The Wayne State University women's basketball team hopes to continue the on-court success its had over the last six years during the 2025-26 campaign. WSU compiled a 20-12 record a season ago, with four of those setbacks coming against the 2025 national champion squad from GVSU. The Warriors have won 96 contests over the last six seasons.
Wayne State returns three of its top four scorers from a year ago in 5-7 junior guard McKenna Ferguson (Grandville, Mich. / Byron Center), 6-0 senior forward Taylor Thompson (Grand Blanc, Mich.) and senior forward Gabi Lutchka (Grass Lake, Mich.). That trio combined for 1,025 points last season with Ferguson (11.5), Thompson (11.2) and Lutchka (9.3) all averaging over nine points per game.
Shea Tripp, who was an All-Region selection and the 2025 John Wooden Citizenship Cup recipient for her community service work, graduated after scoring over 14 points per game, and playing nearly 31 minutes per contest. Classmate Alyssa Leister tallied 215 points, 77 assists and 33 steals in her senior campaign, while both Ally Shagena and ZaMaria Polk contributed off the bench.
Senior forward Mackenzie Miller (Schoolcraft, Mich. [Lakeland University]) led last season's squad in field goal percentage (.535 / 38-of-71), while Lutchka (55 triples), Ferguson (44 triples) and 5-11 junior guard Annabel Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) are the top returnees from three-point range. Thompson (8.0 RPG), Lutchka (5.0 RPG) and Ferguson (3.2 RPG) are the top returning rebounders. Ferguson is also the top returnee in terms of assists (78) and steals (52).
Other key contributors back in the fold include 5-10 redshirt junior guard Ashley Bower (Portland, Mich.), 5-10 redshirt sophomore forward Lexi Boyke (Frankenmuth, Mich.), 6-0 junior guard Emily Homan (Haslett, Mich.), 5-7 sophomore guard Koko Sylvester (Toledo, Ohio / Start), and 5-11 senior guard Jaci Tubergen (Hudsonville, Mich. [Bowling Green]),
Joining the Warriors this fall are 5-8 freshman guard DeMaya Asberry (Warren, Mich. / Cousino), 5-10 freshman guard Maddy Benard (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. / Grosse Pointe South), 6-1 center Nour Beydoun (Dearborn Heights, Mich. / Crestwood), 5-11 graduate student guard Karrington Gordon (Lincoln Park, Mich. [Central Michigan]), and 6-2 center AJ Rickli (Mattawan, Mich. / Paw Paw).
For the first time in program history, Wayne State will play a countable game on or before November 7th as the Warriors will compete in the DII CCA Tip-Off Classic hosted by Texas Woman's University. WSU will face the host Pioneers on the opening day before battling the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers the following afternoon. It will be WSU's first women's basketball game ever against both TWU and UAH.
The following weekend Wayne State will play a pair of road games against in-region foes Malone (Nov. 14) and Ashland (Nov. 15). On Nov. 19, WSU hosts Hillsdale for its lone home game prior to Thanksgiving, before visiting Northwood on Nov. 26. The league schedule commences in early December as the Warriors visit Purdue Northwest (Dec. 2), prior to hosting Ferris State on Dec. 6. The 2025 portion of the schedule concludes with games at Tiffin (Dec. 9) and Toledo (Dec. 17 - exhibition for WSU), and a home contest vs. Findlay (Dec. 20).
The entire January and February slate will be GLIAC games starting with a road trip to Saginaw Valley State (Jan. 2) and Lake Superior State (Jan. 4). The regular season concludes with the LSSU Lakers and the Cardinals traveling to the WSU Fieldhouse. The GLIAC Tournament will take place March 4-7-8.
