Entering year two under coach Amy Eagan, the Lions women’s basketball team will look to improve upon the 2023-24 season that saw them finish 7-21 and 5-13 in the OVC.
There were many games that Lindenwood would’ve liked back that season, as Lindenwood found itself in many close games, dropping eight contests by seven points or less. The Lions will just continue to build here in year two as a lot of growth is going on within the program as well as an understanding of what everyone’s role is going to be once the season rolls around. Hearing from coach Eagan on the Ohio Valley Conference media day she talked about how things are way more competitive this year in practice, and how that will translate to the court. She also spoke on how the strength of this team is going to be the depth that it possesses, and how as the season chugs along, Lindenwood will look to be a very up-in-your-face team and look to make teams uncomfortable by pressing them all season long.
The Lions will be led by Ellie Brueggemann, who was selected to the OVC All-Conference second team last year as a freshman. Brueggemann enters her sophomore campaign after averaging 13.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. She will also look to build off a season that saw her shoot 38% from the field, 34% from three, and 92% from the free throw line. Brueggemann comes in as a preseason OVC player to watch, named by the conference last week. In 28 games last year, she posted 22 double-digit scoring efforts including a season-high 27 vs. UT Martin. Brueggemann will be one of the Lions’ top players this season, and will likely be at the top of all of the opponents’ scouting reports for the Lions.
Brooke Coffey was the other player for Lindenwood selected as a preseason OVC player to watch. Coffey makes her way here to St. Charles after spending her freshman season at Illinois State. Coffey, a St. Charles, native appeared in all 34 games for the Redbirds averaging 3.3 points, and 2.7 rebounds in 14.3 minutes. She posted four double-figure scoring efforts including a season-high 11 points on three different occasions. Coffey will look to build off her freshman season and improve her stats to take the next steps to become a high-level player here at Lindenwood. Coffey will pair nicely with Brueggemann, and combine for a nice tandem for the Lions that opponents will have to contend with.
Mya Skoff is another returning player to Lindenwood after appearing in all 28 games for the Lions last year. Skoff, a 5’10 guard, averaged 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1 assist last season while also shooting 38% from the field, 31% from three, and 75% from the free throw line. Skoff tallied a season-high 16 points last season against Southern Indiana. Skoff, Brueggman, and Coffey will be a nice trio of guards for coach Eagan to work with, and play around with different lineups to create the maximum output of efficiency while on the court.
Mykayla Cunningham is another guard who will look to build off a solid freshman season here at Lindenwood. Cunningham appeared in 27 games last season, starting in four of them, and averaged 7.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 40% from the field, 14% from three, and 54% from the free throw line. Cunningham was second on the team last year in steals (46) and assists (62) and had a career-high 17 points against Eastern Illinois.
Mary McGrath is another returning guard, who returns as one of Lindenwood’s top defenders. McGrath appeared in 25 games last season, starting in 12 of them, and averaged 3.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and a steal per game last season. McGrath scored a season-high 10 points against Tennessee Tech last season and will be a senior leader for the Lions to look to and feed off her energy.
Justis Odom enters her second year at Lindenwood. Odom, a 6’2 center for the Lions, will look to anchor down the front court for the Lions, coming off a season that saw her start in 25 of 27 games she played in and average 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and shoot 46% from the field and 73% from the free throw line. Odom scored a career-high 24 points against Little Rock last season and will pair nicely with the group of talented guards on the roster.
Alyssa Nielsen, a six-foot forward, will join Odom in the Lions front court. Nielsen enters this year building off a nice freshman season that saw her appear in 26 games, starting in 13, and averaging 8.2 points, and 3.5 rebounds. She scored a career-high 18 points against Tennessee Tech last year. Nielsen will also build off a season that saw her shoot 47% from the field, which led the team, 24% from three, and 75% from the free throw line. Nielsen should pair well with Odom and create a stable front court for Lindenwood that they can lean on to control the paint, grab rebounds, both on the offensive and defensive end, and be able to knock down shots when the ball is passed to them in open space.
Tiana Winn and Mariah Stewart are a couple of transfers that will help aid in the front-court depth, behind both Odom and Nielsen. Winn joins the Lions after spending last season at Butler Community College, where she averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds. She appeared in 33 games and started in 21 of them for the Grizzly Bears. Winn scored in double digits eight times and posted two double-doubles while having a season-high 16 points.
Stewart comes to Lindenwood after spending the last two seasons at the University of Louisiana. In 44 career games for the Ragin’ Cajuns, Stewart averaged 3.3 points, and two rebounds per game. Both Winn and Stewart are welcomed additions to the Lions, and will be a great source of depth behind Odom and Nielsen but will also push them to be at their best and will be able to step in and perform their roles adequately.
Kiara Smith is the only freshman on the roster and joins the Lions after spending her high school career as a two-sport athlete at Harding Charter Prep in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma before transferring to Douglas High School.
An exciting non-conference schedule awaits the Lions that sees them play the Kansas Jayhawks, Bradley University, University of Missouri – Kansas City, Oral Roberts, and the Cornhuskers of Nebraska. Lindenwood will play a total of nine non-conference games before beginning their 20 games OVC slate. Lindenwood finished last year 6-7 at home and 1-14 on the road and will look to improve that road record if they want to be able to compete with the top dogs in the OVC.
Looking at the OVC, Lindenwood women’s basketball is picked to finish 7th out of 11 teams in the conference preseason poll but is a dark horse to exceed those expectations and surprise some people in the OVC in year two under Amy Eagan.
Lindenwood women’s basketball opens up their season on Nov. 6th as they travel to Lawrence, Kansas to play the Jayhawks at Kansas University. The Lions will have their home opener on Nov. 12, as they play host to Bradley University. Lindenwood will open up OVC play on Dec. 19 as they welcome Tennesee Tech to town, a team that beat Lindenwood by 30 last season.
