ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The Winthrop University women's basketball team hits the road for its first away trip of the season, heading to Athens to take on Georgia at 7:00 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the sixth all-time meeting between the Eagles and the Bulldogs, with Georgia holding the slight edge, 3-2. The first ever matchup came in February of 1975, with Winthrop taking the win 93-76 in Rock Hill.
The last matchup came in 2018, when Georgia routed Winthrop, 85-39, holding the Eagles to a 21% FG%.
Georgia is undefeated (3-0) when playing in Athens.
JUMP BALL
- Winthrop used a 10-0 third-quarter run to pull away from Newberry 57-46 in the season opener, with Madison Ruff scoring 15 points and adding four steals. The Eagles forced 8 first-quarter turnovers and held the Wolves to 2-of-10 shooting in the fourth
- This was the first Eagle victory in the season opener since 2016-17
- Madison Ruff was honored with Big South Conference Preseason First Team, marking the third-straight year an Eagle made the preseason first team. Ruff averaged 10.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game and starting 31 of 32 games
- The Eagles were 17th in the nation in steals per game (11.6) and 15th in the nation in turnovers forced per game (21.44).
- Winthrop was slated in fifth in the Big South Preseason poll, in a tie with UNC Asheville.
- Ruff and Ryiah Wilson combined for 152 of the team's 370 steals last season, or 41 percent
- Madison Ruff, Wilson, Tocarra Johnson and Mya Hamilton return, accounting for about a third of last season's scoring (719 points), just over half of the steals (189) and 36 blocks
- Last season, the Eagles were picked fourth and finished the season with a 15-17 overall record while going 7-9 in conference play, earning the fifth seed in the Big South Conference tournament.
- Coach Semeka Randall Lay will be facing seven programs of which she has never faced off against this season, Georgia, Johnson C. Smith, SDSU, JMU, Grand Canyon, Wofford, Mercer, ECU.
- Madison Ruff made an impact on the Big South in her first season, being named to the All-Big South Honorable Mention squad. Ruff averaged 11.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, playing in all 30 contests.
- Ryiah Wilson was named to the Big South All-Freshman team. Wilson was one of the most disruptive defensive players, with 82 steals on the season, 2nd in the conference and 24th in the NCAA. She averaged 3.2 steals per game, which ranked second in conference play.
- Four players return from last season: Madison Ruff, Ryiah Wilson, Tocarra Johnson and Mya Hamilton. Together they accounted for 719 points (about a third of the team's scoring), 189 steals (just over half of the team's total) and 36 blocks last season.
- Winthrop must replace Amourie Porter, last season's Big South All-Conference First Team selection who led the team with 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Also off the roster are Cori Lard, who led the team with 105 assists, and Mya Pierfax, who led the team with 42 three-pointers made
- Tocarra Johnson returns as the Eagles' top rebounder, averaging 7.1 rebounds per game in 23 contests last season. Johnson also led the team with 20 blocks and scored a season-high 23 points against JWU Charlotte
- Head coach Semeka Randall Lay enters her 7th season at Winthrop with assistants Dante Travis, Dominique Duck and Steve Joyner. Krysta McDonald serves as director of operations, Emaia O'Brien as director of creative content and Quincy Johnson as graduate assistant
- Nine newcomers arrive from other programs: Autumn Taylor (Manhattan), Wigal (Akron), Guilera (New Mexico State), Kyra Taylor (McKendree), Preston (Valparaiso), Robinson (Virginia Union), Summer Henderson (Panola College), Madison Bush-Lewis (Eastern Wyoming College) and Skvarekova (Bratislava University of Economics and Business)
- Six of the team's 14 players are seniors: Autumn Taylor, Marta Guilera, Ella Wigal, Maya Robinson, Kayla Preston and Tocarra Johnson
- The roster also includes four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman.
- Eight of the 14 players on the roster are listed as guards. Five are forwards (Guilera, Kyra Taylor, Skvarekova, Preston and Johnson) and Maya Robinson is listed as a guard/forward
- Madison Bush-Lewis was an NJCAA Academic All-American in 2025-26 and graduated summa cum laude, in the top 15 of her high school class. On the court, she averaged 13.9 points and 3.0 assists per game at Eastern Wyoming College, earning NJCAA Region 9 All-Region and All-Tournament honors
- Madison Bush-Lewis scored 20 or more points in six games at Eastern Wyoming College, with a high of 28 twice (at Dawson on Nov. 7 and against Lake Region State on Nov. 29). She also scored 27 at Western Wyoming on Jan. 28, going 4-for-5 from three-point range and a perfect 7-for-7 at the line
- Ruff went from six starts at Mount Saint Mary's to 31 at Winthrop, with her scoring rising from 7.2 to 10.9 per game
- Johnson was the team's second-leading rebounder (163) behind Porter, and she led the team in blocks. She scored a season-high 23 points vs. JWU Charlotte
- Kyra Taylor was a second-team all-conference selection in 2025-26 and a GLVC All-Freshman Team member in 2024-25
- Autumn Taylor was an All-PSAC West Second Team selection at Clarion, averaging 15.7 points per game
- Ella Wigal was named to the 2025-26 Academic All-MAC Team after playing 26 games at Akron
- Amourie Porter (16.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, Big South First Team), Cori Lard (team-high 105 assists) and Mya Pierfax (team-high 42 three-pointers) are no longer on the roster
- Semeka Randall Lay, a 1998 national champion at Tennessee and 2024 American Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, enters her 7th season as head coach
2026 HONORS
- Madison Ruff - Big South Conference Preseason All-Conference First Team
WINTHROP IMPACT NETWORK
Winthrop Athletics is proud to announce the launch of WIN: Winthrop's Impact Network - a distinguished philanthropic giving society established to support and elevate Winthrop's 16 NCAA Division I programs and nearly 300 student-athletes.
In the new era of college athletics, it is critical now more than ever to generate revenue to provide Winthrop student-athletes with the resources and opportunities needed to compete for Big South championships and advance in the NCAA tournament. Winthrop's Impact Network members will have an elite level of direct impact on the future of Winthrop Athletics. For more information,
click here.
JOIN THE EAGLE CLUB
The Eagle Club is the official fundraising arm of Winthrop Athletics. Your generosity directly supports Winthrop Athletics and helps provide our student-athletes with the resources they need to succeed on and off the field. From facility upgrades and enhanced game-day experiences to scholarships, equipment, travel, and academic support, every dollar makes a difference.
By investing in the Eagle Club, you're helping us build a stronger future for Winthrop Athletics—one that prioritizes excellence, opportunity, and a championship culture.
Whether you're an alum, parent, fan, or community member, your support fuels our success. For more information or to become a member, CLICK HERE.
