riggs (12), Nika Lokica (10), Rylee Bess (10) and Hillary Offing (10).
Alums In Hoops
Four Mastodons from last year's roster are still involved in basketball. Lauren Ross is an assistant coach for Purdue Fort Wayne, Amellia Bromenschenkel is an assistant coach for Northern Iowa and Audra Emmerson is an assistant coach for Western Michigan. Sydney Freeman signed a professional contract to play with Basket Slovanka in the Czech Republic.
All-Around All-Americans
The Mastodons have three former NAIA All-Americans on the roster: Jordan Reid (Third Team - 2023-24), Alana Nelson (Second Team - 2023-24, 2024-25, Honorable Mention - 2022-23) and Lauren Lee (First Team - 2023-24, 2024-25).
So Smart!
Purdue Fort Wayne had a cumulative team GPA of 3.66 in the spring 2025 semester.
So Much Winning
Purdue Fort Wayne had a 17-game winning streak from December 4, 2024 through February 8, 2025. This streak was the longest in program history, breaking the previous best of 14 in a row. At the time it was broken, it was the second-longest active streak in the country. The 15 league wins in a row was the seventh-longest league game winning streak in the nation at the time. In this stretch, Purdue Fort Wayne trailed for just 112:23 (16.5 percent of minutes) and won six games wire-to-wire.
Home Sweet Gates
Purdue Fort Wayne is 42-21 at home under head coach Maria Marchesano and 27-6 over the last two years.
Magic Numbers 70 and 80
Under head coach Maria Marchesano, the Mastodons are 49-8 when they score 70 points or more and 23-2 when they hit 80.
Landlord of the Year
In addition to her head coaching duties, Maria Marchesano is the landlord for Purdue Fort Wayne media services assistant Eli Jones and graduate assistant Tristen Bronaugh. She has a 1-0 record in garbage disposal replacements.
Replacing Production
The Mastodons that exhausted eligibility last season combined for 6,769 career points at the Division I level. Amellia Bromenschenkel (1,536), Audra Emmerson (985), Sydney Freeman (1,625), Sydney Graber (311), Jazzlyn Linbo (804) and Lauren Ross (1,508).
A Look Back at 2024-25
The 2024-25 season for Purdue Fort Wayne was the best in program history by many measures. Here's some highlights:
∙ Program records in points (2,735), field goals (999), 3-point field goals (338), rebounds (1,271), steals (344), wins (27), consecutive wins (17), home wins (15), road wins (11), wins away from home (12) and games played (36)
∙ Earned a berth to the WNIT Great 8, the furthest postseason run in program history
∙ Undefeated in December and January
∙ Lauren Ross became the first player to lead the NCAA in 3-point percentage (47.6) and free throw percentage (94.8)
∙ Lauren Ross was one of 17 players in NCAA history to shoot 45/45/90
∙ Lauren Ross was named an Academic All-American
∙ Maria Marchesano was selected as the Horizon League Coach of the Year
∙ Lauren Ross was the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year
∙ Jordan Reid was the Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year
∙ Jazzlyn Linbo was the Horizon League Sportsmanship Award winner
∙ Jazzlyn Linbo set a program record with a 58.3 season-long field goal percentage
Last Time Out
The Mastodons hosted over 800 students from Fort Wayne Community Schools for their annual Fitness Day exhibition. The 'Dons beat Manchester 92-30. Alana Nelson scored a team-high 15 points.
Next Time Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will head to Cincinnati, Ohio to play Xavier on November 7 before coming home to host Purdue on November 12.
Players Mentioned
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