Photo by: ©Mark F. Conrad
Women’s Basketball Set for 2024-25 Campaign
10/31/2024 10:57:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Pioneers open the season at Hofstra on Nov. 4
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The 2024-25 campaign will be one of change for the Sacred Heart University women's basketball team. The Pioneers will be heading into a new conference and will be playing in a newly renovated arena. Despite these uncertainties, one thing will be constant, the program's winning culture under head coach Jessica Mannetti.
This season marks the Pioneers' first as full-time members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). SHU leaves the Northeast Conference as back-to-back tournament champions, winning five league titles overall. The Pios are no strangers to MAAC competition, as they have played nine games against current MAAC teams over the last two seasons.
Before starting conference action, the Pioneers will christen the renovated Dave Bike Court at the William H Pitt Center on Thursday, Nov. 21. The arena will feature stadium-style seating that will surround the court and a trio of new video boards that will enhance the fan experience. The Pioneer men and women will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony that day, with the women's 5:30 p.m. contest against Monmouth marking the first basketball game played on the court.
Heading into these changes, coach Mannetti returns an experienced class of upperclassmen who have led this team to its back-to-back conference titles.
Leading the group is outstanding junior guard Ny'Ceara Pryor. The Baltimore, Md., native was named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award and was tabbed First Team Preseason All-MAAC after winning NEC Player of the Year and NEC tournament MVP honors in each of the last two seasons. As a sophomore, Pryor set the Pioneers' scoring record and led the NEC in points (18.7 PPG), assists (4.5 APG), steals (3.2 SPG, fourth in the country) and field goal percentage (46.4%).
Pryor is a part of a star-studded junior class. Amelia Wood and Sierra Johnson joined Pryor last season in the top four on the team in minutes played. Wood, who was named to the All-NEC Third Team last year, ranked second on the team with career highs in scoring (10.3 PPG) and steals (1.8 SPG). Johnson was one of three Pioneers to start all 34 games last year, averaging 6.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game as an all-around asset.
SHU's graduating players include graduate student Ciara Brannon and seniors Carmen Williams and Afia Owusu-Mensah. All three will make an impact for the team this season on different parts of the court.
In addition to its upperclass leaders, Sacred Heart will add four newcomers to the fold. Along with Williams, the Pioneers added junior guard Grace John from Barton Community College and first years Esther Kursite and Dianne Crespo López. Kursite is a 6-2 center from London and López is a 5-10 guard from Río Grande, Puerto Rico.
The Pioneers kick off the 2024-25 season on Monday, Nov. 4, with a 7:30 p.m. tilt at Hofstra's David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex in Hempstead, N.Y.
This season marks the Pioneers' first as full-time members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). SHU leaves the Northeast Conference as back-to-back tournament champions, winning five league titles overall. The Pios are no strangers to MAAC competition, as they have played nine games against current MAAC teams over the last two seasons.
Before starting conference action, the Pioneers will christen the renovated Dave Bike Court at the William H Pitt Center on Thursday, Nov. 21. The arena will feature stadium-style seating that will surround the court and a trio of new video boards that will enhance the fan experience. The Pioneer men and women will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony that day, with the women's 5:30 p.m. contest against Monmouth marking the first basketball game played on the court.
Heading into these changes, coach Mannetti returns an experienced class of upperclassmen who have led this team to its back-to-back conference titles.
Leading the group is outstanding junior guard Ny'Ceara Pryor. The Baltimore, Md., native was named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award and was tabbed First Team Preseason All-MAAC after winning NEC Player of the Year and NEC tournament MVP honors in each of the last two seasons. As a sophomore, Pryor set the Pioneers' scoring record and led the NEC in points (18.7 PPG), assists (4.5 APG), steals (3.2 SPG, fourth in the country) and field goal percentage (46.4%).
Pryor is a part of a star-studded junior class. Amelia Wood and Sierra Johnson joined Pryor last season in the top four on the team in minutes played. Wood, who was named to the All-NEC Third Team last year, ranked second on the team with career highs in scoring (10.3 PPG) and steals (1.8 SPG). Johnson was one of three Pioneers to start all 34 games last year, averaging 6.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game as an all-around asset.
SHU's graduating players include graduate student Ciara Brannon and seniors Carmen Williams and Afia Owusu-Mensah. All three will make an impact for the team this season on different parts of the court.
In addition to its upperclass leaders, Sacred Heart will add four newcomers to the fold. Along with Williams, the Pioneers added junior guard Grace John from Barton Community College and first years Esther Kursite and Dianne Crespo López. Kursite is a 6-2 center from London and López is a 5-10 guard from Río Grande, Puerto Rico.
The Pioneers kick off the 2024-25 season on Monday, Nov. 4, with a 7:30 p.m. tilt at Hofstra's David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex in Hempstead, N.Y.
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