AMHERST, N.Y. — Daemen women's basketball is once again ranked #13 in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll.
The Wildcats are ranked for the sixth consecutive week and the seventh time this season. It is the program's second-highest ranking since April 2024, when they were ranked #12.
Daemen currently holds a 19-2 record, including a 12-0 ECC mark. The Wildcats most recently earned two more conference wins on the road last week, defeating the University of the District of Columbia 79-51 and Staten Island 78-75 in overtime. The wins helped Daemen remain undefeated in ECC play and extended their win streak to 10 games. This is the second straight season that Daemen has started conference action 10-0.
The Wildcats are 8-1 at home, 9-0 on the road, and 2-1 in neutral-site contests. The team is also 2-1 against nationally ranked opponents, with wins over #24 Holy Family (66-61) and #18 Bentley (75-62) and a loss against #5 Gannon (57-50).
Daemen went undefeated in January (8-0), with ECC wins over Roberts Wesleyan (86-49), D'Youville (63-45), Molloy (73-60), Queens (81-43), Staten Island (78-52), and the University of the District of Columbia (67-54). The Wildcats logged their second win over a nationally ranked opponent on Jan. 1, defeating #18 Bentley, 75-62. Daemen then beat Franklin Pierce 76-42 two days later, wrapping up its non-conference slate.
The Wildcats defeated Texas A&M Kingsville 80-75 in overtime at the Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., on Dec. 20. Daemen completed a 4-0 stretch to start ECC play in December, defeating St. Thomas Aquinas, Mercy, Molloy, and Queens.
Earlier in non-conference action, Daemen earned a 66-61 victory over #24 nationally ranked Holy Family on Nov. 30. The Wildcats also defeated Chestnut Hill, Goldey-Beacom, and Wilmington.
Daemen is led offensively by Ne'vaeh Buntley (Rochester, N.Y.), who averages 16.8 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. The sophomore ranks third in the conference in scoring. Claire Pikett (Holland, N.Y.) leads the conference in steals per game (3.6 SPG) and sits sixth in blocks (1.4 BPG), while averaging 12.6 PPG (10th in the ECC) and 5.2 RPG.
Shyla Montgomery (Brockton, Mass.) is tied for third in the conference in assists (3.1 APG) and is second in steals (2.4 SPG). Julia Fontanillo (Valladolid, Spain) is tied for fifth in assists (2.9 APG), and Buntley is tied for eighth in steals (1.9 SPG).
The Wildcats are home for the final time in the regular season this weekend, hosting Mercy at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and St. Thomas Aquinas on Sunday at 12 p.m. for senior day.
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.
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