Lyndonville, VT - The Vermont State University Lyndon women's basketball team will sport a different look on the court, and have a new voice calling the shots when it tips off the 2025-26 season at the Vermont State Tip-Off Classic on Friday evening. The Hornets will take on tournament host Vermont State University Randolph at 6:00 pm. Lyndon's second game of the round robin event will be at 4:00 pm against Bryant and Stratton College-Albany.
Lyndon lost 1st Team All-Conference guard Sage Smith (Colebrook, NH) and guard Kerigan Disorda (Benson, VT), as well as several key reserves, from the 2024-25 team, but returns four players, including starting guards Ella Huntington (Taylorsville, UT) and Kadienne Whitcomb (West Burke, VT), starting post player Kiara Mack (Winooski, VT), and reserve forward Victoria Fitih (Madison, TN). Huntington averaged 7.7 points, 3.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds a year ago. Whitcomb scored at a 9.5 points per game clip a year ago and converted on 60 three-point goals. Mack scored 7.4 points per game and grabbed a team high 6.8 boards per contest.
12 newcomers make up the remainder of the roster, led by freshman wing Hawa Mubarak (Burlington, VT) and transfer guard Kerisa Van Olst (Salisbury Center, NY). Mubarak was a double figure scorer at Burlington High School and helped lead the Seawolves to their first Vermont Principals Association state championship in 49 years. Van Olst averaged 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists for Herkimer College a year ago. She was a Mountain Valley Conference All-Conference selection and helped lead the Generals to the National Junior College Athletic Association Region III championship game.
Three other transfer students will be counted on to contribute. They include forwards Skylar Begay (Tucson, AZ) from Yakima Valley College and Kaitlyn Frydenlund (Westminster, CO) from Lamar Community College, and guard Nei'Shae Clegg (Coolidge, AZ) from South Mountain Community College.
Six additional first-year players round out the roster and will have an opportunity to contribute. They include guard Taliyah Carter (Ozark, AL), wings Haylee Walker (Sierra Blanca, TX), Za'Khia Germany (Tulsa, OK), and Chloe Murphy (Manchester, NH) and post player Keira Quintal (Sheffield, VT). Forward Heather Kerrr (Price, UT) is expected to redshirt this season.
Robin Andrea takes over as Hornet head coach this season. Andrea comes to Lyndon from Portland Community College, where he led the Panthers to a 14-15 record in his only season at the helm. Prior to that he spent three seasons as the head coach at Yakima Valley College. Andrea will be assisted by Saleena Porter, who enters her second season as a Lyndon assistant.
Andrea has high expectations for his first season at the helm. "When you pair a strong senior class that includes three returning starters with more than a few exciting incoming Freshman and Transfers, there is a significant feeling of optimism and excitement for the upcoming season. We have had a tremendous preseason so far with the girls adapting well to newer and higher expectations, and we are all very much looking forward to going out and showing New England who the Queens of this Kingdom really are."
The Hornets are coming off of a 2024-25 campaign which saw them go 14-15 overall and 7-6 in North Atlantic Conference play. Lyndon finished second in the NAC's West Division during the regular season, and reached the conference quarterfinals, where they fell to Lesley University.
Conference coached have picked Lyndon to finish sixth this season. The Hornets will be seeking their seventh NAC playoff berth in the past eight seasons.
After This weekend's Tip-Off Classic, the Hornets will host Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in their home opener on November 15th. They open NAC play on December 2nd with a home contest against Lesley.
