ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball (0-0, 0-0 MAC) opens the 2023-24 season with a MAC-Sun Belt Challenge matchup at Appalachian State (1-0, 0-0 SBC) on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Boone, N.C. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET in the Holmes Convocation Center and fans will be able to watch the game on ESPN+.
 
MAC-SBC CHALLENGE
The MAC-SBC Challenge -- a scheduling alliance in the sports of men's and women's basketball -- will kick off during the opening week of the 2023-24 season this November with 12 Mid-American Conference (MAC) men's basketball programs hosting 12 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) teams, while the 12 MAC women's basketball programs will visit 12 SBC teams. 
 
Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge, currently scheduled to take place during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns, is guaranteed one home and one away game each season. Scheduling assistance is provided by Ordinal Sports Group. In addition to relevant NET data, geography and frequency of past contests is considered in determining the matchups.
 
Each MAC-SBC Challenge game will be carried on an ESPN platform.
 
SCOUTING APPALACHIAN STATE
Appalachian State finished last season with an 11-20 overall and 6-12 conference record. Following the regular season, the Mountaineers defeated No. 7 seed, Louisiana, to advance to the Sun Belt Tournament Quarterfinal where they ultimately fell to No. 2 seeded, Texas State.
 
App State returns three of its top five scorers following the departure of Janay Sanders (R-Sr.) and Brooke Bigott (Gr.). After leading the team in rebounds (128) last season, recording 380 points, junior Emily Carver should be one of the Mountaineers' main offensive threats this year. Other notable returners for App State that ranked in the top five of more than one statistic category include Faith Alston (Sr.), Alexis Black (So.) and Mariah Frazier (Gr.).
 
The Mountaineers opened their season with a home matchup against UNC Greensboro. App State defeated UNCG, 71-65.  The Mountaineers were led by senior Faith Alston who recorded 15 points, went 5-13 from the field and 5-8 from the line. Junior J'Mani Ingram also contributed 13 points, making five from the field. Junior Emily Carver recorded her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
 
SCOUTING OHIO
Under 11-year head coach Bob Bolden, the Bobcats are coming off a 6-23 season and 4-14 performance in conference play. Ohio returns seven players from last season including senior Peyton Guice (Westerville, Ohio), junior Kate Dennis (Rockford, Ill.) and sophomore Jaya McClure (Louisville, Ky.). Senior Kailah Johnson (Holland, Ohio), redshirt junior Madi Mace (Parkersburg, W. Va.), junior Aja Austin (Westerville, Ohio) and sophomore Cassidy Lafler (Dublin, Ohio) also return for the Bobcats.
 
The Green and White adds seven newcomers to this season's roster. Two new members of the team are transfers Bengisu Alper (Istanbul, Turkey) and Kennedi Watkins (Ballwin, Mo.). Ohio also welcomes five freshmen: Emma Barnett (Mount Washington, Ky.), Asiah Baxter (Indianapolis, Ind.), Laylay Fantroy (Palestine, Texas), Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) and Monica Williams (Indianapolis, Ind.).
 
The Bobcats were selected to finish ninth in this year's MAC Preseason Poll, which was released on Nov. 2.
 
ALL TIME VS APPALACHIAN STATE
The Bobcats have only played Appalachian State three times and are 1-2 in their all-time record against the Mountaineers.
 
The first competition between the two teams was in during the 1977-78 season. Ohio played App State twice on the road, losing 64-76 and then 65-70 in both matchups.
 
LAST TIME VS APPALACHIAN STATE
It has been more than 30 years since the Bobcats and Mountaineers played each other. In their last meeting, Ohio took down App State, 89-67, at home.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The women's basketball team concluded the 2022-23 season at the Convocation Center with a senior day and conference matchup versus Eastern Michigan; the Bobcats fell to the Eagles, 74-64. Prior to the start of regular season play, Ohio faced off with Marietta in an exhibition game at home. The Bobcats defeated Marietta, 92-62. Ohio was led by freshman Monica Williams and Kennedi Watkins, who scored 17 and 16 points apiece. Freshman Laylay Fantroy led the team in rebounds with 11 in addition to recording three assists, two steals and eight points. Sophomore Cassidy Lafler netted 13 points while junior Kate Dennis also added 11 points for the Bobcats.
 
THE RETURN OF MCCLURE
At the end of her debut season with the Bobcats, sophomore, Jaya McClure (Louisville, Ky.) , ranked third on the team in points (209), field goals made (70), steals (29) as well as second in assists (71). As a freshman, she played in 26 and started in five games, amassing a total of 706 minutes.
 
McClure's performance on the court earned her a spot on the All-MAC Freshman Team.  The Louisville, Ky. native was among the top three offensive contributors for Ohio during the 2022-23 season. McClure recorded a career-high 22 points, seven assists and went 6-6 from the free throw line in the Bobcats' conference win against Central Michigan (Feb. 18).
 
VETERAN BOBCATS
Junior guard Kate Dennis (Rockford, Ill.) was a consistent contributor for the Bobcats, being one of the two players that started and played in all 29 games last season. Dennis finished the 2022-23 season ranked second in minutes played (844), third in three-pointers (29) and blocks (13), fourth in steals (42) and fifth in assists (21). The junior recorded multiple career bests last season including 12 points, four FGM and 3FG made versus Ball State (1/28/23).
 
Coming off the bench last season, senior Kailah Johnson (Holland, Ohio) played in 28 games as a guard for Ohio. Johnson opened the season versus LIU (L, 67-74) with a career-high 12 points, recording a .600 FG%, 3FG% and .500 FT%. The senior finished the season with 58 points, 16 steals and 26 rebounds.
 
Junior Aja Austin (Westerville, Ohio) and sophomore Cassidy Lafler (Dublin, Ohio) are the only two returning players in the forward position. With the help of newcomers, Austin and Lafler have big shoes to fill on the court after the departure of Ohio's two starting forwards. Both players made appearances in 24 games for the Bobcats. Lafler finished her debut season with 53 points, 42 rebounds, 8 steals, four assists and blocks. In 24 games, Austin totaled 20 points, 50 rebounds, five assists, seven steals and four blocks.
 
Also returning for the Bobcats are redshirt junior Madi Mace (Parkersburg, W. Va.) and senior Peyton Guice (Westerville, Ohio) who did not play in the 2022-23 season due to injuries.
 
WELCOME TO ATHENS
Ohio welcomes five freshman and two transfers to its 2023-24 roster.
 
Bengisu Alper (Senior; Istanbul, Turkey): Prior to Ohio, Alper played at Maine, Colorado State and most recently, Northwestern State.  The senior transfer made 11 starts last season and appeared in 28 games. Alper set a new career-high 14 points in a win against Nicholls (Jan. 7) and 11 rebounds at HCU (Feb. 2). With the CSU Rams, she saw action in 34 games across three seasons. As a freshman, Alper played 15 games at Maine and helped the Black Bears to an America East Championships and No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2019.
 
Emma Barnett (Freshman; Mount Washington, Ky): A 6-1 forward, Barnett joins the team as a district and regional champion in Kentucky. Throughout her four years in high school, she has won several awards including being named to All-District and All-Region teams.
 
Asiah Baxter (Freshman; Indianapolis, Ind.):  Former captain of her varsity team, Baxter recorded more than 750 points in high school. The 5-11 guard was recognized as an Indiana Junior All-Star in 2023 in addition to being a three-time All-County, All-State and All-Conference honoree (2020, 2021, 2022). 
 
Laylay Fantroy (Freshman; Palestine, Texas): The 5-11 guard enters her first year with the Bobcats after recording an impressive pre-collegiate career. Fantroy he helped her team to a District Championships and an Area Championships title. With a career high of 30 points in a game, Fantroy was honored as Newcomer of the Year, District MVP and 3x First Team All-District selection.
 
Bailey Tabeling (Freshman; Seymour, Ind.): Tabeling arrives in Athens after a successful high school career which included tallying more than 1,000 points in her first three years on the varsity team. The 5-10 guard was previously named First Team All-State, a 3x Trinity Lutheran MVP and 2021 Player of the Year. She also broke the record for highest scoring freshman in the state of Indiana.
 
Kennedi Watkins (Junior; Ballwin, Mo.): Watkins joins the Bobcats after playing two seasons at Southeast Missouri State (SEMO), where she played in 55 career games and made 32 starts. At SEMO, she averaged 8.6 points, 5.1 rebounds per game, .438 FG% and .588 FT%. In two seasons, Watkins amassed a total of 61 career steals and 35 career blocks. The junior was named to the 2022-23 Preseason All-OVC Team and earned OVC Freshman of the Week twice.
 
Monica Williams (Freshman; Indianapolis, Ind.): Williams was a team captain of the women's basketball team at Lawrence North H.S. for several years. In 2019 and 2020, she helped lead her team to conference, county, sectional, regional, semi-state and state championships. During the 2021-22 season, Williams led the team in assists, was named one of prospects national elite 150 and was an All-USA Central Indiana Super Team Honorable Mention. 
 
MAC PRESEASON POLL
The Ohio women's basketball team was selected to finish ninth in the 2023-24 MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league on Thursday, Nov. 2. Ohio earned 40 points and was chosen to finish above Western Michigan (38), Central Michigan (24) and Miami (23). Toledo (121) was selected to finish first in the conference with 11 first-place votes and the 2024 MAC Tournament with nine votes. Ball State (110) also received one first-place vote, was picked to finish second in the conference and earned two tournament champion votes.
 
BOBCATS STAFF: FAMILIAR FACES
Ohio returns its entire coaching staff from last season. Associate Head Coach Tavares Jackson joins head coach, Bob Bolden, in his 11th season with the Bobcats. Assistant Coach Steph Haas returns for her sixth season while Assistant Coach Chelsea Welch and Director of Operations Ebony Pegues enter their third season with the program. Former Ohio women's basketball player, Kaylee Gregory Bambule, enters her second season with the team as Video Coordinator.
 
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will be back in action as they host Dayton in their home opener on Thursday, Nov. 16. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
 
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