Washington & Jefferson (11-5, 6-1) vs. Allegheny (8-8, 5-2)
 
When: Saturday, January 24, 2026
Where: Washington, Pa.
Court: Salvitti Family Gymnasium
Tipoff: 1:00 PM

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SERIES HISTORY: The Washington & Jefferson College Presidents are set to face the Allegheny Gators in the 42nd edition of women's basketball contests between the two institutions. The two teams split their pair of meetings last season, with each side picking up a win. Allegheny took the second matchup, ending W&J's seven-game streak in the series. Both games came down to the wire, with scoring margins of seven points or fewer.
 
SCOUTING THE GATORS:  Allegheny sits atop the PAC in both field goal shooting (.426) and three-point shooting percentage (.328) as a collective. Sophomore Isabella Antonacci is one of the league's top offensive threats, ranking second in scoring at 17.9 points per game while also leading the conference with 5.9 assists per contest. In the frontcourt, senior Sarah Santicola continues to anchor the Gators, averaging 11.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. The two-time All-PAC honoree has added 41 blocks on the season. Three different Gators have notched a double-double in the 2025–26 campaign, with Santicola accounting for five of those performances. Additionally, Jess Bickart stands among just 14 players in the country to record a triple-double this season.
 
STUMBLE AGAINST SAINT VINCENT: In a matchup of previously unbeaten teams in PAC play, W&J suffered its first conference loss of the season Wednesday, falling to Saint Vincent. The defeat moved the Bearcats into the top spot in the PAC South Division. A decisive third quarter proved to be the difference, as Saint Vincent shot 78.6% from the floor while W&J was limited to 20.0% shooting. Overall, W&J shot just 32.1% from the field in the loss, its lowest team shooting percentage of the season. The Bearcats, who have allowed the fewest points per game of any PAC team during the 2025-26 season, held all but three Presidents to seven or less points in the contest.
 
CONSISTENCY IS KEY: Riley DeRubbo (Washington, Pa./Trinity), Marina Grado (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway), and Katie Kovalchick (Shelocta, Pa./Indiana Area) have each started all 16 games for the Red & Black this season. DeRubbo has scored in double figures in all but two contests during the 2025–26 campaign. Stellanie Loutsion (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) has matched that consistency, reaching double figures in every game but two as well, despite appearing in one fewer game than DeRubbo.
 
PERIMETER PROBLEMS: In the last three Presidents' losses this season, W&J has shot less than 35.0% from the field and 20.0% or worse from three-point range. Currently, no Presidents player has attempted enough three-pointers—or shot efficiently enough from beyond the arc—to rank among the PAC's top 10 three-point shooters.
 
SECONDARY SCORERS: During W&J's most recent winning streak, the Presidents benefited from strong secondary scoring. Over the stretch from Jan. 7 to Jan. 17, a W&J reserve reached double figures in scoring in each game. The following players accomplished that feat:

Jaden Wan (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock)- 11 points vs. Bethany (1/7/26)
Jacey Mullen (New Springfield, Ohio/Springfield Local)- 10 points vs. Geneva (1/10/26)
Michelle Jellison (Monongahela, Pa./Elizabeth Forward)- 10 points vs. Waynesburg (1/14/26)
Jellison- 10 points vs. Hiram (1/17/26)
 
PAC'S PREMIER: Since the 2013-14 season, W&J boasts an impressive 179-34 record against PAC opponents. In the last four seasons alone, the Presidents are 76-6 in league play and have been crowned league champions twice.
 
TOUGH SLEDDING: With less than a month left in the regular season W&J is still yet to play the three top teams in the league's North division, with all three  of those contests scheduled within the next eight days. The President's next three games feature opponents that stand alongside W&J in the top half of the league.