GROVE CITY, Pa. – Coming off of the inaugural Presidents' Athletic Conference North Division title last season, the Grove City College women's basketball team enters the upcoming campaign with plenty of optimism and experience.
The 2026-27 season is the 50
th anniversary of Grove City's first season of intercollegiate women's basketball. Four senior letterwinners will help lead the Wolverines into this milestone year.
Guards
Alexa McDole (Evans City, Pa./Mars),
Sarah Pifer (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) and
Bethany Thompson (Exeter Township, Pa./High Point Baptist) return this year, as does forward
Brooke McCoy (Irwin, Pa./Hempfield). All four are expected to compete for starting spots this year.
McDole led Grove City with 28 three-point goals last year. The sharp-shooting southpaw also ranked second on the team with 30 steals and third with 30 assists. She made 19 starts last year and will be a key component in the Wolverine backcourt this winter.
Pifer has played in 53 games over the last two seasons and will compete for the starting point guard spot. She is a 35 percent shooter from behind the three-point line in her career and will be counted on for backcourt scoring again in 2026-27.
Thompson has started 24 games in her career at shooting guard and small forward. The 5-foot-8 Thompson will look to again be a defensive stopper on the perimeter for the Wolverines.
McCoy has the inside track to start at the center position after averaging a career-high 6.0 points per game last season. She shot 41 percent from the field while playing in all 26 games at forward.
Junior forwards
Kailey Devlin (Turbotville, Pa./Meadowbrook Christian) and
Alexis Hudson (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) also return after earning full-time starting roles as sophomores. Devlin averaged 6.0 points per game while making 22 starts. The 5-foot-8 Devlin also dished out 30 assists and added 25 steals as a first-year starter.
Hudson, meanwhile, earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors after averaging 8.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last year. The 5-11 Hudson added 23 three-point goals and is expected to play a key role at both ends of the floor for the Wolverines.
Two sophomore letterwinners return in the backcourt,
Kate Kline (Nottingham, Pa./Oxford) and
Haley Mach (Hillsdale, Mich./Jonesville). Kline made three starts last season and averaged 3.5 points per game as a rookie.
Mach, meanwhile, appeared in 24 games as a reserve at the point. Both players are competing for spots in the starting lineup.
Forward
Anna Novelli (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) made 16 appearances as a freshman. She will challenge for a regular spot in the frontcourt rotation this season.
Second-year forward
Izzie Gamble (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) will also compete for time in the Wolverine rotation after missing last season due to injury.
Eight freshmen round out Grove City's 2026-27 roster. Fourth-year head coach
Jason Baker expects several of those newcomers to compete for playing time this season.
The Wolverines open the regular season Saturday, November 7 at Carlow. The home schedule tips off November 11 against Pitt-Bradford. Grove City begins the conference schedule Saturday, November 21 at Hiram.
