COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the first time this season, the Ohio Dominican women's basketball team takes the court at Melvin Price Convocation Center for a Midwest Region Crossover. The Black and Gold will play Great Lakes Valley Conference opponent McKendree on Friday and Missouri S&T on Saturday.

About Ohio Dominican
A season ago, the Panthers ended with a 6-21 overall record and a 3-17 mark in the G-MAC under head coach Melanie Balcomb. They were selected tied for 13^th in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll two weeks ago.

The Black and Gold return 10 key players from the 2023-23 squad, including All-Conference Second Team honoree and D2CCA All-Midwest Region Second Team winner, Gabby Stare (Newark, Ohio). In her junior season, Stare led the conference and was eighth in the NCAA in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game. The now senior averaged 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 50.6 percent from behind the arc.

Joining her are sophomores Macy Chapman (Hilliard, Ohio), Logan Pride (Twinsburg, Ohio), and Madelyn Fearon (Greenville, Ohio). Chapman averaged 10.8 points per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the field. She collected 99 rebounds and led the team with 50 steals. Pride averaged 6.0 points per game while snagging 124 rebounds. Fearon followed with 5.6 points per game and dished out 52 assists.

 The Panthers look to improve this season by welcoming seven freshman and a transfer to the team. The newcomers will look to senior leader Camryn Pickerill (Seaman, Ohio) during their transition at ODU. Pickerill recorded 37 assists and 27 steals last season, posting a career high of 21 points at Salem last January.

About McKendree
The Bearcats ended the 2022-23 season 12-16 overall and 9-11 in the GLVC, securing the #7 seed in the GLVC Tournament. MU was projected to finish in 6^th in the Preseason Coaches' Poll under nine year head coach Keri Kerkhoff.

Kerkhoff returns 12 player from last season, including a pair of All-Conference award winners in Naomi McDaniel and Clare Breden. McDaniel led the team in points per game with 13.8, rebounds per game with 6.9, and blocks per game with 1.2. Breden averaged 10.4 points per game and led the team with 43 steals and 67 assists.

Seniors, Maclayne Taylor and Erin Golden also return for the Purple and White. Taylor accounted for 8.2 points per game and 135 rebounds while Golden averaged 8.0 points per game and grabbed 102 rebounds. The Bearcats welcome four freshman and a Rockford University transfer.

ODU and MU have never met, marking this weekend's game the first matchup in program history.

About Missouri S&T
The Miners finished last season with a 15-14 overall record and an 11-9 record in the GLVC, grabbing the #5 seed in the tournament, their first tournament appearance since the 2012-13 season. Head coach, Kira Carter, and her squad, were slated 7^th in the Preseason Coaches' Poll.

S&T lost their top four scorers to graduation but return eight from the team last season. Among the returners is Anna Finley who averaged 7.1 points and 27.2 minutes per game. Katelynne Roberts is back for her junior season after averaging 3.6 rebounds and points per a game.

Six new members will wear the Miners uniform this winter including three freshman and three transfers. Among the transfers is Indiana native Bonnie Lew Ludlow. Ludlow appeared in 26 games last season at Southwestern Illinois College, averaging 12.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Franchesca Metz comes to S&T after three season at Morton College. Metz averaged 9.6 points per game last season.

The Miners and the Panthers will meet for the first time in program history on Saturday evening. On Friday evening, the Miners with face the Bulldogs of Ferris State.

Game Time
The Black and Gold tip off at 8:00 PM ET on Friday against the Bearcats and at 6:00 PM ET on Saturday against the Miners.