VESTAL, NY – After proving the doubters wrong and achieving over expectations in each of the last two seasons, Siena Women's Basketball is set to begin the long road to glory as the 2023-24 season begins. The Saints will open their 50
th varsity season against in-state foe Binghamton (1-0) on the Dr. Bai Lee Court in Vestal, New York on Thursday, November 9, with tip-off set for just after 6 PM.
Thursday's contest can be viewed on ESPN+ and can be heard locally on 88.3 FM The Saints or anywhere on iHeartRadio. Pregame coverage tips off at 5:30 p.m., with the radio "Voice of the Saints"
Joe Mixie and longtime color commentator Steve Amedio on the call. Fans can also follow along with the corresponding live stats link, while continuous in-game press row updates will be provided via the women's basketball team's official X page @Siena_WBB. Join the conversation by using the hashtags #MarchOn, #SienaSaints, and #MAACHoops.
Led by head coach
Jim Jabir in the third season of his second stint at Siena, the Saints enter the 2023-24 season coming off a nine-win improvement and an appearance in the MAAC Semifinals during the 2022-23 campaign. As a result of returning all five starters from last year, Siena was selected to finish second in the 2023 MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, marking its highest finish in the poll since 2003.
The Saints also saw four players take home Preseason All-MAAC honors, with junior
Anajah Brown and sophomore
Elisa Mevius garnering Preseason Second Team All-MAAC honors and senior
Ahniysha Jackson joining sophomore
Teresa Seppala on the Preseason All-MAAC Third Team.
Brown and 2022-23 MAAC Rookie of the Year Mevius return as Third Team All-MAAC selections from last season, while Seppala earned a spot along with Mevius on the MAAC All-Rookie squad.
Boasting 75 percent of its roster (9/12) as underclassmen, Siena returns all five starters and 80 percent of its scoring from last season. Brown ranked second in the MAAC in rebounding, total blocks, blocks per-game, and field goal percentage last season, while Mevius was third in assists and boasted a free throw percentage just north of 80 percent (80.4).
Looking for its first win in a road-opener since 2014, The Saints will aim to open the year with a win for the second straight campaign, and are 19-30 all-time in season openers all-time. The Saints will be on the hunt this season to complete back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 2002-03 and 2003-04 campaigns.
The Saints and the Bearcats face off for the third straight year and Siena opens at Binghamton for the second time in three years, with each of the previous two meetings decided by exactly four points. Binghamton took a 59-55 win at home two seasons ago, while Siena left the UHY Center with a 54-50 triumph on Dec. 5, 2022 thanks to a double-double (17 / 10) from Brown and 14 points and nine boards from Mevius.
Siena heads south in search of its third-ever win in Vestal and first since 2014, as well its second straight year with a season-opening victory and its first on the road since the start of the 2014-15 season. The Green and Gold have faltered in eight straight road openers.
Having already kicked off the season, Binghamton took a 72-59 victory over Division II Bloomsburg on Monday at home, with junior guard Genevieve Coleman turning in 18 points and redshirt-sophomore Jayden Weltz adding 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. The team returns not only four starters but six of its top seven leading scorers from last season, and are looking to start 2-0 for the fifth time in the last six seasons under head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord.
