Wildcats Open 2025-26 Campaign at Mississippi State

Monday, November 3

Starkville, MS

7:30 PM EST/6:30 PM CST

Davidson College

Mississippi State

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Wildcats Open 2025-26 Campaign at Mississippi State

11/2/2025 4:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball

DavidsonPhotos.com

DAVIDSON, N.C. - The Davidson women's basketball team is set to tip off the 2025-26 campaign when it travels to Mississippi State for a 6:30 p.m. CST /7:30 p.m. EST tip at Humphrey Coliseum Monday night.

GAME 1 DETAILS

Opponent: Mississippi State

Date / Location: Monday - Nov. 3 (6:30 p.m. CST) / Humphrey Coliseum

Watch: SEC Network +

In-game Updates: X.com (@Davidson_WBB)

Series History

This will be the first time the Wildcats and Bulldogs will go head-to-head in women's basketball.

2024-25 Season Recap…

The Wildcats ended their historic 2024-25 season with 19 victories, their most under head coach Gayle Fulks, and a program-best 13 league wins en route to a third-place finish, their highest since joining the league in 2014.

Davidson's first trip to the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Tournament ended at that juncture as second-seeded George Mason topped the No. 3 Wildcats, 63-50, March 8 at the Henrico Sports and Events Center. Katie Donovan led Davidson with 16 points, while Charlise Dunn added 14.

The Wildcats proved to be one of the most efficient and productive teams from the outside, making a school-record 241 3-pointers, highlighted by eight games with at least 10 made threes. They also ranked among national leaders in 3-pointer differential (5th), 3-point defense (1st) and assists per game against (1st). In conference play, no team was better in blocks, points allowed, field-goal percentage defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense.

PRESEASON AWARDS...

The Wildcats were picked to finish third in the 2025-26 Atlantic 10 Preseason Coaches Poll while three players garnered preseason all-conference honors. Senior Charlise Dunn was named to the preseason all-conference first team and preseason all-defensive team. Junior Katie Donovan earned preseason all-conference second-team recognition, while Candice Lienafa made it on the preseason all-conference third team.

POSTSEASON SUCCESSES...

Four Davidson players earned a spot in the 2024-25 Atlantic 10 postseason awards: Charlise Dunn, All-Conference Second Team - Issy Morgan, All-Conference Third Team - Kyra Bruyndoncx, All-Rookie Team - Candice Lienafa, All-Rookie Team.

The honors were the second of such for Dunn who was on the All-Conference Third Team in 2023-24 and Morgan who was an All-Rookie member her freshman year.

Incoming transfer Angeliki Ziaka was named to the 2024-25 All-WCC Freshman Team after averaging 8.0 pts, 3.0 reb and 3.2 ast at San Francisco.

NEWCOMERS…

This year's squad boasts four newcomers coming from overseas. The group includes Elena Alvarez Castellanos (Pamplona, Spain), Ines Garcia Monje (Canary Islands, Spain), Asha Nightingale (Victoria, Australia) and Angeliki Ziaka (Athens, Greece).

The new additions to the roster bring two Eurobasket medalists from the Spanish U17 and U18 national teams, where Alavarez and Garcia won gold and bronze, respectively, over the summer. In total, the 'Cats boast 10 international players from six different countries.

2025-26 NON-CONFERENCE RUNDOWN...

The Wildcats' schedule features 13 non-conference contests, including key matchups against power conference opponents. The 'Cats will open the season at Mississippi State, which made the second round of the NCAA tournament last season. They face Baylor and Miami at the WBCA Showcase, and host a rematch against N.C. State inside Belk Arena. Davidson nearly defeated NC State in Reynolds Coliseum last season, falling 59-57. Overall, their non-conference slate includes seven teams from last year's NCAA Tournament.

Up Next

The Wildcats return to John M. Belk Arena on Thursday as they open their home slate against William & Mary at 7 p.m. All the action will be streamed live on ESPN+.