SIUE Cougars (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
vs. Judson Eagles (1-1, 0-0 CCAC)
November 3, 2026 | 6 p.m.
Edwardsville, Ill. || First Community Arena
 
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE women's basketball will open the 2026-27 regular season Tuesday night, taking on the Judson University Eagles at 6 p.m. in First Community Arena. The Cougars women's basketball team has a 26-21 all-time record in season openers, as well as a 32-15 all-time record in home openers.
 
SERIES: Tuesday's contest between SIUE and Judson will be just the second time the two programs have met, with the only other meeting coming 37 years ago on January 27, 1989. The Cougars won the matchup 88-53.
 
PRESEASON HONORS: The 2026-27 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll saw SIUE predicted to finished second in the conference standings, receiving 113 total points and four first-place votes.
 
Also receiving recognition in the polls were returning sophomore standouts Kiyoko Proctor and Lauren Miller, who were named as the Cougars' Returning All-OVC members, each coming off historic freshman campaigns for SIUE. Additionally, senior Ava Gugliuzza and junior Adriana Blazquez were named as the Cougars "Players to Watch" throughout the 2026-27 season.
 
A NEW LOOK: The 2026-27 women's basketball team welcomes eight newcomers, including four transfers and four freshmen. Transfers Pryelle Kesse-Beda (Thomas College), Giselle Dogan (Jessup University), Riley Abney (Schoolcraft College), and Tyra Robinson (Missouri State) each arrive in Edwardsville with at least two seasons of collegiate basketball experience.
 
The four freshmen joining the Cougars include Brooke Blankenship (Festus, Mo.), Taylor Trame (Aviston, Ill.), Jayla McClinton (Raytown, Mo.), and Alex Nicastro (St. Charles, Mo.).

AT THE HELM: Samantha Quigley Smith is entering her sixth season as head coach of the Cougars, and fourteenth overall as a collegiate head coach.

SUPPORT STAFF: Coach Quigley Smith added three new members to her coaching staff this offseason, with assistant coach Caprice Smith joining the Cougars after four years with UIC and two years with DePaul. As a player, Smith starred at DePaul from 2004-08 alongside head coach Samantha Quigley Smith and her sister Allie Quigley.
 
Quigley Smith also added two new graduate assistant coaches to the roster, Jessica Kelliher and Veronica Sheffey. Kelliher comes to the Cougars after playing professionally overseas in Spain, Sweden, and Belgium. She won a league championship with Real Celta de Vigo of Spain, and won the league's Most Valuable Player award. Sheffey joins SIUE after playing her final season of collegiate basketball at TCU, where she helped lead the Horned Frogs to an Elite Eight appearance in 2025-26.