WILLIAMSBURG, Va.-- The William & Mary women's basketball team begins its 2025-26 season with a trip to Davidson on Thursday evening. The Tribe will look to build off a remarkable season after winning the CAA title and making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Tip-off with the Wildcats is slated for 7 p.m. with the game broadcast on ESPN+ and a free audio broadcast online via the Tribe Sports Network.
TRIBE NOTES
• The Matchup
William & Mary will open its 2025-26 campaign with a trip down to Davidson, N.C. to face Davidson at Belk Arena. Tip is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+ with a free audio broadcast on the Tribe Sports Network in what will be the first meeting between the programs since 2018.
• The Opponent
Davidson is coming off the heels of a 19-win season and an appearance in the A-10 semifinals in 2024-25. Gayle Fulks' squad posted a 13-5 record in conference play last season. The Wildcats already opened their season with a 66-57 loss to Mississippi State in Starkville. This will be Davidson's home opener at Belk Arena, a place they were 11-3 last year.
• A Historic Look Back
The 2024-25 season is one that will not be forgotten by Tribe fans far and wide, with W&M going on a magical run as the No. 9 seed to win the CAA Championship over Campbell. W&M became the lowest seed to ever make the CAA title game let alone win the championship. The Tribe went on to beat High Point in the NCAA Tournament First Four, 69-63, before bowing out to No. 1 seed Texas in the first round in Austin, 105-61. The Tribe finished the season 16-19, 8-10 CAA.
• Finally Dancing
Prior to the CAA championship game, William & Mary was the lone original DI member eligible for the first postseason in 1938 to have never made an NCAA Tournament in men's or women's basketball. The Tribe's triumph over High Point in the First Four was naturally the school's first ever NCAA Tournament win in basketball.
• Flipping the Script
Entering the CAA Tournament losers in seven of the last eight regular season games, W&M completely flipped the script with a historic run in Washington D.C. After a victory over Hofstra in the second round, the Tribe picked up its first win over a No. 1 seed in the postseason, beating N.C. A&T in overtime. The Tribe rolled No. 4 Drexel by 22 in the semis before beating No. 3 Campbell in the final. W&M trailed by 12 and 13 in the middle of the third quarter to both A&T and Campbell, respectively, before storming back.
• More History
As if the Tribe hadn't made enough history in March, W&M's win over High Point in the First Four made them the first team to ever win an NCAA Tournament game with an under .500 record on the women's side. The Tribe was the first team to enter the "Big Dance" under .500 since 2022.
• Back for More
No doubt a rarity in this day and age, the Tribe will return all nine of its non-graduating players from a season ago. W&M adds four freshman while picking
Kyah Smith, a former Patriot League All-Rookie selection, from Navy and Ice Dos Santos from Odessa College (JUCO) via the transfer portal.
• Bright Lights=Big Shots
W&M finished the regular season shooting 37.8% from the floor and 25.5% from deep. Over the six-game postseason run the Tribe no doubt found their touch, shooting 44.4% from the field and 43.5% from 3-point range in that span.
• Tribe Triples
Coinciding with the W&M's postseason run last season, the Tribe has knocked down seven-plus 3-pointers in six consecutive games. This serves as not only the longest stretch of games with seven-plus treys under
Erin Dickerson Davis, but the longest streak for the Tribe since the turn of the century.
• Ice in Mo's Veins
Monet Dance took her game to a whole different level in the postseason last year. The Roswell, Ga. native averaged 3.9 ppg in the regular season before going off for 14 a game in the CAA and NCAA tournaments. Dance also posted the best 3-point shooting season in program history, shooting a W&M record 43.6% from deep. That stat was aided by her blistering 16-of-21 (76.2%) stretch in the postseason after making just 18 triples in the regular season. She tied the CAA Tournament record with seven treys in the quarterfinals against N.C. A&T on her way to a career-high 27 points. Dance earned CAA All-Tournament Team for her efforts.
• All About Cass
Cassidy Geddes will look to continue to build off the success she has had through the first two years of her college career. The Hickory, N.C. native was named to the CAA All-Rookie team in 2024 before averaging 9.6 ppg and earning CAA All-Tourney team honors last season. Geddes averaged 12 ppg during the postseason, scoring in double figures in the last three games. She also tied her career-high with 26 in the CAA quarters against N.C. A&T. Geddes was named Preseason All-CAA Second Team last month.
• Neutral Site, Not a Problem
The Tribe felt right at home all season when playing neutral site games, going a perfect 7-0 in such contests. The seven victories easily cleared the previous program record of four in a season. W&M won more neutral site games last year than it did at home (5) or on the road (4).
• Not Bad, Nat
Despite missing time due to injury,
Natalie Fox made quite the impact down low as a freshman for the Tribe. Fox became the first Tribe rookie to post a double-double in over a decade, doing so with 10 points and 12 boards against Long Beach State in her second college game. She came up big in the Tribe's First Four win over High Point, this time with a season-high 12 points to go with a dozen rebounds. She finished the season as the team's leading rebounder.
• Active on the Glass
The last two seasons
Erin Dickerson Davis' team has made the rebounding battle a main focus. After only out-rebounding opponents four times in 2022-23, the Tribe has won the battle on the glass 27 times over the last two seasons.
• Comeback Kids
W&M's historic run last season didn't come without adversity and deficits along the way. The Tribe trailed top-seed N.C. A&T in the quarterfinals by 12 points in the middle of the third before coming back to force overtime and earn a win. Campbell was the next victim of a W&M comeback in the championship, getting out to a 14-0 lead and again leading by 13 in the third before succumbing to a Tribe offensive bombardment that included a 61.5% shooting effort in the fourth. The Tribe only had won once when trailing at the half in the regular season.
• Tribe on TV
Naturally, last season brought a new-level of national attention to the Tribe program, with W&M playing a program record 12 games on linear television. Additionally, W&M played its first three nationally televised games in program history in 2024-25. The Green and Gold will be on TV a minimum of 10 times this season with 10 home matchups broadcast on MASN.
• Excellence From E
No other coach in William & Mary women's basketball history has had the success that
Erin Dickerson Davis has had through three seasons. With the 16 wins last year, Davis became the first Tribe coach to win 15-plus games in each of their first three seasons. The Tribe won 12 conference games in each of her first two years, tying the program record for CAA wins in season. The Tribe's first win this season will be the 50th of Davis' career.
• Closing the Deal
Under
Erin Dickerson Davis the Tribe is 35-11 when leading at halftime.
• 60 is the Magic Number
60 points is a key number for W&M. The Tribe is 24-8 under
Erin Dickerson Davis when holding teams below 60. While team's have had a mixed bag of success scoring in the 60s vs. W&M, opponents are 38-5 against them when scoring 70+ since 2020-21. Offensively, the Tribe is 45-16 when scoring over 60 and 4-30 when held below 60 under Davis.
• Creating a Buzz in the 'Burg
Eight of the 10 highest attended home games in program history for W&M have come over the last two seasons. Off the heels of last year's success, the Tribe has already sold more season tickets for this year than last.
