Few programs in Division II have matched the consistency of the Gannon women's basketball program in recent years. Following consecutive NCAA Elite Eight appearances and an 11th-place finish in the final WBCA national poll, the Golden Knights return a seasoned group eager to take the next step. 

With continuity on the court, new additions to the bench, and the opportunity to open the season at home in the DII CCA Tip-Off Classic, the Golden Knights are poised for another deep postseason run.
 
A Year Ago

2024-25 Record: 28–7 overall, 16–4 PSAC West
Result: Advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the second consecutive season, defeating IUP 72–59 in the Atlantic Regional final to punch their ticket before falling to eventual national champion Grand Valley State, 60–32.
National Ranking: Finished No. 11 in the final WBCA Division II Poll.

Individual Leaders:
• Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) – 15.1 PPG, .455 FG%, 62 3FGs, All-PSAC West First Team
• Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) – 14.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, .795 FT%, All-PSAC West Second Team
• Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) – 10.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, .479 FG%, .400 3PT%
 
This Season

Student-Athletes Departing: Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne), Trinitee Harris (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central)
Incoming Freshman: Katie Boal (Franklin, Pa./Franklin Area) (Franklin, Pa.) – 6'4" Forward/Center
Returning Student-Athletes:
Jordan Popyk (Novi, Mich./Novi), Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra), Olivia Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland), Jenna Winowiecki (Grosse Point Woods, Mich./Gross Point North), Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster), Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria), Olivia Pepple (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford), Tori Mayes (Lake City, Pa./Cathedral Prep), Taylor Ethridge (Chesapeake, Va./Catholic), Bella Deere (Union, Ky./Cooper), Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester), Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School), Lauren Kingsley (Pavilion, N.Y./Pavilion)
 
 
 Coaching Staff Notes:

With a 422-216 overall coaching record, head coach Cleve Wright enters his 18th season overall – and seventh since returning to Erie after collecting career win No. 400 last season in a 55–39 victory over Daemen.

Wright currently owns 387 victories at Gannon, placing him just 13 wins shy of 400 career wins with the Golden Knights — a milestone within reach during the 2025–26 campaign.

The Golden Knights will feature two new assistants this season following the departure of Brittany Batts, who served as Wright's right-hand coach for the past four years before taking the head coaching position at USC Aiken in South Carolina.

Lauren Ramsey joined the Gannon staff in June 2025 after spending two years at Valdosta State, where she helped guide the Blazers to a 47–15 record, a Gulf South Conference title, and an NCAA regional semifinal appearance.

Paige Cannon comes to Gannon following a four-year professional career in Europe with clubs in Germany, Malta, Portugal, and Sweden. A Duquesne alum, Cannon was a three-year starter for the Dukes and part of their first-ever NCAA Tournament team in 2016.

Key Dates

Season Opener: Nov. 7–9 – 2025 NCAA DII CCA Tip-Off Classic (Highmark Events Center / Erie, Pa.)
PSAC Opener: Dec. 6 – at Shepherd (1:00 PM)

What To Expect

1. Early Start Advantage

For the third straight year, Gannon opens its campaign in the prestigious DII CCA Tip-Off Classic, but this time on its home floor inside the Highmark Events Center.  Wright views the early-season showcase as both a challenge and an opportunity.

"The biggest advantage is that it's played a week before the regular season opens," Wright said. "It counts in your record, but you get to play games much earlier than others. The trade-off is we only get 25 practices in 35 days and three of those are games but either way, it helps us."

He added that this year's field is "the toughest of the three we've played in," noting the balance and national pedigree of each opponent. All three opponents in this year's Tip-Off Classic qualified for the 2025 NCAA Division II Tournament, underscoring the event's elite competition.

The Golden Knights will face Union (Tenn.) on Friday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m., followed by Northern Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. and North Georgia on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 4 p.m.

Union finished the 2024–25 campaign at 33–4 overall and 21–1 in the Gulf South Conference, capturing its seventh GSC title before advancing to the NCAA Division II Final Four following a regional championship win over Nova Southeastern.

Northern Michigan went 23–9 overall and 15–5 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), reaching the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals before falling to Ashland.

North Georgia wrapped up a 31–3 season with a 16–2 Peach Belt Conference record, claiming its fifth PBC Championship before dropping the NCAA Southeast Regional final to Coker.
 
2. Experience and Maturity

A year ago, Gannon relied heavily on underclassmen. That same group now returns as a veteran, battle-tested roster with deep postseason experience.

"More than half of our team were freshmen and sophomores the last two years," Wright said. "Now we've flipped the script a little bit – we're older and more mature."

With first team All-PSAC West selection Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster), who surpassed 1,000 career points last season, and second team honoree Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester), the Knights have one of the most dynamic returning duos in the region, supported by the versatile play of Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra), who averaged 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Sophomore post Jordan Popyk (Novi, Mich./Novi) also emerged as a steady contributor, earning her way into the starting lineup on Dec. 2 against D'Youville and starting the remainder of the season. She averaged 3.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, shooting 47 percent from the floor and 38 percent from three-point range, giving the Golden Knights another reliable option in an experienced backcourt.

3. Lessons from Back-to-Back Elite Eights

Each of the past two NCAA runs ended in the Elite Eight, but Wright believes those experiences have hardened his group.

"Two years ago, we had Sam Pirosko and a bunch of young players — the ball just didn't fall for us in overtime," Wright said. "Last year we played the eventual national champion. We've learned a lot from those games, and now we'll see if we can benefit from that."
 
4. Navigating the PSAC Gauntlet

The PSAC West remains one of Division II's deepest conferences, and Wright expects another season-long grind.

"Seton Hill returns a lot of players, and I expect them to be very good," he said. "But honestly, with the transfer portal, anyone can come out of the woodwork. You've got to be ready every night – this league is a gauntlet."

The Golden Knights will aim to defend their regional reputation and position themselves for a third straight trip to the NCAA Elite Eight.