City of Basketball Love

By Dan Arkans (@danarkans)
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(Ed. Note: This article is part of our 2025-26 season coverage, which will run for the six weeks preceding the first official games of the year on Nov. 4. To access all of our high school and college preview content for this season, click here.)

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The La Salle College women’s basketball team has been picked 12th in the preseason Atlantic 10 poll.

That’s not exactly news after finishing 13th last year with a 10-23 record overall.

However, that was last year. This season with eight returning starters and several newcomers the Explorers are ready to turn the page.

“I think we are really going to shock a lot of people,” said sophomore point guard Joan Quinn. “We were picked second or third to last in the conference. We are really excited to show what we can do. They are underestimating us.”

Quinn, a Cardinal O’Hara graduate, had a strong freshman season which saw her average 9.1 points per game and garner preseason third team Atlantic 10 honors this fall.

What’s in store for year two?

“Coming in as a freshman I had never played in games that physical, the 3-point line is a lot further back,” Quinn said. “Those are tough things to get used to. I am really excited for this season. Last year as a freshman we were all really new. I am excited to lead. I feel more comfortable doing it.”

On paper it was not the best season in 2025 for the Explorers. La Salle though got better as the season progressed, posting its first A-10 tournament win since 2021 and winning two of its final three games.

“We are really excited for this year,” Quinn said. “Last year we were just getting to know each other. It’s very different. We didn’t know anyone’s style, favorite shot. We had obviously added some new pieces. We had a really strong ending. We won our first game in the playoffs since 2021. We have a lot of good momentum going.” 

The Explorers had some growing pains last year with just two returning starters and some injury troubles as well. 

Junior Aryss Macktoon (10.6 ppg) missed eight games of the conference season with an injured shoulder. She is more than ready for a fresh start. 

“I am looking forward to playing the whole season without any injuries,” Mactoon said. “I am looking forward to getting far in the A-10 championship. I do think this year is going to be good to show what Lasalle can do.”

It’s not just the Mactoon and Quinn show either. Leading scorer junior guard Ashleigh Connor (10.8 ppg) is back as well to form a solid three-guard rotation. Also adding depth in the backcourt will be six-foot shooter Lauren Patnode from the Perk School, who redshirted her freshman season due to a knee injury.

“Last year we started over,” Macktoon said. “It was a building block season. I expect us to build on last year, not making the same mistakes. Now we are kind of an older team. I expect us to run the ball, win games.”

The issue last year was a lack of experience in the frontcourt. Senior Anna Przyszlak is returning to help in that regard with a whole slew of newcomers. Pitt transfer Kiara Williams, who lost last season due to injury, will be the biggest impact. She’s an athletic 6-foot center who can run the floor. Williams was highly recruited from high school and on La Salle’s board.

Six-foot forward Yar Manyiel comes over after playing two years at Johnson County CC (Kan.) and does a lot of the dirty work under the glass.

Some freshmen should also make an impact in the front court with 6-3 center Ava Hoy (HC Williams, N.Y.) leading the charge. Six-foot-2 forward freshman Amiya Moses from Ontario will also make an impact.

“We have big girls this year,” Macktoon said. “It’s good for some of the players who had to play multiple positions last year. Now we have big girls, it will be easier to sub in and sub out. We have a lot of shooters. Everyone is in their right position this year.”

The cupboard isn’t bare either with plenty of lengthy guards added to mix. The biggest standout is 6-foot guard Ivona Miljanic from Serbia. She averaged 11.1 points per game for Young Harris College (Ga.) after having transferred from Northwestern State.

Adding depth are players with ties to the area include Charity Sawyer (International Christian) and India Webb (Prep Charter).

“We have 16 players on the roster,” said La Salle head coach Mountain MacGillivray. “The rotation is easy now. Players make decisions. They don’t realize it but they do. It’s going to be clear who should be out there. They all know I don’t give up on anyone. They can find themselves in a playing position during the middle and end of the season. We really compete every single day. It’s that old saying the cream rises to the top. What’s hard is to keep them all happy.” 

The Explorers open up the season Nov. 6th at Loyola (Md.) and have a nonconference schedule which includes Lehigh, American, VCU, Temple, Villanova and Mississippi State.

That’s all before the A-10 schedule starts with Fordham on Dec. 31st.

“The non-conference schedule is so we can come up with a winning record and get in the A-10 and be ready to go,” McGillivray said. “We would like to go further in the (A-10) Tournament. You can win an extra game or finish higher in standings and win a game there. Winning the first round game you realize there’s a lot more to go. If you finish top eight you don’t have to play that first game. That’s the goal, keep getting better every day and then you never know what will happen.”

The larger goal is making a run in a wide-open Atlantic 10. Before that there’s this little matter of the Big 5. Competing with Temple and Villanova won’t be easy, but it’s something the local players relish.

“Whenever we have events in Big 5 I run into people I played against,” Quinn said. “It’s that rivalry from high school to college.The level of competition in the PCL is unmatched in this area at least. Playing against those girls, accomplishing all those great things and being able to translate it to the next level is important. I like our chances in the Big 5. We are playing Temple and Villanova. Hopefully, we will be able to do our best.”