Charlotte, N.C. – The Winthrop women's basketball team has been predicted to finish fourth in the 2024-25 season, announced today as part of Big South Media Day.
High Point is predicted to win the 2024-25 Big South title, with the Panthers garnering five first place votes while Radford, Winthrop, Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian each received one first-place vote. The Highlanders and Charleston Southern are picked to finish second and third, respectively followed by Winthrop, USC Upstate, Gardner-Webb, Longwood, Presbyterian and UNC Asheville.
This is Winthrop's highest pre-season conference finish since 2015-16, when the Eagles were slated to finish second.
Head coach
Semeka Randall Lay will begin her fourth season at the helm of the Eagles. The Eagles will have eight new faces on the floor. The Eagles also welcome three new additions to the coaching staff:
Dominique Duck (director of basketball operations),
Myron Poindexter (graduate assistant coach), and
Jordan Warlick (video coordinator).
The Eagles welcome back sophomores
Ar'Mani Reid and
Adelaide McLeod and seniors
Ronaltha Marc,
Marissa Gasaway,
Prunelle Mungo,
Jada Ryce, Blessing Okoh and
Leonor Paisana. Ryce was named to the 2024-25 Big South Conference Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference First Team while Gasaway was named to the Second Team.
Gasaway, a senior forward from Louisville, Ky., started and played in all 30 games last year, led the Big South in rebounds with 318 and was tenth in the Big South in free throw percentage at .730. Gasaway was named the Big South Women's Basketball Player of the Week for games played Nov. 27-Dec. 3, 2023. She was named to the Big South All-Conference Honorable Mention at the end of the regular-season. Gasaway led the team in free throws made with 81 and rebounds with 318.
Ryce, a senior guard from McDonough, Ga., played and started in all 30 games last season. Ryce finished fourth in the Big South in steals with 53, fifth in free throw percentage at .775, eighth in assists with 71 and minutes with 954. Against Carolina University at home on Dec. 10, 2023, she came within one of tying the school record for steals in a single game set by Cassandra Barnes vs. Sacred Heart on Feb. 12, 1981. Ryce surpassed 500 career points vs. Charleston Southern at home on Jan. 24. Ryce was named Big South All-Conference Honorable Mention and Big South All-Academic Team at the conclusion of the regular-season. She led the team in minutes played with 915, field goals made with 115; total points with 333 and steals with 53.
The Eagles will open their 2024-25 campaign on Monday, Nov. 4 against Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m.
2024-25 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
| Rk - School (first-place votes) |
Points |
| 1 - High Point (5) |
76 |
| 2 - Radford (1) |
57 |
| 3 - Charleston Southern |
55 |
| 4 - Winthrop (1) |
53 |
| 5 - USC Upstate |
51 |
| 6 - Gardner-Webb (1) |
43 |
| 7 - Longwood |
30 |
| 8 - Presbyterian (1) |
23 |
| 9 - UNC Asheville |
17 |
Note: points are based on a weighted system. First-place votes received 9 points, followed by 8 points for second-place, and so on.
2024-25 Big South Conference Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
First-Team
Ashley Hawkins, Gardner-Webb (Preseason Player of the Year)
Catherine Alben, Charleston Southern
Nakyah Terrell, High Point
Jada Ryce, Winthrop
Adriana Shipp-Davis, Radford
Second-Team
Anaya Harris, Gardner-Webb
Joi Williams, Radford
Marissa Gasaway, Winthrop
Jaleesa Lawrence, High Point
Nevaeh Zavala, High Point
