Le Moyne (1-1) vs. #7 Baylor (3-0)
Info: Sunday, Nov. 16 | 3:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM CT | Waco, T.X. | Foster Pavilion
Watch: ESPN+ 
Listen: FOX Sports 92.5 FM/1490 AM
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=624744
Baylor's Links: Schedule | Roster | News

Waco, T.X. – The Le Moyne College women's basketball team is headed to Baylor University in the Lone Star State for their third non-conference game of the season on Sunday afternoon. The game is set for 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN+ from Foster Pavilion. 

Season Summary:
The Dolphins are 1-1 on the year after kicking off the 2025-26 season with a pair of matchups on the road against St. John's University and Lafayette College over the past two weeks. Le Moyne opened the season against the Red Storm in Queens, N.Y. on Monday, Nov. 3 and dropped the meeting, 68-53, before downing the Leopards, 82-79, in overtime in Easton, Pa. this past Sunday, Nov. 9.

Last Time Out:
Le Moyne traveled to Lafayette College and took down the Leopards, 82-79, in overtime on Sunday afternoon as junior forward Ashley Buragas recorded a 20-point, 22-rebound double-double in the win while shooting 9-15 from the field. Her 22 rebounds marked the second-most ever in program history and the most since Jennifer Shea registered 24 in January 1988. Buragas also added the team-high in assists with six and one steal through 34 minutes of action. 

Sophomore guard Eli Clark and freshman guard Kayden Clark each set career-high point totals to finish in double-digits with 20 and 17, respectively. E. Clark went 9-10 from the charity stripe with eight rebounds while K. Clark added a team-best three buckets from beyond the arc. The latter also added seven rebounds, matching the total for senior guard Sierra Linnin. 

K. Clark was named the NEC Rookie of the Week and a Prime Performer, along with Buragas, for her totals against St. John's and Lafayette on Monday, Nov. 10.

Series History:
Sunday's matchup will mark the first meeting between the women's basketball programs at Le Moyne and Baylor, and the Dolphins' second against a member of the Big 12 conference since transitioning to the Division I level prior to the 2023-24 season (Colorado Nov. 8, 2023).

Common Opponents:
The Dolphins and Bears have no common opponents this season.

Year #3:
Le Moyne is in its third year transitioning to the Division I level and is the only institution in the nation in its transition "class." The Dolphins went 15-17 in their first season at the Division I level in 2023-24, including 9-7 in NEC action to earn the fourth seed in the conference tournament. The team then posted a 7-24 overall record last season, including going 6-10 in conference play, en route to their second straight NEC tournament, this time as the fifth seed. 

Returners:
The 2025-26 Dolphins will feature six returners; senior guards Sierra Linnin (Valley Cottage, N.Y. / Albertus Magnus) and Michelina Lombardi (Wynantskill, N.Y. / Averill Park), juniors guard Jessica Wangolo (Ottawa, O.N. / Capital Courts Academy / Buffalo) and forward Sydney Postell (Churchville, N.Y. / Churchville-Chili), sophomore guard Eli Clark (Oakhurst, N.J. / Ocean Township), and redshirt sophomore guard Amya McLeod (Rome, N.Y. / Rome Free Academy / Youngstown State).

Newcomers:
The Dolphins welcomed eight new players to the program this year, including six freshman, one sophomore, and one junior. Guards Peyton Dincher (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore), Ava Lucarotti (Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep), and Kayden Clark (Oakhurst, N.J. / Manasquan) join forwards Ava Johnson (Richmond, Va. / The Steward School), Rachel Lynch (Cork, Ireland / Putnam Science Academy (Conn.)), and Praise Matthews (Red Lion, Pa. / Dallastown) as 'Phins freshmen this season. Junior forward Ashley Buragas (Hopewell Junction, N.Y. / John Jay / Mineral Area College) joins Le Moyne's program after a two-year stint at NJCAA Mineral Area College in Park Hills, M.O. while sophomore guard Sophia Bonnell (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads / SUNY New Paltz) played one season in NCAA Division III for the New Paltz Hawks. 5-

NEC Outlook:
Le Moyne's squad was selected to finish fourth in the regular season standings in the NEC preseason coaches' poll, just behind unanimous favorite FDU, Stonehill, and Chicago State. CCSU, Mercyhurst, Wagner, LIU, New Haven, and Saint Francis rounded out the poll behind the Dolphins. 

Eli Clark was named to the preseason All-NEC team, as well, after recording averages of 8.2 points (third on the team), 3.3 rebounds (fifth on the team) and a team-best 2.9 assists over a team-high 31.5 minutes per game as a starter in 27 of 30 games played. During NEC action, she increased her averages to 8.5 points and 3.5 assists to go with 3.1 rebounds as a starter in 12 of 15 games.

Coach DiPillo:
Nick DiPillo was named the seventh head coach in Le Moyne women's basketball program history on May 23, 2024 after stints as an assistant coach at Bowling Green State University, University of Pittsburgh, Seton Hall University and with the New York Liberty, in addition to a successful head coaching stint at the University of Scranton. 

The Dolphins earned the fifth seed in the 2024-25 NEC tournament in coach Dipillo's first season, eventually taking down #4 Saint Francis, 62-51, in the opening round before falling to #2 Stonehill, 41-60, in the semifinals. 

Bears Brief:
#7 Baylor will host the Dolphins in their second home game of the season after earning a 3-0 record to start the year. The 2025-26 season marks head coach Nicki Collen's fifth at the helm of the Bears' program.

Baylor opened their season against Duke during the Oui-Play Paris event in France on Monday, Nov. 3 and downed the Blue Devils, 58-52, before returning to Waco for a meeting with Lindenwood in their home-opener on Sunday, Nov. 9. The home squad came out on top, 76-63, against the Lions prior to hitting the road once again for their most recent game against UNLV during which the Bears added a 62-54 win in Las Vegas, N.V. on Friday night to remain undefeated on the season.

Through their first three games, redshirt sophomore guard Taliah Scott leads Baylor with 25.3 points while senior guard/forward Bella Fontleroy (11.7) joins her as the only other player averaging double digits. Senior guard/forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs has brought in a team-high 9.3 boards while playing an average of 31.0 minutes per game this season. Graduate guard Jana Van Gytenbeek has recorded a team-best 13 assists while senior forward Kiersten Johnson has tallied eight blocks to lead the squad through three starts.

The Bears return six players from its 2024-25 team that went 28-8 overall, fell short in their conference tournament championship, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They'll be joined by five transfers and one freshman newcomer, as well.

The team lost their leading scorer and assist-getter from last season but retained Littlepage-Buggs who was their second-leading scorer with 13.8 points and top rebounder with 10.0 boards through 28 games played. She was the only member of the conference to average a double-double in 2024-25.

Baylor's squad was voted to finish third in the Big 12 preseason coaches' poll after going 15-3 in conference play last season.

What's Next:
Following their outing with Baylor, Le Moyne will head to Pittsburgh, Pa. to take on Pitt at 6:00 p.m. on Tues, Nov. 18.