CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago women's basketball team officially begins the 2025-26 campaign at Milwaukee Monday, Nov. 3. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at the Klotsche Center. The action will stream live on ESPN+, with live stats also available.

QUICK HITS

• In total, the Maroon and Gold have 11 non-conference games on the docket before conference play begins Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Richmond.
• Loyola Chicago is 2-1 in season openers under Guth. Most recently, the 'Blers downed Kentucky State, 91-56, at Gentile Arena to open the 2024-25 campaign.
• Loyola is tipping off the regular season on the road for the first time since the 2022-23 season (Guth's first season). LUC beat Western Michigan, 60-51, in that matchup.
• The Ramblers faced Bradley in a preseason scrimmage and hosted North Central in an exhibition matchup to build chemistry and gain valuable experience ahead of Monday's official season opener.
• Loyola Chicago beat former Rambler Maggie McCloskey-Bax's North Central squad, 86-42.
• McCloskey-Bax, a Riverside, Ill., native and 2010 Loyola graduate, scored more than 1,000 career points while setting NCAA, Horizon League, and Loyola records for three-pointers before competing in the 2010 ESPN Three-Point Shootout and playing professionally in Iceland.

2025-26 RAMBLER BITES

• The Ramblers aim to improve on last season's 13-17 ledger as Head Coach Allison Guth enters her fourth season at the helm.
• Guth is 34-57 in three seasons at LUC and holds a career record of 133-131 after beginning her career at Yale.
• Loyola Chicago returns eight letterwinners from the 204-25 roster. Additionally, Guth added five newcomers during the offseason.
• Over the summer, former Ramblers Thoranna Kika Hodge-Carr (Valur Körfubolti) and Naelle Bernard (AS Aulnoye Basket) signed professional contracts overseas.
• Five Ramblers have turned professional under Head Coach Allison Guth.
• Since 2010, nine Ramblers have gone on to sign professional contracts: Hodge-Carr, Bernard, Sam Galanopoulos, Emma Nolan, Sophia Nolan, Troy Hambric, Taylor Manuel, Bre Hampton-Bey, and Allison Day.

SCOUTING THE MILWAUKEE PANTHERS

• Kyle Rechlicz is in her 13th season in at the helm of Milwaukee women's basketball.
• Rechlicz holds a career ledger of 188-213 (.469).
• MKE was selected ninth in the Horizon League's Preseason Poll.
• Last season, the Panthers were 8-24 and 5-15 in Horizon League Play. The team finished 11th in the conference standings.
• The Panthers lost their three leading scorers from last season: Kacee Baumhower (11.8), Anna Lutz (11.0), and Kamy Peppler (9.3).
• Junior forward Jorey Buwalda is back for another season. She averaged 7.5 points per game and was second on the team in rebounds per game with 4.9.
• Payton Rechlicz was named a member of the Horizon League All-Freshman Team last season. She averaged 4.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game.
• The Panthers welcomed newcomers Rita Gomes, Valérie Cassidy-De Falco, Micayla Silas, Tierney Madigan, Elizabeth Favret, Madison Fitzgibbon, and Olivia Olson during the offseason.

ALL-TIME VS. MILWAUKEE

• Loyola Chicago trails in its all-time series with the Panthers, 19-37.
• MKE won the first meeting during the 1980-81 season, 57-56.
• The Ramblers won the most recent matchup, 60-47, on Dec. 9, 2023.
• Sitori Tanin scored 16 points in the win while Ali Berg added 13 and a game-high six rebounds.
• The win marked Loyola's first over Milwaukee since March 13, 2013.
• The Ramblers won four straight meetings with their former Horizon League foes from Feb. 10, 2011, to Feb. 28, 2013.
• The last time Loyola Chicago beat Milwaukee at the Klotsche Center was Jan. 31, 2013.
• Taylor Johnson finished with 33 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in the victory. Monica Albano added 31 and Loyola scored the final 15 points of the game to snatch an 84-74 win over MKE.

LAST TIME OUT
Loyola opened with an 86-42 exhibition win over North Central on Tuesday night at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers used a 13-0 first-quarter run to take control early and led 40-20 at halftime. Loyola stayed hot in the second half behind strong shooting from Audrey Deptula and Rosalie Mercille, while its defense forced seven turnovers in the final quarter. Deptula led with 18 points, Neveah Dickman added 11, and Clara Djoko grabbed 10 rebounds as the Ramblers cruised to a dominant season-opening victory.

ATLANTIC 10 PRESEASON ACCOLADES

• Richmond is the preseason favorite to win the 2025-26 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball title, topping the coaches' poll for a second straight year. The Spiders return All-A-10 stars Maggie Doogan and Rachel Ullstrom after a 28-7 season and their first NCAA Tournament win.
• George Mason ranks second, followed by Davidson, Rhode Island, and Dayton. Saint Joseph's, VCU, Duquesne, Saint Louis, and George Washington complete the top 10. Fordham, La Salle, Loyola Chicago, and St. Bonaventure round out the poll.
• Doogan, Ullstrom, George Mason's Zahirah Walton and Kennedy Harris, and VCU's Mary-Anna Asare headline the Preseason All-Conference First Team.

RETURNING RAMBLERS

• Loyola Chicago returns eight from the 2024-25 roster: Yasmyn Palmer, Roisin Grandberry, Alexa Kinas, Audrey Deptula, Rosalie Mercille, Kendall Hendrix, Kira Chivers, and Brooklyn Vaughn.
• Key returners include senior point guard Kira Chivers who started 25 of 28 games in 2024–25, leading Loyola in steals per game (1.1) and ranking 16th in the A-10 in assists (2.9), with the league's 10th-best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3). She scored in double figures six times, highlighted by a career-high 17 points and five rebounds vs. Northwestern, and delivered a season-best seven assists at Eastern Illinois.
• Another key returner, junior guard Rosalie Mercille, appeared in 20 games in 2024–25, returning from injury to contribute nine points in the Senior Day win vs. Saint Louis. She posted double-digit scoring twice, including 11 points at Eastern Illinois, and matched a season-high four rebounds three times. Mercille also recorded three assists in three straight games early in the season.
• Point guard Alexa Kinas played in 28 games with five starts as a freshman in 2024–25, logging the most minutes among Loyola newcomers. She shot .443 from the field, finishing second on the team in FG percentage, and tied for second in steals (29). Kinas scored seven points in her debut, posted a season-high 15 points vs. Richmond, and grabbed a season-best six rebounds twice.

FRESH FACES

• Alex-Anne Bessette is a three-time All-Canadian and AmeriCup silver medalist who helped Team Canada to silver at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women's Americas Championship. The 6-foot-2 Quebec City native led her prep team to the 2025 OSBA title and earned Second Team All-Star honors. She played on the elite Kia Nurse EYBL circuit.
• Alexus Mobley arrives as a graduate transfer from Akron after two seasons with the Zips and two at Danville Community College. The Indianapolis native started 38 games at Akron, averaging 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. She recorded career highs of 30 points and 17 rebounds during the 2024-25 season.
• Daniella Matus is a 1,000-point scorer who averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in her final season at Morris Catholic. She helped St. John Vianney win a fourth straight Shore Conference Tournament title and reach the NJSIAA semifinals. Matus earned Morris County Tournament MVP honors, All-Tournament recognition at the John Wall National Christmas Tournament, and multiple all-conference awards, including NJAC First Team. She starred for Team Sharp on the AAU circuit and was a 2025 McDonald's All American Game nominee.
• Nevaeh Dickman is a 6-foot power forward from Fishers, Ind., rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports and ranked No. 6 in Indiana. She earned multiple all-state honors, including IBCA Senior Large School All-State, and HCC First Team All-Conference recognition.
• Clara Djoko, a 6-foot forward from Entzheim, France, transfers from UC Irvine, where she appeared in 55 games over two seasons. She contributed across the stat sheet, highlighted by games with four rebounds at Cal State Bakersfield and three steals in consecutive contests as a freshman.
• Assistant Coach Jasmyne Fogle joins Loyola after roles at Quinnipiac, Putnam Science Academy, and Iona. At Quinnipiac, she led operations, travel, logistics, video, marketing, and student support for three seasons. She previously assisted with coaching, recruiting, and academics at Putnam Science Academy and served as a graduate assistant at Iona. Fogle played collegiately at Franklin Pierce and Post University, earning All-CACC honors in 2018 before completing graduate degrees from Post and Iona.
• Assistant Coach Alyssa Fisher returns to Loyola after beginning her coaching career at Dartmouth, where she helped mentor an All-Ivy performer. As a Rambler in 2023–24, she led the team in threes, free throws, and steals while averaging 13.5 points per game, earning a selection to the WBCA So You Want To Be A Coach program. Fisher previously earned dual bachelor's degrees at St. Francis Brooklyn and an MBA at Loyola.
• Assistant Coach Adam Call arrives from George Washington following a four-year stint that included multiple A-10 Championship wins and development of all-conference and all-defensive selections. His 17-year coaching career includes stops at Eastern Michigan, Stony Brook, Washington, Northwestern, TCU, and Oklahoma, where he contributed to several postseason runs. He holds degrees from Oklahoma and TCU.

BUY TICKETS NOW!
Catch every women's basketball game at Gentile Arena with a season ticket package! Season ticket options include reserved courtside seating for $180/seat and general admission seating for $81/seat. Single-game tickets are $10 each.

Courtside season tickets are the only reserved seats available. Courtside seats are located across from the team benches in front of Sections 108 and 110. The online system will automatically place you in the best courtside seats available. Please contact the Loyola ticket office at (773) 508-9653 to discuss specific seat locations. Click here to purchase. 

SOCIAL BUZZ
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