West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University’s women’s basketball team is set to begin its 2025-26 season with an exhibition game against Quincy University. The matchup will take place on Tuesday, October 28 at Western Hall in Macomb, Illinois, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Central Time. Admission to the exhibition is free and does not require a ticket.

This marks the third season that Western Illinois competes in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). In their last meeting with Quincy in November 2022, the Leathernecks secured a 63-48 victory.

Head coach JD Gravina leads a roster that returns 11 players from last season, including senior guards Allie Meadows and Addi Brownfield, who were both named OVC Preseason Players to Watch. Junior guard Raegan McCowan and senior forward Mia Nicastro also return after being recognized as All-OVC Players.

The team welcomes new additions such as Mallory Shetly, who previously played at Columbia, and freshman forward Sidney Skrobot from Sudbury, Ontario.

Quincy University enters the contest under new head coach Ali Schwagmeyer-Belger. Schwagmeyer-Belger was appointed on April 29, 2025. Her background includes coaching at John Wood Community College and playing professionally overseas in Germany, Spain, and Australia. Last season, Quincy posted a 25-8 record and appeared in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Grand Valley State University in the opening round.

Among returning players for Western Illinois is Raegan McCowan, who surpassed 1,000 career points during her sophomore year and was included on both the All-OVC Players List and the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List for 2026. McCowan averaged 22.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season.

Senior forward Mia Nicastro also returns after averaging 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last year.

The OVC preseason poll placed Western Illinois third heading into this season—the highest ranking since joining the league—after finishing with a .500 overall record (17-17) last year and going 8-12 in conference play. Lindenwood Lions are favored to win the OVC this year according to preseason voting.

For Quincy, leading scorer Acheampomaa Danso returns after averaging 8.1 points per game last season along with solid rebounding numbers. Hampton Williams joins Quincy for her first season after previous stints at Abilene Christian and Kansas Wesleyan.

After facing Quincy in this exhibition game, Western Illinois will open its regular season at home against Westminster College on November 4 at Western Hall. More details about upcoming games can be found at https://goleathernecks.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule.

Fans can follow updates about Leatherneck Women’s Basketball through GoLeathernecks.com or by following their social media accounts on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.