ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy women's basketball team is hungry to kick off its 2024-25 campaign after orchestrating one of the best turnarounds in NCAA Division I women's basketball last season. Improving its win total by 13 games, the Mids finished the year 14-17 overall with 9-9 mark in Patriot League play to leave them just one game out of second place and two out of first. Hitting their stride down the stretch, Navy streaked into the playoffs with a 7-3 record over its final 10 regular season games before picking up a first round win over Lafayette and nearly upsetting Colgate in the quarterfinals. This young and talented Navy squad will begin its season on Monday with a road tilt at Rider University. Tip-off between the Mids and Broncs is set for 6 p.m. at Alumni Gym.

Monday's non-conference matchup against Rider leads off a 29-game regular season slate that consists of 11 out-of-league contests in November and December before the Patriot League comes into view in early January. 

The Navy-Rider game will have live stats provided online, as well as be broadcast on the ESPN+ platform. ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming service that requires patrons to sign-up for monthly or yearly plans prior to tuning into the contest.

Breaking Down the 2024-25 Mids
This season's edition of the Midshipmen will be looking to build on its strong second half of the season and prove the voters in the Patriot League preseason poll wrong. Picked seventh in the league's polling of coaches and media, fifth-year head coach Tim Taylor and his Navy squad are young, but extremely experienced as they return four starters and 11 varsity letterwinners. As a program, the Mids bring back 82.2 percent (1,575/1,917) of their scoring, 81.6 percent (833/1,021) of their rebounds, 90.3 percent (345/382) of their assists and 81.2 percent (5,055/6,225) of their minutes from 2023-24. Additionally, three freshmen and one sophomore walk-on have joined the team and will be looking to make their debuts for Navy this year.

Junior Class
With no seniors on the 2024-25 roster, Navy will lean on its Class of 2026 to provide leadership. Six members deep, the junior class has 279 games of combined experience with 135 starts over their first two seasons of collegiate basketball. Morgan Demos, Kelli Giuliani, Maren Louridas, Toni Papahronis, Gia Pissott and Kate Samson make up Navy's junior class ... Louridas, a 6'0 wing will lead the squad this season as she was selected as the team captain. Playing in every contest for the second straight season, she displayed her all-around game in 2023-24 with averages of 5.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals over 29.9 minutes per game. A constant threat all over the court, she knocked down a season-best four three-pointers as part of a 23-point outburst at American on Feb. 14. Twice she grabbed double-digit rebounds with a season-high 11 coming against Quinnipiac on Nov. 25 ... Another returning starter for the Mids, Samson has proven to be Navy's leading post presence as she shot .470 percent (63-134) from the field, while grabbing 118 rebounds and blocking a team-best 1.5 shots per game over 28 appearances last year. The Richmond, Virginia native has shown glimpses of dominance throughout her time with the Mids, including a run of three straight games in 2023-24 with double figure points (14.7 ppg) and 14 combined blocks ... In her first season after coming back from a catastrophic knee injury in the first game of her collegiate career, Papahronis slowly worked her way back into game form in 2023-24. The long 6'1 guard made her first career start at Dartmouth on Dec. 8 and by Patriot League play was a regular starter and contributor for the Mids. As a scorer she had games with 15 points against Colgate on Feb. 3 and 13 a few weeks later on Feb. 24 at Holy Cross. She finished her sophomore campaign with 33 assists ...  Pissott continued to thrive in her role as one of Navy's go-to post players off the bench with a 58.3 percent (21-36) shooting percentage in 22 appearances and one start in 2023-24. Early in the season as part of the Navy Classic, Pissott scored a season-best 10 points to go along with seven rebounds over 23 minutes of action. A strong defender, she recorded two blocked shots in three separate games as a sophomore ... Similar to her classmate Pissott, Demos was a frequently called upon bench option for Taylor and the Mids in 2023-24 with 20 games played as a reserve post. Over 95 minutes of total action, she netted 31 combined points and 25 rebounds with season-highs of seven points at Wagner on Nov. 30 and six rebounds against Goucher on Dec. 19 ... The final member of Navy's Class of 2026, Giuliani appeared in 20 games as a reserve guard last season. In limited time on the court, she knocked down three-pointers against Susquehanna on Nov. 8 and later against Goucher on Dec. 19.

Sophomore Class
While the Class of 2026 is slated to provide the experience, consistency and leadership, Navy's Class of 2027 has proven itself to be one of the single-most talented classes in the Patriot League as two of its members earned spots on the Patriot League All-Rookie Team in 2023-24. Led by the All-Rookie duo of Zanai Barnett-Gay and Kyah Smith, the entire class consists of Lizzie Holder, Violet McNece, Saran Moschella and walk-on newcomer Morgan Blackford ... Barnett-Gay had a debut for the record books last season as she scored in double figures in all 30 games that she played in and smashed the program's freshman scoring record with 546 points, an average of 18.2 points per game. That mark was second-best in the Patriot League and fifth overall in the NCAA DI among freshman. The explosive two-way guard augmented her final statline with averages of 6.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals over 34.6 minutes per game. Barnett-Gay ranked 12th overall in DI for her steals average. At the conclusion of her freshman campaign, she was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, as well as to the All-Patriot League First Team, All-PL Defensive Team and All-PL Rookie Team ... Her backcourt running mate, Smith was nearly as explosive as she suited up in all 31 games as a freshman and averaged 12.8 points, 3.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds over 32.8 minutes per contest. Smith's overall point total of 396 ranks fourth all-time in the Mids' freshman scoring record book. Talented running the point, she completed her freshman campaign with a season-best eight assists versus Colgate in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Tournament ... A transfer into the program after two games of action at the University of Colorado in 2022-23, Holder showed flashes of her potential over 24 games of action before injuries slowed her down the stretch in conference play. Strong early on, she scored a season-best nine points to go along with three steals against Abilene Christian on Nov. 26 before earning her first collegiate start on Nov. 30 at Wagner ... Similar to Holder, McNece struggled a bit with consistent playing time as she flashed glimpses of breaking through during 2023-24. Appearing in 25 games as a reserve wing, the Missouri native, had two appearance with seven or more points, eight versus Susquehanna on Nov. 8 and seven against Abilene Christian on Nov. 26 before a quiet December. Once conference play rolled around, she caught fire in January 13's contest against Lafayette with a 5-8 showing from three-point range for a season-best 15 points. Overall, 46 of her 66 field goal attempts last season were from three-point range ... The final originally recruited member of the Class of 2027, Moschella saw intermittent use off the bench as a reserve wing during her freshman season. Appearing in 13 games, Moschella had a breakout performance against Goucher College on Dec. 19 with seven points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists over 19 minutes of action; all of those totals were season-highs ... The newest member of the Navy women's basketball team, Blackford joined this fall as a walk-on after competing with school's track & field team in 2023-24. A talented multi-sport athlete in high school, Blackford averaged 19.4 points per game as a senior on the hardwood was named to the All-Ohio State Second Team in 2023. As a member of the track & field team at Navy as a freshman, she competed in heptathlon and pentathlon events and represented the Naval Academy at both the indoor and outdoor league championships in 2024.

Freshmen Class
The smallest of Navy's three classes, the three freshmen that make up the Class of 2028 will all be leaned upon to fill out and upgrade the Mids' talent, especially in their backcourt. Julianna Almeida, Mary Gibbons and Nia Henley will complete the roster for Navy's 2024-25 squad ... A guard from North Arlington, New Jersey, Almeida was a 1,000-point scorer for Saddle River Day School. An accomplished player throughout her high school career, she was named All-Bergen County all four years before earning nods on the All-New Jersey Third Team in 2023 and 2024. The team captain her junior and senior seasons, Almeida and Saddle River went a combined 77-14 during her four years at the school ... Gibbons also was high achiever in the high school ranks as she netted over 1,400 points to go along with 217 three-pointers over her career with Wachusetts Regional High School. A three-time Mid-Wach A League MVP, Gibbons led Wachusetts to three Massachusetts State Final Fours, while going 77-5. She rounded her time in high school with Massachusetts MaxPreps and MBCA Division I Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors ... Henley joins this high-scoring and talented trio after prepping at Mercersburg Academy during the 2023-24 school year. Prior to attending prep school, she netted over 1,000 points during her time at TPLS Christian Academy and later Riverbend High School. While at Riverbend in 2022 she was named the Virginia Class 5A Commonwealth District Player of the Year before First Team Class 5 All-Region D honors as a senior in 2023.

Scouting the Competition
Rider
The Broncs begin the 2024-25 season on Monday after going 10-21 and 6-14 MAAC last year ... In the 2024-25 preseason coaches poll, Rider was picked ninth in the 13-team Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference ... The Broncs have lost three starters (Taylor Langan, 13.8 ppg & 8.1 rpg / Makayla Firebaugh, 10.6 ppg / Jessika Schiffer, 7.2 ppg & 35.8% from 3pt) and 62.8% of the team's total scoring output from 2023-24 ... Rider is scheduled to play fellow Patriot League foe, Boston University on Dec. 1 in Boston.

Navy vs. Rider/MAAC
The Mids and Broncs have met seven times in women's basketball action in a series that begin on Nov. 18, 2007 ... That matchup at Alumni Hall in Annapolis ended with a 10-point victory for Navy, 68-58 ... All-time, Navy is 6-1 versus Rider with three of the games being decided by 10 points or less ... Over three Navy-Rider matchups on the Broncs' home court, the Mids are 3-0 with most recently a 14-point win of 73-59 on Dec. 12, 2021 ... Two years ago in Annapolis, Rider picked up its first win in the series with a 59-43 decision on Dec. 3, 2022 ... All-time versus Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opponents, Navy is 29-34 in 63 previous meetings. Mount St. Mary's (9-20) is Navy's most common foe playing 29 times including last Nov. 15 (L, 67-59 in OT) ... Navy will take on its second MAAC opponent in three games to start the 2024-25 campaign, next Tuesday, Nov. 12 with a road tilt at Iona. 
    All-time Matchups:
    Dec. 3, 2022 (H): Rider 59 - Navy 43
    Dec. 12, 2021 (A): Navy 73 - Rider 59
    Dec. 2, 2018 (A): Navy 66 - Rider 60
    Nov. 12, 2017 (H): Navy 63 - Rider 44
    Nov. 30, 2013 (H): Navy 75 - Rider 64 (Navy Classic Tournament)
    Dec. 19, 2008 (A): Navy 71 - Rider 64
    Nov. 18, 2007 (H): Navy 68 - Rider 58

Most Recent Navy-Rider Matchup -- Dec. 3, 2022 in Annapolis
Coming off of consecutive strong offensive outings, the Navy women's basketball team struggled to find the bottom of the net on Saturday and shot just 25.5 percent from the field in a 59-43 loss to Rider. Tied at 38-38 all with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter, a six-plus minute scoreless streak by the Mids allowed the visiting Broncs to take the lead and pull away late in the contest at Alumni Hall.
 
Team captain Mimi Schrader paced Navy on Saturday with 14 points, three three-pointers and two steals in 34 minutes of action. Freshman Shannon Clarke joined her in double figures with 10 points off the bench. Fellow freshman reserve Gia Pissott added seven points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Down 13-9 after one quarter of play, Navy quickly tied up the contest at 13-13 with baskets by Schrader and Clarke on consecutive trips down the court. A trading of field goals and later free throws advanced the score slowly to 16-16 by the 6:11 mark of the second quarter. Defense ruled the next three-plus minutes as neither team made a field goal, though the Broncs went five-for-five from the foul line to edge ahead 21-16 by 3:12. A 7-0 run by the Mids from 2:50 to 1:24 immediately shot the hosts back ahead. Schrader had the exclamation point of this stretch with a three-pointer from the corner. An explosive shot-for-shot conclusion to the first half saw Rider respond with a three-pointer of its own before Pissott sank her first collegiate trey with nine seconds to go. A half-court heave by the Broncs' Amanda Mobley at the buzzer helped Rider take a 27-26 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
Trailing by one, Navy knotted the score 79 seconds into the third quarter. Unfortunately for the hosts that was their only point for the first 5:15 of the period. Navy's defense continued to keep Rider under control and only allowed six total points during that cold stretch. With the score 33-27, a jumper by Sydne Watts and an ensuing free throw by Clarke helped the Mids cut their deficit to three by 4:08. Watts' basket was the only make of the period for Navy, though Rider only recorded five more points in the final minutes of the third to grab a 38-32 lead through 30 minutes of play.
 
Cold in the third quarter, Schrader sparked the Mids early in the final stanza as she opened up with back-to-back three-pointers to once again draw Navy even at 38-38 by the 8:57 mark. Unfazed, Rider responded with a 10-0 run over the next 3:56. With the score 48-38, Schrader kept forcing the issue for the Mids and got her team back within eight at 4:28 when she picked off Toni Blanford's pass and went in for the breakaway layup. Giving it their all down the stretch, the Mids could not catch a break with the rims and scored just three points the rest of the game versus 11 for the Broncs to finalize the contest at 59-43.
  
For the game, Rider outshot Navy, 35.8 percent (19-53) to 25.5 (14-55) from the field, 28.0 percent (7-25) to 16.7 (4-24) from three-point range and 82.4 percent (14-17) to 50.0 (11-22) from the foul line.

Comparing the Teams

(2023-24 Stats)	Navy	Rider
Record / League-Only	14-17, 9-9 PL	10-21, 6-14 MAAC
Home / Away / Neut. Record	11-6 / 3-11	7-7 / 2-13 / 1-1
Points Per Game	61.8 PPG	54.9 PPG
Points Allowed Per Game	63.7 PPG	64.6 PPG
Field Goal Percentage	38.1 %	38.7 %
3-Point Percentage	28.2 %	30.9 %
Free Throw Percentage	67.6 %	69.2 %
Rebounds Per Game	36.6 RPG	32.1 RPG
Assists/Turnovers Per Game	12.3 / 14.5	12.3 / 17.9

Returning Leaders

(2023-24 Stats)	Navy	Rider
Points Per Game	Zanai Barnett-Gay, 18.2 ppg	Kaylan Deveney, 6.1 ppg
Rebounds Per Game	Z. Barnett-Gay, 6.2 rpg	Mariona Cos-Morales, 3.4 rpg
Assists Per Game	Kyah Smith, 3.5 apg	Sanaa Redmond, 2.5 apg
Field Goal Percentage	Kate Samson, 47.0 %	M. Cos-Morales, 46.1 %
3-Point Percentage	K. Smith, 31.8 %	Taylor Blunt, 30.8 %
Free Throw Percentage	Z. Barnett-Gay, 75.9 %	K. Deveney, 75.7 %

Navy in Season Openers
Over the past 10 Opening Days, Navy is 4-6 with wins over Susquehanna ('23), Stevenson ('19), Catholic ('18) and  Marist ('17). The Mids have been on the road in six of the last 10 season openers. Three times during this span Navy opened against a Division III opponent and came away with wins. The Mids' last DI season-opening victory came against a MAAC institution, Marist ... This is the earliest season-opener in program history (previous was Nov. 5, 2019 versus Stevenson)
    Last 10 Season Openers
    November 8, 2023 (H): Navy 78 - Susquehanna 37
    November 7, 2022 (A): William & Mary 79 - Navy 64
    November 9, 2021 (H): Georgetown 73 - Navy 62
    November 29, 2020 (A): George Mason 72 - Navy 68    
    November 5, 2019 (H): Navy 70 - Stevenson 36
    November 7, 2018 (H): Navy 81 - Catholic 36
    November 10, 2017 (A): Navy 77 - Marist 70
    November 11, 2016 (A): Wake Forest 75 - Navy 65
    November 13, 2015 (A): Hofstra 65 - Navy 63
    November 14, 2014 (A): North Carolina A&T 52 - Navy 47