JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 4, 2024) – East Tennessee State University women's basketball is set to open the 2024-25 season at No. 9/8 North Carolina State on Tuesday.

The Bucs were picked to finish fifth in the SoCon in the preseason coaches poll. Senior guard Kendall Folley was named to the preseason all-conference team after averaging 8.0 points on 37.4% shooting from the field and 3.2 rebounds per game during the 2023-24 season.

ETSU also returns 5th year guard Courtney Moore, junior forward Meghan Downing and sophomore guard Brecken Snotherly.

ETSU lost a significant amount of production to graduation and the transfer portal. The returning quartet combined for less than half of all of ETSU's production, including 39.8% of points and 38.7% of minutes, aside from blocked shots (52.7% returning) in 2023-24.

The Bucs added four transfers to complement the returns. Graduate forward Isabella Hunt joins ETSU from Mt. St. Mary's, senior guard Braylyn Milton comes to Johnson City from Cincinnati, junior guard Gemma Grüttner Bacoul joins the Bucs after two years at McCook CC and redshirt junior guard Paige Lyons heads to Johnson City from Wagner.

A quintet of freshmen joined the squad for the 2024-25 season: guard Lucy Hood, guard Kaylee Carson, guard Carmen Richardson, guard Jaidyn Harper and forward Kennedy Younkin.

The Wolfpack return three starters – Saniya Rivers, Aziaha James and Madison Hayes – and with Zoe Brooks, four of the team's six top scorers from last season. NC State made the Final Four before losing to eventual national champion South Carolina.

Tuesday's season opener marks the third all-time meeting between NC State and ETSU. NC State won both of the first two matchups.

The game will be broadcast on ACCNX and is available on the ESPN app with a cable subscription. Single-game tickets can be purchased HERE. For more information on Buccaneer women's basketball, follow @ETSU_WBB on X (Twitter) and Instagram, and visit ETSUBucs.com.