The UMBC women's basketball squad opens the 2022-23 campaign by taking on Gettysburg College on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Tip-off time is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena and Paul Mittermeier and Raven Harris, '13, will have the call on ESPN+.

RETRIEVER PREVIEW

• UMBC (3-23, 2-14 America East, 2021-22) went 24 days without playing a game from mid-December through mid-January of last season.

"Now we're past that part. In order to have greatness, you have to go through a lot. That was our story. We are to the part where we're not just competing, but we're winning games. I have nothing but positive thoughts moving forward after such an up-and-down experience with COVID," said Head coach Johnetta Hayes.

• The Retrievers stayed very competitive down the stretch, winning back-to-back road games in early February and dropped a pair of one-possession contests shortly thereafter.

 
"Our ladies did a good job of competing, keeping good morale, being good teammates, representing America East well, just being solid. I commend them all the time for that," said Head coach Johnetta Hayes.

• Three players – graduate student guard Keelah Dixon and sophomore guard Laycee Drake and sophomore forward Antonio May return from last year's squad. Red-shirt post Paloma Iradier matriculated at UMBC in 2021-22, but did not compete.

• Dixon, who was third on the squad with 9.1 points per game, scored double-digits in eleven games, including the last four of the season. Drake competed in 20 games, played extensive minutes down the stretch, and is making a push for a prominent role in 2022-23.

"We brought in ten new players that we're excited about, three freshmen, two transfers and five graduate students with some NCAA (Tournament) experience. We're pretty excited about the future here," said Hayes.

• Guards Ashia McCalla, KK White and Nia Staples and post Kiara Bell are expected to make an immediate impact for the Retrievers. McCalla earned All-MEAC Honors in three of her four seasons at Morgan State and scored over 1,000 points for the Lady Bears.  White is a deep threat who competed on Wright State's 2020-21 NCAA Tournament Team. Staples has played in over 50 games at the point guard slot at the "Power Five" level.
• Bell earned four letters at Long Island University and averaged 10.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in 2019-20.  

"We have some strong, confident players and we are where we want to be. This is the culture we have wanted to create and I can finally see it coming together," said Hayes.  

A GLANCE AT GETTYSBURG:

• NCAA Division III Gettysburg finished 25-4 last season and were 19-1 in the Centennial Conference. The Bullets spent most of the season ranked in the national Top 25, peaking at  No. 19 Their season ended with a home loss to No. 10 Baldwin Wallace in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship.
• Head Coach Nate Davis has posted a record of 134-33 in six seasons at Gettysburg.
• The 2022-23 squad is very young, with six freshman and four sophomores comprising the 13-player roster. Junior Mackenzie Szlosek is one of the team's top returners, as she averaged 9.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season and earned All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades.

SERIES RECORD

• UMBC has won all five previous contests from 2016 through last season.
• The Retrievers triumphed, 79-33, last Nov. 9. Dixon was one of five UMBC players in double figures, as she debuted with 15 points off the bench.  

NEXT UP

• The Retrievers travel to Charlottesville to take on the University of Virginia on Thursday, Nov. 10. Tip-off time from John Paul Jones Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.