GU vs. SRU
Mike Gallagher

Women's Basketball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Golden Knights Start Second Half of Western Division Play at California (Pa.)

No. 13/7 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (19-3, 11-2 PSAC West) at CALIFORNIA (PA) VULCANS (11-9, 7-6 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 1:00 p.m.
HOMECOURT/LOCATION: Convocation Center l California, Pa.
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THE GANNON-CAL (PA) SERIES
Gannon leads 29-25 
Gannon has won six of the last seven meetings and nine of the last 11 after posting an 71-62 win in the first meeting. Gannon is looking for a second straight season sweep of the Vulcans.

Last Meeting:  Jan. 4, 2025 – at Gannon 71, California (Pa.) 62 I RECAP
Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) led three players in double figures with 19 points as Gannon held off a Vulcans rally. Gannon held a nine-point lead early in the third quarter before the Vulcans rallied to pull within two points at 51-49 after three quarters. Gannon's lead was still just two points at 55-53 when Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) drained the team's lone 3-pointer of the afternoon from the left baseline, giving the Golden Knights a 58-53 lead with 5:07 remaining. That bucket started a 7-0 run for Gannon and they would hold the Vulcans off the rest of the way. Wheatley finished with 16 points and Jordan Popyk (Novi, Mich./Novi) 11.
 
 
ERIE, Pa. – Gannon begins the second half of PSAC divisional play at California (Pa.) on Saturday, February 1. Tipoff at Cal's Convocation Center is 1:00 p.m.
 
A month ago the Golden Knights began a brutal stretch of three games in eight days against California (Pa.), Edinboro and Indiana (Pa.). The latter two games were on the road. Now they face that same stretch in early February, also over an eight-day stretch.
 
Gannon and Edinboro are tied for second place in the PSAC West at 11-2, a game behind front-running Seton Hill. IUP is fourth at 10-3 after suffering a 77-63 loss at California (Pa.) on Wednesday. That left the Vulcans at 7-6 in the PSAC and 11-9 overall.
 
The Golden Knights improved to 19-3 on Wednesday with a 71-56 win over Clarion. Gannon has run off four straight wins and now looks for a 20th win for the fifth straight full season.
 
Head coach Cleve Wright's team has faced the top two scoring teams in the PSAC the last two games in Seton Hill and Clarion. Wright's teams have always played strong defense, and this year is no exception. Gannon leads the PSAC and is 26th in Division II in scoring defense, allowing just 55.9 ppg. In addition they also pace the conference and are 11th nationally in field goal percentage defense. (34.4 pct.).
 
Following Saturday's game at California (Pa.) the Golden Knights have back-to-back home games before three straight road contests. Edinboro visits the Highmark Events Center on Wednesday, February 5 with tipoff at 5:30 p.m.

The Knight Watch:
Record:  19-3, 11-2 PSAC West
Head Coach: Cleve Wright (17th year at Gannon, 21st overall)
Top Players: Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) (G, 5-7, Jr., 15.8 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 39-of-93 3's, 45 asts., 29 stls.); Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) (G, 6-0, So., 12.6 ppg., 4.3 rpg., 32 stls., 25 blks.); Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) (P, 5-11, R-Jr., 11.0 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 25-of-59 3's)
  • Gannon made it four wins in a row with a 71-56 victory over Clarion on Wednesday. The Golden Knights overcame 26 turnovers thanks to a strong defensive effort that limited the second-highest scoring team in the PSAC to 20 points under their average. Clarion shot just 38.1 percent from the floor and committed 21 turnovers. Gannon also ruled the glass 38-28.
  • The Golden Knights have climbed to seventh in the D2CSC Div. II Top 25 and 13th in the WBCA rankings. At 19-3 Gannon is now a win shy of a fifth straight 20-win season. Wednesday's win boosted the Golden Knights to 11-2 in the Western Division. That is tied for second place in the division with Edinboro, a game behind first place Seton Hill and a game ahead of Indiana (Pa.).
  • Gannon ranks first in the PSAC and 26th in Division II in scoring defense, allowing just 55.9 ppg. In addition they lead the conference and are 11th nationally in field goal percentage defense. (34.4 pct.). The Golden Knights have held seven opponents to under 50 points and 12 to under 60 points. They have held their last five opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the floor.
  • Earlier in the week Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Week for her performance in wins over Pitt-Johnstown and Seton Hill.  The redshirt junior posted her second straight double-double vs. Seton Hill with a career-high 25 points to go with 10 rebounds. Wheatley previously had her first career double-double vs. Pitt-Johnstown with 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Wheatley is averaging 11.0 ppg. and a team-high 5.6 rpg.
  • The bench played a key role in the win over Clarion. The reserves accounted for 37 points, led Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) with 13 points in 18 minutes. The junior guard made 3-of-4 3-pointers, including back-to-back 3-pointers in the second quarter. Dunham also had 13 points in the win at Seton Hill. She has made 45-of-124 3-pointers. Taylor Ethridge (Chesapeake, Va./Catholic) and Lauren Kingsley (Pavilion, N.Y./Pavilion) added seven points apiece.
  • Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) led Gannon with 17 points against Clarion. The sophomore was 8-of-10 from the line. She is averaging 12.6 ppg. and 4.3 rpg. with a team-high 25 blocked shots and 32 steals.
  • Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) continues to lead the Golden Knights in scoring. A 5-foot-7 junior who was a first team All-PSAC West selection a year ago and the 2022-23 PSAC West Freshman of the Year, Claxon is averaging 15.8 ppg., good for seventh in the PSAC. She has made 39-of-93 3-pointers. Claxon also has a team-high 45 assists.
Scouting California (Pa.)
Record:  11-9, 6-7 PSAC West
Head Coach: Jess Strom (14th year)
Top Players: Alicia Young (G/F, 5-10, Jr., 13.9 ppg., 4.8 rpg., 28 stls.); Allycia Harris (F, 5-9, Sr., 10.2 ppg., 87.7 rpg., 38 stls., 14 blks.); Talia Gilliard (G, 5-9, Sr., 11.6 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 51 stls., 30-of-117 3's), Sierra Bermudez (G, 5-9, Sr., 8.5 ppg., 33-of-91 3's)
  • California (Pa.) posted its biggest win of the season on Wednesday, a 77-63 victory over Indiana (Pa.). The Vulcans have now won four of their last five games to improve to 11-9 overall and 6-7 in the PSAC West. The one loss was by a point at Edinboro.
  • Head coach Jess Strom is the all-time winningest coach at Cal with a 292-96 record in 14 seasons as head coach. She has guided the Vulcans to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. They have had nine straight seasons with 20-or-more wins. A year ago the Vulcans were 23-9, losing to Lock Haven in the Atlantic Regional quarterfinals.
  • Cal is holding opponents to 65.6 ppg. and has climbed to sixth in the PSAC in scoring at 69.9 ppg.
  • Alicia Young, a 5-foot-10 junior, is the team's leading scorer at 13.9 ppg., adding 4.8 rpg. Allycia Harris adds 10.2 ppg. and 7.7 rpg. She was a second team All-PSAC West honoree a year ago. Talia Gilliard, a 5-foot-9 senior guard, has boosted her average to 11.6 ppg. and has 51 steals.
  • Seniors Sierra Bermudez and Iyahnna Williams have both scored over 1,000 points in their collegiate careers after previously starting at Clarion and Alderson Broaddus, respectively. Williams led Cal with 20 points and seven assists in the win over IUP.
Next for the Golden Knights: The Golden Knights look to split the season series with Edinboro, hosting the Fighting Scots on Wednesday, February 5. Tipoff is 5:30 p.m. Edinboro captured the first meeting 62-45 on Jan. 11.
 
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Players Mentioned

Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

G
5' 7"
Junior
Carissa Dunham

#13 Carissa Dunham

G
5' 7"
Junior
Taylor Ethridge

#20 Taylor Ethridge

G
5' 9"
Sophomore
Lauren Kingsley

#31 Lauren Kingsley

P
6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

G
6' 0"
Sophomore
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

G
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Freshwater/Marine Biology and Environmental Science
Jordan Popyk

#2 Jordan Popyk

G
6' 2"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

5' 7"
Junior
G
Carissa Dunham

#13 Carissa Dunham

5' 7"
Junior
G
Taylor Ethridge

#20 Taylor Ethridge

5' 9"
Sophomore
G
Lauren Kingsley

#31 Lauren Kingsley

6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
P
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

6' 0"
Sophomore
G
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Freshwater/Marine Biology and Environmental Science
G
Jordan Popyk

#2 Jordan Popyk

6' 2"
Freshman
G