ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The Winthrop University women's basketball team looks to keep its momentum built after the last two games but faces a tall task against the number two team in the land, South Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon in Columbia.
| WINTHROP PROBABLE STARTERS |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
SPG |
Noteworthy |
| G |
3 |
Madison Ruff |
5-9 |
So. |
10.3 |
3.5 |
1.3 |
1.5 |
Transfer from The Mount / Appeared in 31 games, starting in six contests / Finished freshman year on 7.2 ppg and 3.6 rpg / Reached double digits in scoring seven times during her freshman season |
| G |
11 |
Naomi Wilson |
6-2 |
Jr. |
3.8 |
6.5 |
1.0 |
1.0* |
Transfer from Weatherford College / Played in 29 games, starting eleven of them / Averaged 6.6 ppg with 5.2 rpg |
| G |
13 |
Mya Pierfax |
5-9 |
Sr. |
12.8 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
2.0 |
Played in 31 games, starting 18 of them / Had six games in double figures in points, with a season-high of 21 vs. High Point |
| F |
15 |
Amourie Porter |
5-10 |
Jr. |
16.0 |
8.0 |
1.5 |
2.0 |
2025 Big South Conference First Team honoree / Played in all 31 regular-season games, starting 16 of them / 13.1 points per game in 2024-25 |
| G |
22 |
Cori Lard |
5-9 |
Sr. |
7.8 |
3.0 |
2.3 |
2.8 |
Appeared in 27 games, earning three starts / Posted averages of 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. |
*Blocks per game
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS SOUTH CAROLINA
Winthrop and South Carolina have a storied history on the hardwood. The Eagles hold the all-time season series 13-12 dating back to 1971. If you were to travel back in time to 1979, the season series would look vastly different between the two squads, with Winthrop holding a 13-6 lead over the Gamecocks.
WINTHROP
- Amourie Porter sunk fourteen free throws in the win against Queens on Nov. 15, marking the first time an Eagle has made over thirteen free throws since Jennifer Churchill (2/12/97) at UNC Asheville and Kim Segars (11/26/88) vs Fordham. The most recent time an Eagle has come close to that mark was Dequesha McClanahan (11/30/13) at Robert Morris
- Naomi Wilson became the first Eagle since Blessing Okoh did so against Presbyterian in 2024 to record 3 blocks in a game.
- Ryiah Wilson has provided juice and defensive intensity to the Eagles' bench unit early in her freshman season. Her three steals against Chicago State marked the first Eagle freshman since 2023 to record three steals in a contest.
- With her 15-point 16-rebound performance against Chicago State on Wednesday, Amourie Porter is the first Eagle to record a double-double since herself in the Big South Tournament against Charleston Southern Last year.
- Amourie Porter was tabbed with Big South Preseason All-Conference First Team honors
- The 5-foot-10 guard/forward started all 31 contests, shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc. Porter also proved effective on the glass, averaging 6.3 rebounds per game while adding 77 assists, 22 blocks, and 66 steals.
- Porter held the 13th best free throw percentage in the country with a mark of .890 percent, also pacing the Big South.
- She is the first Eagle to garner first team honors since Erica Williams in 2017, and she was also the recipient of the Big South's first ever Newcomer of the Year award.
- For the Eagles, they only return five letterwinners from last season, Amourie Porter, Mya Pierfax, Ar'Mani Reid, Jada Ryce, and Persais Williams.
- Under Head Coach Semeka Randall Lay, the Eagles have improved every season after starting with six wins in 2020-21, Randall Lay collected the highest win total of her career last season with 16 wins.
- After missing the 2024-25 season with injury, standout guard Jada Ryce returns to the court. Ryce led the Eagles in scoring in 2023-24, averaging 11.1 PPG and earning an Big South Honorable Mention All-Conference nod.
- Winthrop checked in at 4th in the Big South Preseason Poll
- After not scratching the top four spots since 2015-16, the Eagles have now garnered a second-straight top four placing.
- The Eagles welcome in nine newcomers, three freshmen and six transfers
- Among the transfers are Nessa Walsh (Purdue Northwest), Madison Ruff (Mount Saint Mary's), Naomi Wilson (Weatherford College), Uniyah Franklin (Louisiana Lafayette), Cori Lard (Miami of Ohio), and Tocarra Johnson (Blinn College)
- Randall Lay led the team to 16 wins last season, her most at the helm of the Eagles
- The Eagles only return 37% of its scoring from last season
SEASON HONORS
Amourie Porter – Preseason All-Conference First Team
CAREER MILESTONES
Jada Ryce
19 points away from 700 career points
Nine assists away from 150
Amourie Porter
Reached 600 career points against Chicago State
Madison Ruff
Reached 250 career points against Newberry
SEASON TICKETS ON SALE
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SINGLE-GAME TICKETS ARE ON SALE
Click Here to purchase single-game tickets for all home contests for the 2025-26 season or call/text ticket office at (803) 323-2345.
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