Le Moyne (1-2) vs. Pitt (2-2)
Info: Tuesday, Nov. 18 | 6:00 P.M. | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Petersen Events Center
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Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Le Moyne College women's basketball team will travel to the University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday for a matchup with the Panthers at 6:00 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center. 

Season Summary:
The Dolphins are 1-2 on the year through a three-game slate of non-conference road matchups. They opened the season against St. John's on Monday, Nov. 3 and dropped the meeting, 68-53, before downing Lafayette, 82-79, in overtime the following Sunday, Nov. 9. Most recently, Le Moyne fell to seventh-ranked Baylor, 43-99, in Waco, T.X. on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Last Time Out:
Le Moyne fell to #7 Baylor University in a road matchup, 43-99, on Sunday afternoon as Peyton Dincher set a new career-high to lead the Dolphins in scoring with 11 points on 50.0% shooting from the field while draining a trio of three-pointers in 16 minutes of play. 

Jessica Wangolo followed behind with eight points as Ashley Buragas added seven,  Eli Clark and Sierra Linnin each put up six, and Kayden Clark rounded out the offense with five points against the Bears.

Dincher and Wangolo also led the way with four rebounds apiece as E. Clark put up a team-high three assists. Buragas and Linnin recorded the 'Phins two blocks as the former also put together three steals to lead the squad.

Series History:
The 'Phins and Panthers meeting on Tuesday will mark the second in the programs' histories as Pitt nabbed a 56-39 victory over Le Moyne in Pittsburgh on Dec. 28, 2023.

The game, which took place during Le Moyne's first season as an NCAA Division-I program, was their first of two against an ACC team to date (Stanford - Nov. 11, 2024).

Common Opponents:
The Dolphins and Panthers have five common opponents this season, including two non-conference foes and three of Le Moyne's NEC rivals. 

Pitt took down Cornell, 56-54,  at home on Tues, Nov. 11 just 11 days before Le Moyne is set to meet them in their home opener on Saturday, Nov. 22. The other non-conference opponent that both programs will take on this season is Lafayette who the 'Phins came out on top against, 82-79, in overtime on Sunday, Nov. 9. The Panthers will host the Leopards next Tuesday, Nov. 25. 

As for common NEC opponents, Pitt will face-off against Chicago State on Nov. 29, Central Connecticut State on Dec. 1, and finally Saint Francis on Dec. 18. As part of their conference schedule, Le Moyne will take on all three of their NEC opponents twice this season, beginning with Saint Francis at home on Friday, Jan. 2. 

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. 

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. 

Scouting Pitt:
The Panthers will welcome Le Moyne for their fifth-consecutive home slate to kick off the year. Pitt is 2-2 to start the 2025-26 season, head coach Tony Verdi's third leading the program.

Pitt opened the season with a home loss at the hands of Drexel, 60-68, on Nov. 4 before rebounding for their first win of the season against Mount St. Mary's, 66-52, four days later. The Panthers strung together another win on Nov. 11 against Colgate (56-54) before falling to Division-III Scranton, 63-69, this past Sunday.

Through four games, redshirt junior forward Fatima Diakhate leads the team with 14.5 points while junior guard Carla Viegas rounds out the Panthers' double-digit scorers with 10.8 points and a .448 rate from behind the arc. Diakhate has also put up a team-high 10.0 rebounds and three blocks while averaging 32.0 minutes of play as freshman guard Jayda Queeley has added a team-best 19 assists.

Pitt returns four players from its 2024-25 team that went 13-19 on the year and dropped their matchup with 10-seed Virginia in the first round of the ACC Tournament. They'll be joined by three transfers and seven freshmen newcomers, as well.

The Panthers lost their leading scorer and rebounder from a season ago, but retained redshirt junior guard Mikayla Johnson who ended in second on the team with 10.9 points through 32 games played. 

Pitt's squad was voted to finish 16th of 18 teams in the ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll after going 5-13 in conference play last season.

What's Next:
Le Moyne will return home to take on Cornell in their 2025-26 home opener this coming Saturday, Nov. 22 with tip set for 4:00 p.m.