POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team opens its 2026-27 campaign at the Plattsburgh Cardinal Classic  Friday evening. The Bears will take on the University of Saint Joseph in the first round.
 
After eight seasons with the program and the last three as associate coach, Michael Busby has stepped into the role of Potsdam's interim head coach this season. Former Bears All-SUNYAC forward Jenna Cotter '25 returns to serve as his assistant coach.
 
Of the 14 players that make up the roster, just four are veterans. Potsdam adds five transfers, four freshman and one Bears two-sport athlete looking to become a three-sport athlete.
 
Sophomore guard Olivia Cook (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) started all 25 games for the Bears last season. She averaged 6.0 points-per-game and 2.8 rebounds-per-game to go with 47 assists, 42 steals and 10 blocks. Junior center Reese Shambo (Au Sable Forks, N.Y./AuSable Valley) played in 17 contests with four starts a year ago. She scored 4.5 ppg. and grabbed 5.4 rpg. along with recording 18 blocks, 10 assists and nine steals. Sophomore guard Lillian Hoyt (Hornell, N.Y./Hornell) totaled 3.9 ppg., 11 steals and five assists, while seeing action in all 25 games. Senior guard Marygrace Guiney (Parishville, N.Y./Parishville-Hopkinton) played in 19 contests last season.
 
Junior guard Felise Fowler (Amsterdam, N.Y./Greater Amsterdam) played two seasons for Mohawk Valley Community College. Last year, she averaged 7.9 ppg. and totaled 39 assists and 27 steals. In two seasons with Genesee Community College, junior guard Kiara van der Jagt (Rochester, N.Y./The Charles Finney School) averaged 7.4 ppg. in 46 games. She also had 95 assists and 69 steals. van der Jagt is also a member of the Bears softball team. In two seasons with Jefferson Community College, junior forward Jakayla Spence played in 61 contests. Last year, averaged 7.9 ppg., grabbed 4.3 rpg., shot 46.3 percent from the floor, shot 42.9 percent from 3-point range and recorded 37 steals and 36 assists. Junior guard Maya Morrison (Brooklyn, N.Y./Achievement First Brooklyn) played 37 games in two seasons at Hostos Community College, totaling 20 steals and 18 assists. Junior guard Molly Denis (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Saranac) comes to the Bears from Colby-Sawyer College, where she played 44 games in two seasons and had 57 assists, 29 steals and three blocks.
 
Freshman forward Mikayla Jaros (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford) was second team Tri-Valley League and a member of the Section III All-Tournament Team at New Hartford High School. She's also a member of the Bears women's soccer team. Freshman guard Raegan McArdle (Malone, N.Y./Franklin Academy) was a 1,000-point scorer and first and second team All-Northern at Franklin Academy. Freshman forward Chloe Sierra (Brooklyn, N.Y./Leon M. Goldstein) was a member of the division champions at Leon M. Goldstein last season. Freshman guard Madison Gagnier (Saranac, N.Y./Saranac) joins the program from Saranac High School where she was a multiple sport athlete. Junior guard Kalissa Young (Winthrop, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) is no stranger to Potsdam athletics. She's already spent three seasons as a goalkeeper for the Bears women's soccer team and two seasons catching and playing outfield for the softball team.
 
The Bears face the Blue Jays at 7:30 p.m. in their opener. On Saturday, they square off with Vermont State-Castleton. They play seven more nonconference games. They travel to St. Lawrence University on November 21, before they host Clarkson University in their home opener on November 24. Potsdam travels to Russell Sage College on December 1 and SUNY Poly on December 9. They'll face Nazareth University and Misericordia University in the Nazareth Holiday Tournament on December 29-30. On January 2, they host Hartwick College. The Bears will play a 16-game SUNYAC schedule including new conference foes in SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Delhi and Alfred State. They begin their conference slate at Cobleskill on December 4.
 
See the Bears' full schedule here.
 
Follow the live statistics for season opener against Saint Joseph here.
 
Watch the season opener against Saint Joseph here.