The Bucknell Bison women’s basketball team enters the 2024-25 season with renewed excitement and vigor. The mixture of new players with a solid returning core promises Orange & Blue fans the chance to see remarkable talents at Sojka. Spirits are high as the team looks to continue its return to the top spot in the Patriot League.
The roster leans towards the young side with four upperclassmen out of the 13 rostered players. The squad also features a new cast of characters with four returners and nine newcomers (six freshmen and three transfers). The core four of junior guard Ashley O’Connor, senior guard/forward Isabella King, redshirt junior Sophia Sabino, and sophomore forward Ashley Sofilkanich will be the Bison’s foundation. All four players bring battle-tested minutes to the court and will all see substantial playing time. The transfers, Tuana Coskun, Elena Houghton, and Anna Kunzwiler, saw action at different schools and have immediately molded within Coach Trevor Woodruff’s system. The six freshmen, Desirae Ashton, Isabella Casey, Julia Heiden, Hope Masonius, Elana Weisman, and Reese Zemitis are an exciting class as any recently seen in Lewisburg.
The coaching staff also was refreshed with new faces. Assistant coach Sherill Baker made an immediate impact working with the post players and received a much-deserved promotion to associate head coach. Owen Brown arrived from the University of San Francisco where he helped the Dons become a West Coach threat. Assistant coach/director of operations Shelby Case played at the University of Illinois-Chicago and spent the previous two campaigns as a graduate assistant at Valparaiso.
Ashton, a freshman forward, from Fredericksburg, Virginia, rates as the Bison’s best athlete. Casey, a guard from Radnor, Pennsylvania, and the daughter of former Bucknell men's basketball and golf alum Mark Casey, checks in at 5-10. Julia Heiden is the daughter of Bucknell grad Bo Heiden and comes to Lewisburg from Gothenburg, Sweden.
“Long term, Ashton is an elite athlete in the Patriot League. Casey and Heiden will help us by providing depth and we look forward to their development.”
Tuana Coskun, a sophomore transfer from Robert Morris, will see heavy minutes in the post.
“A very high-energy player and fits in immediately in the front court. She will be in the rotation at forward. She can play on the perimeter and will post up.”
Houghton, a junior, arrives at Bucknell after two previous stops at Hartford and Sam Houston State. Her Hartford tenure was cut short when the university’s president dropped the program from Division I to Division III. The forward spent a season with the Bearcats before returning to the Northeast.
“She joins us as a transfer with good energy. Her two years of college ball make her one of our more experienced players. She will be a rotational player in the front court.”
King enters the season as the Bison’s captain. The sharpshooter senior ranks 11th in Bucknell history for three-pointers and only needs ten to enter the career top-ten list. King’s experience will be crucial for Bucknell to have a successful season. She sits at 543 career points (6.2 ppg), the most of any current Bison player.
“Isabella has had a strong preseason – very comfortable and confident. We are asking and expecting her to do more than in the past. She has been a consistent perimeter threat and we have challenged her to step up defensively.”
Sophomore Kunzwiler departed Stetson to join the Bison program. Her talent at the point guard position became evident from her first moment in preseason camp.
“She has done a nice job this fall. She can play every guard position. She is an impactful player who will contribute at both ends. She will make shots and add speed to our group.”
Masonius enters Bucknell as a freshman guard from the fertile recruiting terrain of New Jersey – an area that has delivered multiple stars to Lewisburg. Weisman journeys to Lewisburg from California. Zemitis is a local product from Langhorne, Pennsylvania.
“They are all trending towards playing big minutes for us – potentially starting but certainly will be on the court.”
O’Connor ventured to Lewisburg for the 2023-24 season after starting her career at Fordham. The guard immediately made the Bison starting lineup and played a crucial role in Bucknell’s late-season rally. Now, as an upperclassman, her role takes on a transformative role into a stable influence.
“Ashley had a good year for us. She returns as one of our most experienced and intelligent players. She continues to improve and we will need her to be a more consistent playmaker.”
Sabino spent most of the 2023-24 season battling nagging injuries after transferring to Bucknell from Fordham. When healthy, she is an impact player and makes everyone around her better.
“We are still working to get the best from her. At her best, she is a starting-level player in the conference.”
Sofilkanich headlines the post position. The sophomore immediately erupted upon the scene in 2023-24, becoming the first Bison to notch three spots on All-League Teams (Defensive, Rookie, and Third) due to her 12.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg. Expectations only increased when the Patriot League announced its preseason awards. Sofilkanich received Defensive Player of the Year and a spot on the five-woman team. The basketball world knows about her now. Transitioning from freshman to sophomore success requires understanding that situation and handling the additional attention.
“She had a tremendous freshman year. We expect more of the same this year as we need her to mature and become more disciplined as her minutes go up. She has added traits to her game – the ability to shoot from three. We are excited to see what she can do. She needs to be an all-conference level player again for us to be successful.”
The Patriot League has become more competitive with each passing year. Last year, the PL only had a few games separating second and eighth place. The preseason voting slotted the Bison for eighth but with massive graduation, coaching changes, and the league parity, anything can and will happen this season.
“It is very close across the board. It is a matter of how fast we become accustomed to each other. I think our talent can compete with everyone in the conference.”
The non-conference schedule provides a nice balance for the Bison. Last year’s non-conference slate was heavy on heavyweights. The opening week will be ultra-competitive with regional foes Penn State and Pitt. The remaining portion will supply plenty of challenging and exciting games.
“I like the schedule. The non-conference schedule has a good balance. It still has a fair amount of competitive games against the Power Four. But the bulk of the schedule will show us where we are in our development.”
The conference schedule features the standard Patriot League lineup. However, the similarity beguiles the viewer. The Patriot League’s parity remains intact and nearly every game will come down to a few clutch possessions. Fans, seeking competitive contests, will not be disappointed.
“It is wide open. A handful of teams have the early advantage due to experience and returning the bulk of their teams. So, the learning curve is shorter for them. But throughout the three-mouth conference schedule, the key is playing your best basketball at the season’s end.”
Bucknell fans should expect a driven team dedicated to returning Bucknell to the top echelon of the Patriot League.