PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Friday the Chatham Women's Basketball team will head to Washington, PA for their first match of the 2026-2027 season. 

The Cougars 2025-2026 season ended after they fell in the semifinal round of the PAC Championship Tournament. They finished last season with a 10-6 conference record and an 18-8 overall.
 
They were predicted to finish third in the PAC south division in the conference this year, but as they head into this season their outlook might be a little different than it was last season. "I think this year is a little different from some of our previous seasons just because of how much roster turnover we've had. We've been fortunate to build a program where competing for PAC championships has become the expectation. The expectation doesn't change this year, but the process of getting there certainly looks different. We have a lot of new faces, including several talented transfers with experience at higher levels. From a pure talent and athleticism standpoint, I think this group has a really high ceiling. But having talent and knowing how to win together are two completely different things" said Coach David Saur. 

He further emphasized that, "Our biggest challenge is developing the chemistry, trust, and habits that some of our previous teams had already established. You can't rush that process. We want to be playing our best basketball in February, and we understand there will be some growing pains along the way." 

Saur, entering his 9th season with the Cougars, said he wants to see his team's attitude and vibe be very positive this season. "We want to be an extremely competitive, connected, and an unselfish basketball team. That's really been the foundation of our success here. We want players who compete at a high level, take pride in doing the little things, and genuinely enjoy seeing their teammates succeed. The difference this year is that we're bringing together a lot of players from different programs and backgrounds. They've all experienced basketball differently and have developed their own habits over the years. Our job is to bring all of that together and establish one identity. Something we've talked about a lot is that when competition gets tougher, it's human nature for players to revert back to what they're most comfortable doing. We've already seen some of that in our preseason scrimmages. That's why developing habits and trust is so important."

With the team losing a big amount of experience from last year, we asked Saur what expectation he is holding his veteran players to and how it will impact the newcomers and transfers. "We've lost a tremendous amount of experience and production from last year's team. Players like Madison Nereu, Alyssa Laukus, and Hannah Chenault were a big part of our success, and replacing that experience and leadership isn't something that happens overnight. For our returning players, especially someone like Hannah Stephanites, the expectation is to take another step in their development and help establish the standards that have made this program successful. Players like Erica Olszewski and Jordyn Miller also have an opportunity to grow into bigger roles. Even with our returners, there's an adjustment because the team around them looks completely different.
 
He further emphasized that, "I'm really excited about the group we've brought in. Daja White, Michelle McGee, Skylar Adams, Chloe Williams, and Claire Tobias all bring valuable college experience and different strengths to our roster. We've also added talented younger players like Zora Jackson who have a chance to make a big impact. I think the athleticism, versatility, and overall talent of this group give us opportunities to do some things at a really high level on both ends of the floor."
 
Not only were there some changes player wise, there were also some additions to the coaching staff. "We've been fortunate to continue strengthening our coaching staff. Coach Olivia Barkley and Coach Brittani Smith have been instrumental in our recruiting, player development, and preparation. Adding Coach Mara Fitzgerald and Coach Rosanna Jenije, who brings previous head coaching experience and a strong background in player development, has been another positive for our program. I think one of the biggest things we've focused on as a staff is being more intentional with how we develop our players and teach the habits that make our style of basketball successful.

The Cougars open their season this Friday, November 6^th at 6PM when they travel to Washington, PA for a match up with Case Western.