VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team kicks off the 2025-26 season Friday and Saturday with the South Region Crossover hosting Eckerd College and Palm Beach Atlantic at The Complex.
The South Regional begins Friday at 3 p.m. with West Florida facing off against Palm Beach Atlantic, followed by VSU versus Eckerd at 5:30 p.m. Saturday's action begins with West Florida battling Eckerd at 12 p.m., followed by the Lady Blazers versus Palm Beach Atlantic at 2:30 p.m.
The regional crossover will be broadcast on FloCollege with Spencer Van Horn having the call of the games, while the Lady Blazer games also will be broadcast on the radio on WJEM Fox Sports Valdosta 94.3 FM and on www.foxsportsvaldosta.com with Mike Chason on the broadcasts.
For the third consecutive season, GSC basketball will be streamed exclusive on FloCollege. For subscription prices and how to sign-up for FloCollege, click here.
Lady Blazer head coach Chandler Merkerson begins her second season at the helm of the program after going 17-12 last season and 12-10 in Gulf South Conference play. Merkerson's squad was picked fifth in the Preseason Gulf South Conference Coaches Poll, which was announced last month. Defending league champion Union was tabbed as the league favorite, followed by Lee, The University of Alabama at Huntsville, West Florida and VSU rounding out the top five.
In addition, junior Erin Whalen was named to the Preseason All-GSC Team following her second team all-league recognition last season following her outstanding sophomore campaign. She played in all 29 games with 27 starts averaging 10.7 points and went 132 of 321 from the field (.411), while draining 28 triples in 93 attempts for a .301 clip. Whalen finished with 251 rebounds and a league-best 8.7 average on the glass, while she had 54 assists and a team-high 58 steals for the season on 30.7 minutes per game. She had 18 games in double figures and 11 games with double-digit rebounds, along with 13 double-doubles. She earned GSC Academic Honor Roll accolades for the second-straight season.
In addition to the preseason all-conference team and predicted conference standings, the GSC All-Newcomer Team also was announced as honorees were submitted by their coaches. For VSU, sophomore College of Charleston transfer Raeanne Eccleston, sophomore Western New Mexico transfer Alina Martin, and sophomore Cedarville (Ohio) transfer Ka'Miah Pryor were named to the newcomer team.
The Lady Blazers hosted the regional crossover last season when VSU went 1-1 with a 75-58 win over Palm Beach Atlantic and a 61-55 loss to Eckerd. UWF went 2-0 last season in the crossover.
VSU is 7-6 all-time against Eckerd, but the Tritons have won the last four in the series. VSU's last win came with a 48-45 win in Valdosta on Nov. 15, 2015. Since then, EC has won the last three meetings in Valdosta and two seasons ago in Pensacola, Fla.
For Eckerd, head coach Paul Honsinger begins his 20th season at the helm of the Tritons. They were 19-9 last season and 13-7 in Sunshine State Conference play. EC lost in the second round of the SSC Championship. Honsinger is 322-194 all-time at Eckerd and his squad was picked third in the SSC Preseason Poll while Tampa was picked as the league favorite, followed by Embry-Riddle, who VSU hosts on Nov. 27. Palm Beach Atlantic was picked seventh in the preseason poll.
The Tritons return four players who averaged over 25 minutes a game a season ago, while Jaylen Ostenson and Ieva Korzane return as double-digit scorers from 2024-25. Lisa Michaelsen also returns following her 5.0 rebounds per game and 35+ percent clip from beyond the arc a season ago. Ostenson finished second on the team in scoring at 11.1 points per game and was 109 of 270 from the field (.404) and 55 of 158 from distance (.348). She averaged 5.0 rebounds per game, while leading the team with 27 steals. Korzane was third in scoring at 11.0 points per game, going 101 of 218 from the field (.463) while draining 26 triples. She was a team-best 81 of 98 from the line (.827). She had a team-high 85 assists and was second in steals with 25.
The Sailfish enter 2025-26 following a 14-15 record a season ago and an 8-12 mark in Sunshine State Conference play. New head coach Grahm Smith was hired in May. He most recently was the head coach at Lenoir-Rhyne for five seasons, going 75-62 there. Smith is 210-115 overall in 12 seasons of coaching with stops at William Peace and Dean.
A total of four players from last year's squad return for PBA in 2025-26 including Anabell Ellison, Princess Hester, Natalie Allen and Darria Whitley, while Smith added five transfers and two freshmen. Kash Ayuso, who led the team in scoring a season ago, graduated. Ellison finished third in scoring 10.8 points per game last season, going 79 of 250 from the field (.316), while draining 25 triples. She was a team-best 120 of 145 (.828) from the line, while averaging 6.5 rebounds per game to lead the team. Ayuso averaged 18.3 points per game in 2024-25 before graduation.
VSU is 7-2 in the last nine meetings against PBA and has won the last three in the series, including the 75-58 win last season. VSU has won the last four meetings in Valdosta, while PBA's last win came on Nov. 19, 2018, in West Palm Beach in a 57-51 victory.
Season tickets are on sale now for Lady Blazer basketball and are $120 for adults, $105 for youth/senior and VSU employees. The deadline to renew season tickets is Nov. 14 before the seats will be released to the public.
To purchase season tickets, please call 229-333-SEAT (7328) or visit the VSU Athletic Ticket Office in the P.E. Complex. The VSU Athletic Ticket Office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Season tickets also can be purchased online by clicking here.
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