KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown women's basketball won the program's first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship last season in a historic season, and Thursday, were voted second in this season's PSAC East Division preseason poll.
 
Kutztown concluded a historic 2024-25 season with its first PSAC championship, finishing 22-12 overall and 14-7 in the PSAC, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament for just the second time since 1995-96. After starting the season 6-10, KU rattled off a program-record 12 straight wins to clinch the PSAC East and the top spot in the PSAC Tournament. The Golden Bears led the PSAC with 263 made 3-pointers and were second in 3-point% at 32.2%.
 
Some of the top returning players to this year's squad includes senior guard Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe), who averaged 10.7 points per game and shot a PSAC-best 36.3% from three-point land, sophomore guard Bella Quinn (Ashland, Ky./Russell), who averaged 5.9 ppg and 2.7 assists per game, and senior center Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe), who averaged 7.7 ppg and 6.8 rebounds per game.
 
Kutztown begins its 2025-26 regular season at the MEC/PSAC Challenge at West Chester University with two games in two days. KU opens up against Glenville State on Friday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m., and then will take on Salem Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
Eastern Division (# of first-place votes in parentheses)
 
1. Lock Haven (6)
2. Kutztown (3)
3. Bloomsburg
4. West Chester
5. Millersville
6. East Stroudsburg
7. Shippensburg
8. Shepherd
9. Mansfield
 
Western Division (# of first-place votes in parentheses)
 
1. Gannon (7)
2. Seton Hill (1)
3. IUP
4. California
5. Clarion
6. Edinboro
7. Slippery Rock
8. Pitt-Johnstown