GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's basketball team tips off its 2024-25 season this weekend when the Pioneers host the Jersey Mike's Regional Challenge at Pioneer Arena.
The Pioneers will host Lees-McRae on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m., followed by Columbus State against Catawba at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, Nov. 10, Catawba and Lees-McRae play at 2 p.m. with Tusculum taking on Columbus State at 4 p.m.
Tusculum welcomes back four starters from last year's squad for second-year head coach Roger Hodge. The Pioneers have bolstered their roster with the addition of three transfers and five freshmen to the eight returnees from the 2023-24 season.
PIONEER PREVIEW
GUARDS
Grad student Abbi Douglas (Ashland City, Tenn.) returns to the court after playing three seasons (2019-22) at the University of the Cumberlands, where she scored 805 points in 81 games (9.9 ppg) and was honorable mention All Mid-South Conference during the 2021-22 season.
Senior Monique Shim (Kirtland, N.Mex.) joined the Pioneers at midseason last year and averaged 7.8 points per game in 12 games, including eight starts. Shim was third on the team with 20 three-pointers, and made at least one three-pointer in 10 of the 12 games she played.
Sophomore Artasia Cole (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) played in 23 games last season, finishing strong with back-to-back double-digit scoring games. Cole averaged 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds per game.
Moving up from the Tusculum junior varsity program are junior Sariah Johnson (Huntsville, Ala.) and sophomore Trinity Upton (Sweetwater, Tenn.).
Joining the Pioneers are international freshmen Ema Nagyova (Zia nad Hronom, Slovakia), who comes to Tusculum from Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, Zoe Sharpe (Glasgow, Scotland), who has extensive international experience with Scotland and Great Britain age group teams, and Angela Gomez (Rincon de la Victoria, Spain).
FORWARDS
Grad student Jenna Kallenberg (Knoxville, Tenn.) begins her fourth season with the Pioneers after averaging 6.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in 26 games (13 starts) last season. Kallenberg made at least one three-pointer in 22 of her 26 games, and was second on the team with 35 made threes. She is averaging 3.9 points in 59 career games for the Pioneers.
Junior Carleigh Wilson (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) started 24 games last year and averaged 8.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while leading the team with 26 steals. Wilson was fourth on the team with 17 three-pointers and ranked second on the team with 55 assists and 21 blocked shots. Wilson is averaging 6.2 points in 36 career games.
Senior Jalyn Spurlin (Tampa, Fla.) played four seasons at Anderson (2019-23), where she collected 748 points (8.0 ppg) and 2.5 rebounds per game in 93 contests. Spurlin averaged 11.9 points per game during the 2022-23 season and was a member of the SAC All-Tournament team.
Junior Danyell Booker (Fresno, Calif.) transferred to Tusculum after two full seasons at Cal State Dominguez Hills, where she averaged 7.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 59 career games (24 starts). Booker averaged 8.0 points and 4.2 rebounds and scored in double figures 10 times during her last full season of 2022-23.
Sophomore Jordyn Roderick (Greeneville, Tenn.) played in 17 games last season and averaged 4.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game, while ranking fifth on the team with 15 three-pointers on a team-best 44.1 percent shooting from three-point range.
CENTERS
Sophomore Ni'Kiah Chesterfield (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) was a member of the SAC All-Freshman Team last season after leading the Pioneers in scoring (12.4 ppg), rebounding (5.7 rpg) and blocked shots (1.04 per game). She reached double figures in scoring 17 times and shot at least 50 percent from the field 15 times. Chesterfield ranked seventh in the SAC in shooting at 51.1 percent, sixth in foul shooting at 82.5 percent and ninth in blocks.
Joining the program are freshmen Jenna Sparks (Williamson, W.Va.) and Josie Horner (Mascot, Tenn.). The 6-3 Sparks was district Player of the Year at Belfry High School, where she averaged 12.2 points, 11.6 rebounds and seven blocks a game as a senior. The 6-1 Horner was an All-District selection at Northview Academy.
REGIONAL CHALLENGE PREVIEW
Lees Mc-Rae (2-21, 1-17 Conference Carolinas) welcomes back fifth-year guard/forward Emily Barr (11.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and sophomore guard Kirsten Watt (9.1 ppg) for first-year head coach Lauren Galvani. The Bobcats were tied for 14th in the CC preseason poll.
Columbus State (19-10, 13-5 Peach Belt Conference) is ranked 24th in the WBCA Division II preseason poll, and has its top two scorers back in junior guard Letiya Reeves (17.0 ppg), a second-team All-Region pick last year, along with graduate guard Olonna Rawls (10.6 ppg), a third-team All-PBC pick.
Catawba (24-6, 17-3 SAC) has won the conference regular-season title two straight years, and was picked fifth in the SAC preseason coaches poll. Senior guard Nala Baker averaged 8.6 ppg last year, but is the top returning scorer as the Indians look to replace three double-figure scorers who used up their eligibility.
