Saint Joseph's (0-0) vs. Rider Broncs (0-0)

Tuesday, November 7 | 7 p.m. | Hagan Arena
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Tickets

 
GAMEDAY LINKS
Saint Joseph's: Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes
Rider: Roster | Schedule | Stats

Saint Joseph's opens its 2023-24 season this Tuesday as the Hawks host Rider. Tuesday's tip is set for 7 p.m., with the contest streaming on ESPN+.

• Saint Joseph's is 33-17 all-time in season-openers.
• Under Cindy Griffin, the Hawks are 13-9 in season-opening games and 17-5 in home openers.
• Tuesday will be the eighth meeting for the two programs, St. Joe's holding a 6-1 advantage entering the matchup.
• The Hawks are 3-1 all-time at home against Rider, the only loss in the matchup having come in the lone game inside Hagan Arena.
• Last year, the two teams met as Laura Ziegler's first career double-double helped lift the Hawks to a 60-53 win.
 
THREE NAMED TO THE ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
The trio of Talya Brugler, Laura Ziegler and Mackenzie Smith were all recognized to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference Team this season. Brugler was placed on the first team in the preseason nod along with Big 5 and Atlantic 10 First Team honors last season. Ziegler comes off a A-10 Rookie of the Year nod, earning second team honors this season. Smith rounded off the trio with a third team honor after earning postseason honors last year in both the A-10 and Big 5.

HAWKS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN A-10
Saint Joseph's has been picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10's preseason poll that was chosen by a panel of the A-10's head coaches. The Hawks earned their highest picked finish since 2013-14; the team that made the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

NEARING 1K
Looking to replace the mark of a 1,000 point scorer in Katie Jekot, who became the 26th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 points last season, the Hawks have a trio of players who are all nearing that mark on their career. Chloe Welch (984), Talya Brugler (838) and Mackenzie Smith (695) all remain within striking distance to hit the benchmark this season. Welch's 984 points all came through a five-year span at Davidson. Additionally, Bridget Monaghan joins the Hawks with a wealth of offensive accolades, including a team-leading 1,275 points during her career at the University of Scranton.

WHAT'S NEW AT ST. JOE'S?
Five newcomers joined the squad for the upcoming 2023-24 season, including three freshmen (Gabby Casey, Lizzy Gruber, Aleah Snead) and a pair of graduate transfers (Bridget Monaghan, Chloe Welch).
• Bridget Monaghan - transfer from University of Scranton, where she was a WBCA All-American in 2022-23; 2x Landmark Conference Player of the Year; went 86-9 during her career at Scranton
• Chloe Welch - transfer from Davidson, where she played five years from 2018-23; started in 83 of her 115 appearances for the Wildcats, averaging over 8.6 points per contest. 
• Gabby Casey - graduate of Lansdale Catholic; all-time leading scorer in school history (both boy's and girl's); 2023 Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Player of the Year; PIAA Class 4A Champion in 2023.
• Lizzy Gruber - graduate of Gardiner Area; crowned Miss Maine Basketball 2023; first female in Maine history to get 1,000 rebounds before 1,000 points; holds school record in rebounds.
• Aleah Snead - graduate of Penn Charter; a 1,000 point scorer for PC; First Team All-Inter Ac in 2023 as well as 3A First Team All-State selection.