Geoff Schneider

#23 Wildcats Welcome UDC and CSI to Lumsden Gymnasium This Weekend

1/8/2026 9:00:00 AM

By: CONTACT: Connor Griffin, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications | cgriffin@daemen.edu

BACK TO ECC PLAY
Daemen women's basketball resumes ECC action at home this weekend, hosting District of Columbia on Friday and Staten Island on Sunday. The Wildcats currently hold an 11-2 record and a 4-0 ECC mark.

LAST TIME OUT
Daemen wrapped up its non-conference slate with two road wins last week. The Wildcats defeated #18 Bentley 76-62 on New Year's Day, securing the win with a strong fourth-quarter performance. Shyla Montgomery (Brockton, Mass.) led the way with 16 points, on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, while also posting four assists. Ne'vaeh Buntley (Rochester, N.Y.) scored 11 points and provided three assists, while Julia Fontanillo (Valladolid, Spain) logged 11 points, two assists, and two steals. The Wildcats then defeated Franklin Pierce 76-42 last Saturday. Buntley scored 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and logged three steals. Sophie Auer (Lewiston, N.Y.) finished with 12 points while Montgomery contributed six points. five assists, and two steals. Brianna Caliri (Staten Island, N.Y.) scored nine points and registered two steals, while Claire Pikett (Holland, N.Y.) logged four steals, four rebounds, and eight points.

NATIONALLY-RANKED 'CATS
Daemen was ranked #23 nationally in this week's WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll. The Wildcats are ranked for the second time this season after earning a #25 ranking on Dec. 16. Off to an 11-2 start, including a 4-0 ECC record, Daemen most recently earned two wins to wrap up its non-conference slate, including its second win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season in #18 Bentley.

ECC WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Montgomery, Pikett, and Buntley were named to the ECC Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. Montgomery averaged 11.0 points (on 50% shooting), 4.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game in Daemen's two victories last week. Pikett averaged 2.5 steals and 5.0 rebounds per game while helping Daemen hold its opponents to 52.0 points per game and a 38% shooting percentage. Buntley averaged 14.5 points per game on 52.4% shooting while logging five assists, three steals, and five rebounds.

HOT AT HOME
Since the start of the 2018-19 season, Daemen has posted a 78-9 record at Lumsden Gymnasium (.897 winning percentage). The Wildcats have won at least 10 home games in each of the last four seasons, and are off to a 4-1 start at home in 2025-26. Daemen's home dominance has been even greater in ECC play as the Wildcats are 55-2 in home conference games over that same span. They'll enter this weekend having won 12 straight home conference games.

IN THE RANKINGS
Buntley leads the team and ranks third in the ECC in scoring (15.2 PPG). Lapertosa is seventh in the conference in scoring (14.5 PPG) and rebounding (7.0 RPG), second in blocks (2.0 BPG), tied for fifth in steals (1.9 SPG), and tied for fifth in field goal percentage (48.5%). Pikett is the conference leader in steals (3.2 SPG), and she sits tied for fifth in blocks (1.5 BPG). Montgomery (2.2 SPG) is third in steals, while Auer (1.8 SPG) ranks seventh and Joline Raposo (Tampa, Fla.) is tied for eighth (1.7 SPG). Montgomery is also third in assists (3.3 APG) while Fontanillo (Valladolid, Spain) sits ninth (2.7 APG).

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Wildcats recorded 36 steals against Wilmington on Nov. 14, the most in a game in the program's Division II era. Raposo broke the program record (Division II era) for steals in a game with nine, while Pikett logged eight and Montgomery posted six. Additionally, the Wildcats had 10 blocks in the contest, led by Caliri with three and Jalea Abrams (Elmira, N.Y.) with two. On Nov. 15, the Wildcats logged 18 steals with seven from Pikett while Lapertosa and Auer each snagged two. Caliri registered two of Daemen's five blocks in the contest. Daemen logged 3 steals and 10 blocks against TAMU Kingsville, then recorded 17 steals against Franklin Pierce, tied for its third-highest amount in a game this season. The Wildcats lead the ECC and sit eighth nationally in blocks per game (5.6 BPG). Daemen also leads the conference in steals per game (14.85), sitting 13th nationally.

SCOUTING THE FIREBIRDS (5-8, 1-2 ECC)
District of Columbia is coming off back-to-back wins to wrap up non-conference action. The Firebirds defeated Lincoln 58-62 last Friday, then beat Elizabeth City State 68-64 last Sunday. UDC is led in scoring by graduate student Aiyana Ellis (12.1 PPG), who also leads the team in rebounding (8.5 RPG). Dashani Coleman is averaging 10.7 PPG and 1.5 steals per game.

SERIES HISTORY
The Wildcats won both meetings last season and hold a 14-9 record over the Firebirds.

SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS (5-9, 1-2 ECC)
Staten Island most recently dropped back-to-back non-conference games, falling 60-55 against Assumption last Friday, then dropping a 54-33 decision against Post on Tuesday. Krya Rose leads the Dolphins in scoring (12.7 PPG), rebounding (7.6 RPG), and assists (2.5 APG). Racky Kane is averaging 12.4 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, and 1.8 assists per game.

SERIES HISTORY
Daemen has a perfect 10-0 record against Staten Island all-time. The Wildcats defeated the Dolphins three times last season, twice during the regular season and again in the ECC Championship game by a score of 76-68.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats are back on the road next weekend, heading to Queens on Jan. 16 for a 5 p.m. game before taking on Molloy at 12 p.m. on Jan. 18.

Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen women's basketball program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenWBB

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