- A rivalry 100 years in the making, Friday evening's game will mark the 123rd meeting between W&M and former CAA foe VCU. The Tribe captured a 69-55 victory in the most recent tilt on Dec. 8, 2019. Three current W&M players saw action in the game, including
Sydney Wagner, who scored 10 points off the bench. W&M also shot .583 in the game—the fifth-best single-game FG percentage in program history.
- With a century of games between them, it's no surprise that VCU and W&M have racked up quite a few records. On Jan. 30, 1998, the teams combined for the second-fewest turnovers in a single game (20) in William & Mary hoops history. Nearly 25 years later, Jen Sabota went 6-of-8 from behind the arc against VCU—the second-best single-game 3-point percentage in W&M history.
- W&M opened the season with a 79-64 victory over Navy at Kaplan Arena on Monday. After trailing by nine points late in the second quarter, the Tribe took over down the stretch and led by as many as 21 points. Eleven players saw at least three minutes of floor time.
- Graduate student
Riley Casey scored all of her team-high 20 points in the second half against Navy (11/7/21). She finished 7-of-16 from the field and shot 50% from 3-point range. The second-year Tribe standout was named preseason All-CAA First Team last month and has proven to be a consistent scoring threat from distance, averaging a CAA-leading 37.9% from behind the arc in 21-22. In 25 games last year, Casey hit 67 triples and racked up a conference-best 2.7 3-point buckets per game. Her seven 3-pointers against Charleston (1/6/22) were a season-high and among the best-ever Tribe performances.
- Graduate student
Sydney Wagner was also named preseason All-CAA First Team. Last year, she ranked 28th in the nation and first in the CAA with 36.54 minutes played per game. Wagner topped the 40-minute playing mark eight times in 21-22, including a season-high 43 against George Mason. Another offensive threat for the Tribe, Wagner was ninth in the CAA in scoring (14.6 ppg), fourth in 3-pointers per game (2.1), and 16th in field goal percentage (.343).
- After suffering a season-ending injury and playing just six games in the '21-'22 season, senior guard
Chaniqwa Gilliam returned to the court against Navy (11/7/22). In 22 minutes off the bench, Gilliam finished with eight points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal.
- The Green and Gold will not leave the state of Virginia during the nonconference slate, playing six home games in Kaplan Arena and another five contests on the road against Commonwealth rivals (VCU, Old Dominion, George Mason, Longwood, Norfolk State). The Tribe's 11 nonconference foes averaged 15 wins a season ago, and seven boasted winning records.
- The Tribe starts a brand-new era under the leadership of head coach
Erin Dickerson Davis this season. Davis was named the sixth Division I head coach in W&M history on Apr. 12, 2022. She takes the helm after serving as Associate Head Coach at Wake Forest University where she helped lead the Demon Deacons to a pair of postseason appearances, highlighted by the program's first NCAA Tournament berth in 30 seasons.
- Davis' coaching staff may be full of fresh faces, but it's also chock-full of experience. Assistant Coach
Dane Sparrow joins the staff after seven successful seasons at Wake Forest, where he served multiple roles – assistant coach (2016-22), director of basketball operations (2014-16), and video coordinator (2013). Former WNBA and Georgetown star
Sugar Rodgers arrives in Williamsburg, following time as a coach with the Las Vegas Aces and her alma mater.
Kenia Cole returns for her second season as an assistant coach with the Tribe, while
Jasmine Perkins starts her first season as Director of Basketball Operations. Recent W&M standout
Kate Sramac, who started every game for the Green and Gold last season, rounds out the staff as a graduate assistant.
- The Tribe was picked seventh in the CAA preseason standings by vote of the league coaches. Drexel was the preseason pick to win the league with 10 first-place votes.
