Way-Too-Early Top 30: Ranking No. 16 to No. 20
Welcome back to another edition of my Way-Too-Early Top 30 ranking as we take a look at the way the 2024-25 season is shaping up. We’ve got five more teams to look at today, as we go from No. 16 to No. 20. As a reminder, this is very preliminary, considering information on 5th-year seniors and incoming/outgoing transfers are not always available. I can say with some certainty that my official Preseason Top 25 in October will end up looking different from this ranking, so just keep that in mind as you read! Here we go…
20. Catholic (2023-24 record: 26-3)
The Cardinals put together an incredible season last winter, going 17-1 in the Landmark Conference (which included national contenders in Scranton and Elizabethtown) as they reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. This was a Catholic team that, for as much as I disliked the weaker non-conference schedule early on, proved it belonged in the Top 15 discussion by the time we reached late January and February.
The 2024-25 outlook is very promising with that recent history in mind. Head coach Matt Donohue’s squad is anticipated to return its three leading scorers from last year’s team, all of whom averaged in double figures. Keegan Douglas enters her senior year after putting up 14.3 points per game, including a memorable 29-point performance in an OT win over then-No. 9 Scranton on Jan. 12. Douglas was one of two starters, Carly Mulvaney being the other, to have averaged 30.0 minutes per game in 2023-24. Speaking of Mulvaney, the 5-10 guard/forward enters her senior season, and made a big impact in her first year starting more than 20 games. A major offensive threat, Mulvaney brings a strong presence on the glass, having averaged 6.4 rebounds per game last season, including 14 in the second round NCAA Tournament loss to Washington & Lee. Anna Scoblick is the third member of this trio of returning starters, as the guard from Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania ranked second on the team in scoring and led the way in rebounding as a sophomore last year. She put up 11.9 PPG to go along with 7.1 RPG, adding 72 assists and 38 blocks, the latter of which ranked as the third-highest mark in the league.
This trio gives me plenty of confidence in Catholic’s momentum and experience level entering this upcoming season. Kerry Flaherty certainly made a huge impact, especially from beyond the 3-point arc, in her lone year with the program as a grad transfer from Holy Cross. And Sarah White, the leader in assists and steals, was a senior last year, playing a pivotal role in Catholic’s success on both ends of the floor. She does have an additional year of eligibility, and whether or not she uses it will be important to this discussion. With White back, I think Catholic is at least a couple spots higher.
If you remember, this was a squad that led the Landmark Conference in scoring, and as is evidenced by having three players averaging double figures in points, Catholic had exceptional offensive balance. That said, don’t forget that the Cardinals also allowed the second-fewest points per game in the Landmark last season. The defense is there too. Catholic hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years since 2013…is this the year that changes? All signs are pointing towards that piece of history being made by the time next March rolls around.
19. SUNY New Paltz (2023-24 record: 25-4)
Admittedly, I didn’t give New Paltz as much attention as I probably should have in my Top 25 ballot throughout last season. This was a team of Top 25 caliber, and that was something that appeared more and more evident as the season progressed, culminating with the Hawks reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and hosting an opening-weekend regional. In all of that, who can forget the night on Dec. 29 when they stunned the nation, taking down third-ranked Christopher Newport, 73-69? CNU had won 71 straight regular season games entering that one, and New Paltz, who hadn’t played a game in 20 days, pulled off the upset on a neutral court.
Now we fast-forward to the upcoming season…and pretty much everyone is back. Four of the five starters from the 2023-24 season are set to return, and this will probably be the most experienced roster in D-III women’s basketball. Every returner, with the exception of Hannah Vanderzee, who was a freshman last season, will be a senior or above. That’s invaluable, not to mention the chemistry that is already built in as well. Brianna Fitzgerald, a Third Team D3hoops.com All-America selection this past spring, averaged 18.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game en route to SUNYAC Player of the Year honors. Fitzgerald is an exceptional shooter who can score at all three levels and contributes at a high level defensively, too, as shown by her 90 steals and 41 blocks last season.
But she isn’t the only one. Julia Sabatino was phenomenal in the backcourt last season, with 4.2 assists/game, and forward Abby Korzekwinski pulled down 100 offensive rebounds. Even off the bench, Semaiah Williams, who averaged just 17.9 minutes/game, had 39 blocks. I love the fact that New Paltz isn’t weighted too much in one aspect. You’ll sometimes see teams that have 4-5 high-level scorers, but very few consistent rebounders. Or teams with a great backcourt, but a lack of depth in the post. That isn’t the case here. The Hawks are strong across the board, and that seemed to be one of the reasons they were so tough to stop throughout last season.
There is good reason to believe the SUNYAC will take a step forward as well in 2024-25, which would only help New Paltz from an NCAA Tournament resume standpoint, as well as just gaining national respect. That said, it may also be a tougher league to win. Cortland is always in the mix (Cortland was responsible for New Paltz’s only SUNYAC loss last season) and Oswego State is poised for a strong year. That said, I’m not sure anyone will be able to catch New Paltz with the way it’s shaping up.
No. 18 Trinity (TX) (2023-24 record: 23-6)
By all indications, last year was going to be a bit of rebuilding year for the Tigers after an accomplished senior class graduated following a run to the Elite Eight. It’s extremely tough to replace a star-studded senior class like the one Trinity had in 2022-23, led by Maggie Shipley, Addy Putnam, and Ashlyn Milton. But somehow, some way, the Tigers figured it out last season. It took some time—a stretch of three straight losses in December wasn’t easy—but Trinity kept fighting through the ups and downs. That included an injury to Natalie Anderson, who was averaging 18.8 PPG and 9.6 RPG through the season’s first nine games. Yet there they were in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in March, having won another SCAC title to go alongside an 11th-straight 20-win season.
Jamie Ruede, a true freshman, put on an incredible display, scoring 23 points against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the third collegiate game of her career. A 21-point performance in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against UMHB also proved memorable, as she closed the season averaging 13.4 PPG. Her 56 steals were the second-most on the team, and considering the challenges that come with going from high school to college from a basketball standpoint, Ruede seemed to adjust especially well. She will be a key part of the team in 2024-25, as will Kylie Minter (10.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.9 APG), who is back for her junior year. Minter and Ruede were great in the backcourt last season, and should provide a fair amount of consistency and firepower at the guard position, which is key. Josie Napoli will enter her senior year as well, after starting 29 games and averaging 32.1 minutes/game last season. A hard-nosed, exceptional defender who had a team-high 62 steals, Napoli also averaged 15.5 PPG on the offensive end. Between Napoli, Minter, and Ruede, Trinity’s guard play will be top-notch, even with the graduation of Maggie Robbins, who was a key part of this program for several seasons and averaged 29.7 minutes/game.
And in the post, Natalie Anderson is in for an All-American year. She would’ve easily been recognized amongst the best in Division III last season had that injury not abruptly ended what was a very promising year. But it does make me think that if Trinity was as good as they were in 2023-24—reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament, winning 23 games, claiming the SCAC regular season and tournament titles—how good will they be with Anderson back on the floor? A 6-0 forward, Anderson shot 63.6% from the field in limited action last season, and I really think she will be one of the best post players in the country in 2024-25. All the pieces are there for Trinity to put together another remarkable season, and win a fifth consecutive SCAC tournament title in the Tigers’ final year in the league.
No. 17 Trine (2023-24 record: 22-8)
Trine pulled off back-to-back Top 10 wins at the end of last season, winning the MIAA title over ninth-ranked Hope in Holland before sending No. 5 Gustavus Adolphus home in the first round of the NCAAs. It was an exceptional pair of wins for the Thunder, who turned in yet another solid season, despite playing a tough non-conference schedule that included Baldwin Wallace, UW-Stout, and Ohio Northern. There were a few losses in there that I’m sure they’d like to have back, but when you consider four of the seven players who averaged at least 15.0 minutes/game were freshmen or sophomores, the foundation for a big year is there.
Based on the way it is looking, Trine will return its entire rotation from last season, including senior guards Sidney Wager and Sierra Hinds. Wagner averaged 15.3 PPG in 2023-24, and is a go-to playmaker for the Thunder. She had a big year in 2022, and carried it into last season, starting all 30 games. When you add in the fact that she tallied 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, it becomes clear just how key Wagner was to Trine’s success. And with her amongst the returning group, the Thunder are poised to contend for the MIAA title once again in a league that will have three very strong, very cohesive squads. From an offensive standpoint, Hinds is another quality scorer that should be a key factor in the upcoming year, after averaging 9.1 PPG last season.
While she went under-the-radar a little bit last season, in large part due to the terrific play of Wagner and Hinds, Katie Tate (who should be back as a senior guard this season) was efficient shooting-wise for the Thunder, especially in the second half of the season. She had 19 points in the MIAA Tournament semifinal against Calvin and shot 9-of-16 in Trine’s two NCAA Tournament games. Tate started 25 games last season, and with three high-level guards who can all score if given the chance, Trine’s backcourt will be tough to contend with. Erin Sherwood, who will be a junior, gives the Thunder a presence in the post, and shot 46.4% from the field last season. The 5-11 guard/forward averaged 7.7 PPG and 3.7 RPG, and I would guess we see her step up a bit more in 2024-25 as well.
As I’ve already mentioned, both Calvin and Hope return essentially their entire main rotations as well, so Trine isn’t the only team in the MIAA with a substantial amount of returning talent. But in any case, it’s a definite advantage to return so much production from a team that went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year. We already know we’ll get an Ohio Northern/Trine matchup on Nov. 23 at Trine, so I definitely expect to see the Thunder challenged early and often in this upcoming season.
No. 16 DePauw (2023-24 record: 22-8)
DePauw certainly challenged itself in the non-conference portion of its schedule last season, and as a result, the Tigers ended up with a few losses early on. But to play Transylvania, Calvin, Millikin, and WashU (in that order) to open the season is worth praise. It is fantastic to see programs getting some of the nation’s best on their schedules, and that’s exactly what DePauw did. I think it helped them, too, having played UW-Oshkosh and Wartburg later on in non-conference as well. The NCAC was one of the most entertaining conference races of the season, and DePauw emerged victorious, taking a share of the NCAC regular season title before beating Denison and Ohio Wesleyan (both NCAA Tournament teams) in order for the league Tournament title.
How does that play into 2024-25? Facing that level of competition, both within and outside of the conference is extremely valuable for a team that returns virtually its entire rotation with the potential exception of forward Lydia Stullken (she has a 5th year, but unsure if she will use it). Ava Hassel and Riley Mont lead the way, exceptional guards who were key to last season’s performance. Hassel, who is a sharpshooter from beyond the arc, shot 38.7% on 3-point attempts as DePauw led the NCAC in 3-point percentage. Hassel, who will enter her senior year, had a team-best 11.9 PPG along with a team-leading 2.87 assists/game. Mont complemented Hassel in the backcourt, with 10.2 PPG, including a 19-point performance in DePauw’s key home win over Ohio Wesleyan in January.
Having that duo back in the starting lineup is a major plus, and when it comes to the rest of the main rotation, look for Ainsley Boras. A versatile 6-0 guard/forward who DePauw seemed to use at the 3 or the 4 for much of this year, Boras came off the bench in all 30 games, and averaged 20.4 minutes/game. She provided a necessary spark off the bench, posting a stat line of 6.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG and has good range on her shot, with the ability to score inside or outside. 6-0 forward Diana Burgher should also be back for her junior year, and gives the Tigers a quality post presence.
After seeing the way DePauw navigated such a tough schedule last season, I’m looking forward to watching this team take the floor with an abundance of returning talent. And for anyone out there looking to predict potential Top 25 teams in 2025-26 (when it comes to scheduling and such), DePauw is a smart pick. Similar to Ohio Wesleyan, the Tigers were young last year, and the senior class they will have in 2025 is going to be really talented. This is a program that knows how to win, and I expect they’ll be doing a lot of that in the coming season.
Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 30 (so far)
DePauw
Trine
Trinity (TX)
SUNY New Paltz
Catholic
Vassar
Chatham
Elizabethtown
Baldwin Wallace
Gustavus Adolphus
Concordia Moorhead
Middlebury
Whitman
Guilford
Willamette
#11-#15 will be released on Friday morning, so stay tuned!
D3 WBB Coaching Carousel
Yesterday, Elmhurst head coach Jason Pruitt has resigned from his position after one year at the helm, as he will take a Division I coaching job that is to be announced in the near future. Pruitt, who previously took D3 La Verne to new heights in seven years as the Leopards’ head coach, took over at Elmhurst in April 2023. He quickly turned the program around, taking the Blue Jays from a 3-21 season in 2022-23 to a 12-14 campaign last year. Additionally, in the CCIW, one of the nation’s toughest leagues, Pruitt led Elmhurst to the CCIW Tournament for the first time since 2019, going 6-10 in the conference.
Said Pruitt in a press release from Elmhurst: "Last year, Elmhurst invited me to help build something special in the Midwest. I brought the blueprint, but the university provided the tools and support needed to get to work. Together, with the Elmhurst community behind and beside us, we built the framework for a promising, inclusive, and competitive women's basketball program, meaningfully widening our circle of opportunity, and radically deepening our bench of talent and diversity. I am so grateful to grow, build, and serve at a university genuinely committed to living out its mission – you belong here, and anything really is possible. I am also so proud of what we've achieved as a program this past season and thankful for the tools and time so many of you have generously contributed to help build something special, together. While my heart is heavy as I leave Elmhurst and transition to a new job opportunity, I am hopeful for the program's future as I'm confident they have what's needed to continue the momentum into the next building phase. The foundation is set, the workers are ready, and the tools are waiting. There is nowhere to build now, but up. Fly Jays Fly!"
Read the full announcement here: https://elmhurstbluejays.com/news/2024/6/11/general-pruitt-resigns-as-head-womens-basketball-coach.aspx