WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's basketball team looks to continue their success from last season, making the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) Tournament a year ago for the first time in 25 years and only the fifth appearance for the program in their 62 year history. Head coach Tara Macciocco comes into her fifth season leading the Navy and Gold to new heights each season.
 
Wilkes finished with an 8-15 record, the third time in the last four seasons Wilkes has registered 8+ wins in a season, while going 7-9 in the MAC Freedom. That record was good enough to earn them a fifth seed and play in the MAC Freedom Quarterfinals last year.

Macciocco is excited to have a full pre-season going with drills and other activities with the last few years being restricted due to Covid regulations. 

"I think the excitement level coming off of a good finish last year, making the conference playoffs last year for the first time in 20 plus years, was pretty high too," Macciocco said. "The excitement level going into the last two weeks has been good."

Macciocco is looking to her returning starters and players from previous years to move forward for the Colonels this season and make a push in the beginning of the season to make another post-season run.
 
Graduate Student Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville), along with senior Brianna Horton (Verona, NJ/Verona), fill the guard positions to close out their final seasons in the Navy and Gold. Smith returns to her fifth year averaging 4.7 points while earning 28 assists and steals last year. Horton finished second on the team with 7.8 points-per-game and led the Colonels with 5.8 rebounds-per-game. Guard Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) and center Ariel Reed (Woodbury, PA/Northern Bedford) both return to round out the seniors for Wilkes.
 
Three juniors finish out the upperclassmen for Wilkes. Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) returns to continue her success at center, with Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) filling out the guard spot and Tess Edwards (Benton, PA/Northwest Area) returns in the forward position. Shober comes into the season after shooting a team best .386 shooting percentage (64-166) while finishing second on the team with  6.7 points-per-game, averaging 4.4 rebounds, and earning 34 blocks that helped her earn All-MAC Freedom Honorable Mention in her sophomore campaign. Marino comes back after leading the Colonels in assists (86) and steals(35) while going second on the team with a .759 free throw percentage, going 44-58 on the year, and third with 6.8 point-per-game. Edwards comes back with 11 rebounds and five assists a season ago.
 
Three sophomores come back to continue their efforts as first years a season ago, as Jordyn Jennings (York, PA/Northeastern) returns in the forward spot with Julianna Askins (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) and Emma Stout (Bangor, PA/Bangor) make up the guards. Jennings comes back after starting 13 games in her 21 appearances, shooting .342 (50-146) from the field, averaging 5.7 points-per-game while shooting .762 (16-21) from the free throw line. Askins finished last year with a .607 (34-56) free throw percentage while having nine steals and five blocks. Stout had six steals and 10 rebounds in her 14 appearances for Wilkes.
 
Macciocco is happy to have a fast and talented group come into the program, from local areas like Dallas and Wilkes-Barre Area to players that reside in New Jersey and Massachusetts. 

"One of the best groups I've had in the 19 years I've had as a head coach which is really exciting," Macciocco said.

The Colonels bring in six first years to add depth to their lineup and contribute throughout the next four years. Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee), Nadia Evanosky (Dallas, PA/Dallas), Reagan Holden (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Wilkes-Barre Area), and Victoria Crooker (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) all look to help out in the guard spot with Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) and Brandy Varner (Plymouth, PA/Wyoming Valley West) add to the forward position.

Macciocco knows going into the season the non-conference schedule will be a challenge, as they have Gwynedd Mercy early in the season, then hosting the Cross County Challenge, which involves King's College, Marywood University, and No. 10 University of Scranton on the November 19-20 to get Wilkes ready for their last season in the MAC Freedom before jumping into the Landmark next year.

"We've talked about it from the start, you want to go out with a bang," Macciocco said. "You want to leave your mark a little bit and try to surpass what we did last year. Whether that's the number of wins or a higher finish, the goal is always to get into the conference playoffs and give ourselves a chance."

The Colonels begin their season on the road as they face Keystone College on Tuesday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m. Wilkes will then begin MAC Freedom action as they host Lycoming College on Wednesday, November 30 at 8:00 p.m. in their final year in the conference.