EAST STROUDSBURG – The East Stroudsburg University Women's Basketball team, guided by fourth-year head coach Diane Decker, will open its 2018-19 campaign this weekend at Shippensburg.

The Warriors will play a pair of games at the 2018 Wolf's Bus Lines Basketball Classic, taking on Wheeling Jesuit at 1 p.m. on Saturday before an 11 a.m. matchup with Bowie State the following morning. ESU, ranked No. 2 in the conference's preseason East division coaches' poll, is coming off a 16-11 season which included a 14-8 mark in conference play and a third-straight appearance in the PSAC quarterfinals.
 
ESU received votes in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region women's basketball preseason poll that was released on Oct. 29 as the Warriors came in at No. 8. Five teams from the PSAC were represented in the poll with Edinboro receiving 53 votes to pace the 10-team field.
 
"We have a really strong non-conference schedule this season," noted Decker. "Playing teams like Bowie State, Caldwell, Adelphi, and Le Moyne will prepare us and challenge us for another competitive season in the PSAC."
 
The Warriors will host a non-conference matchup against Caldwell on Nov. 13. ESU went 9-5 at Koehler Fieldhouse last season and will open its home slate against the Cougars on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Road matchups will see the Warriors face Chestnut Hill (Nov. 20), Jefferson (Nov. 25), Adelphi (Dec. 15), and Le Moyne (Jan. 2).
 
"The West teams are always tough to play and opening conference play at home against Mercyhurst and Slippery Rock will be a good test to see where we are as a team," said Decker. "Traveling to Edinboro for our first conference action will give us a chance to compete against the top team in the West."
 
Mercyhurst and Slippery Rock will make their way to Koehler Fieldhouse on Dec. 2 & 3. The last trip for the Lakers to East Stroudsburg resulted in a 59-50 defeat at the hands of the Warriors during the 2015-16 season. ESU dropped a 70-66 decision at home against SRU during the 2016-17 campaign.
ESU opens PSAC East play at home on Jan. 9 against Lock Haven at 6 p.m. The Warriors will hit the court for a pair of home contests after returning from a season-long seven game road trip. The trip starts with a Dec. 8 meeting in Edinboro, Pa. and concludes on Jan. 5 with a matchup at Shippensburg.
 
The Warriors will host their Pink Game against Mansfield on Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. while honoring seniors Ann McKnight and Noelle Powell on Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. against Kutztown.
 
Decker returns four starters from the 2017-18 season, including junior Tiffany Lapotsky, who garnered second-team All-PSAC East accolades for ESU. Lapotsky averaged 11.6 points and 3.7 boards per game for the Warriors and reached double figures in 15 of her 26 outings.
 
"We have a really good core returning this season and they are hungry to build off last season," stated Decker. "We had a lot of younger players that stepped in and produced immediately for us last year and we'll look for the same this season."
 
Jordan Hertz will look to continue her balanced play for the Warriors as the junior ranked second in the PSAC a season ago in assists per game (4.6). Hertz also paced ESU in blocks (26) and was second in rebounds per game (5.2). Sophomore Marlene Bassett stormed onto the scene for the Warriors last season, averaging 9.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest. Bassett recorded 268 points, which ranked seventh all-time for an ESU freshman.
 
Powell enters her final season for the Warriors and will try to move up the all-time charts as the Glen Mills, Pa. native ranks eighth in program history with 100-career made 3-pointers. ESU will start the season without the services of McKnight, who led the Warriors in 3-point shooting percentage (39.1).
 
Other returners for the Warriors include junior Dominique Rayam and sophomores Abby Schoffstall, Amanda Pike, and Kaitlyn Swint. Junior Sadie Cresswell will miss the 2017-18 season due to injury.
 
Redshirt freshman Julia Kutz will suit up for ESU this season after taking a medical redshirt last year. Decker will also have a pair of true freshman on the roster in Cassie Ksiazek (South Abington Twp., Pa.) and Maggie Wigoda (Minersville, Pa.).