Lyndonville, VT - After missing out on the North Atlantic Conference playoff on the final weekend of the season, the Vermont State University Lyndon women's basketball team is looking to bounce back and put themselves right back in the thick of the race for the NAC championship this season.  The Hornets will open the 2024-25 season on Saturday afternoon, when they host Colby-Sawyer College in a 2:00 pm non-conference matchup.

The Hornets return eight players from the 2023-24 roster, headed by senior guard and co-captain Sage Smith (Colebrook, NH).  Smith, a two-time NAC All-Conference player, averaged 15.7 points per game a year ago, sixth best in the NAC.  She also rebounded at a 5.0 per game clip and dished out 2.2 assists per contest.  Smith has scored 798 points in her three-year Lyndon career.

Point guard Kerigan Disorda Benson, VT) also returns as a graduate student.  Disorda, also a captain, graduated with her Bachelor's degree in May and will use her final season of eligibility this year.  She has played in 70 games in her Lyndon career, scoring 260 points with 232 rebounds and 193 assists.

Two forwards, juniors Kadienne Whitcomb (West Burke, VT) and Kiara Mack (Winooski, VT) both saw significant time last season.  Whitcomb made 19 starts and played in all 25 contests.  She averaged 7.5 point per game and shot a team best 34.2% from behind the three-point arc.  Mack made seven starts in 23 appearances.  She averaged 4.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Forwards Victoria Fitih (Madison, TN) and Chloe McIntire (Bradford, VT) and guards Riley Webster (Upton, MA) and Hannah Gordon (Concord, VT) also return and are expected to step into increased roles.

The roster will be bolstered by the addition of five newcomers, two transfers and three freshmen.  The transfers, junior guard Ella Huntington (Taylorsville, UT) and freshman guard Niyjah Wright (Washington, DC) are both expected to make an immediate impact.  Huntington played one season each at Clark College in Vancouver, WA, and Whatcom Community College in Bellingham, WA.  Huntington averaged 5.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game at Whatcom and 7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists at Clark.  Wright returns to the hardwood this season after last playing at Montgomery College-Rockville in 2018-19.

Three freshmen, guard Elise Small (Hyde Park, VT) and forwards Alexis Coutermarsh (Springfield, VT) and Kyleigh Grenier (Fair Haven, VT) round out the roster.

Brennen Morton returns for his second season at the helm of the Hornets.  Morton is optimistic that his team will move back into contention in the conference.  "I am excited about the upcoming season.  I think we have added some pieces that will give us the opportunity to compete in our division and conference."

The Hornets move to the NAC's West Division this season, where they will compete with Lesley University, the State University of New York at Cobleskill, the State University of New York at Delhi, and Vermont State University Johnson.  The NAC's East division consists of five Maine schools:  Husson University, Maine Maritime Academy, Thomas College, the University of Maine at Farmington, and the University of Maine at Presque Isle.  Teams will play each school in their division twice and each team in the opposite division once.

NAC coaches have picked the Hornets to finish second in the West Division, behind SUNY Cobleskill.  Maine Maritime Academy has been picked to win the East.  The top four teams in each division qualify for the NAC Championship Tournament.  The tournament champion will earn automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament.

2024-25 NAC Women's Basketball Preview

Lyndon will open the season on Wednesday evening when they host Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in a non.conference contest.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm.  The Hornets will open NAC play on December 1st, when they host Husson University.

2024-25 VTSU Lyndon Women's Basketball Schedule