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The Niagara University women's basketball team will tip-off the 2014-15 season on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. against the Youngstown State Penguins at the Beeghly Center.

Niagara (0-0) will look to continue the progress it made during the 2013-14 season, as Kendra Faustin begins her eighth season with a squad that is ready to make some noise in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Though last season's record (10-20, 8-12 MAAC) doesn't show it, the Purple Eagles improved as the season went on, before falling to the Monmouth Hawks, 66-62, in the MAAC Tournament.

This season, Niagara will rely on a veteran-laden team in its run for a MAAC Championship.  Sharpshooter Meghan McGuinness and floor General Kelly Van Leeuwen will be counted on to lead the charge in the backcourt as the senior duo look to end their careers on a high-note. McGuinness, who came to Niagara from Lincroft, N.J., currently sits fourth all-time with 194 career 3-pointers made, just 67 from the top spot. Van Leeuwen currently has 239 assists throughout her career. The Brantford, Ont. native is just 42 helpers away from cracking the top-10 in Purple Eagle history. Another key returner is senior forward Val McQuade, who finished last season hitting 89-for-214 (41.6 percent) of field goals and 30-of-39 (76.9 percent) free throws. She also went 46-for-113 (40.7 percent) from beyond the arc.

The team will also count on the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year, Victoria Rampado to continue her development into a dominant post-player. The sophomore out of Niagara Falls, Ont. was just the third Purple Eagle to win the award, and the first since Kayle Stroman in 2009-10. Fellow returnees Taylor McKay and Tiffany Corselli will be counted on for backcourt help while Gabby Baldasare, Donisha Watson, and Sam Lapszynski will provide excellent frontcourt depth.

Niagara also welcomes four new players into the program. Kelyn Freedman (Radford, Pa.), a transfer from Georgetown University will finish her eligibility as a grad student with the Purple and White. Jamie Sherburne (Hudson, N.H.), Simone Hobdy (Queens, N.Y.), and Kaylee Stroemple (Canton, Ohio), join the program as freshmen.

Youngstown State is returning six players, including two starters, from last season's 15-win campaign. The Penguins finished third in the Horizon League last year with their season coming to end in the conference semifinals to Wright State. Heidi Schlegel returns to Youngstown State as a senior, after her junior campaign saw her lead the team in both scoring (20.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.0). Her 20.0 points-per-game was also good for the 2nd best in the conference.
 
How To Tune In

• ESPN3
• Fans can follow all of Saturday's action via Live Stats that can be found online at PurpleEagles.com.

Against the Penguins

• Saturday's game will be the 11th meeting between the two programs, with Youngstown State leading the series 6-4.

Blast from the Past

• The last time Niagara and Youngstown met was in 2008.
• Niagara shined in the first half as he Purple Eagles went on a17-0 run to build a 25-9 lead. Niagara maintained a 10-point lead early in the second half, despite shooting only 22.2 percent (2-9) from the field.  However, the Penguins cut the lead to seven points at 10:22 in the second.
• YSU would eventually cut the lead to three, 49-46, with 5:40 left, but NU hit a 3-pointer to give Niagara some breathing room. The Purple Eagles would close the game on a 16-5 run to win 65-51.
• Current assistant coach Erika Harris scored 13 points to lead NU.

 
Staff Updates

• Corinne Jones has recently been promoted to Associated Head for the Purple Eagles.
• Former Niagara women's basketball player, Erika Harris joins the NU staff as an assistant coach.
• Rene'e Polka begins her first season as the team's Director of Basketball operations and her fifth with the program overall. She spent three seasons as the team's manager before serving as the team's graduate assistant last season.

 
Season Openers

• The Purple Eagles are 17-24 all-time on opening day.
• They are 2-5 under coach Faustin in the opening game of the season.  The first opening day win came on Nov. 10, 2007 against Colgate (78-39) in her first ever game as head coach.  The second was in the 2012-13 season on the road against Robert Morris (63-59).
• The team is 12-11 all-time when it opens the season at home.