Akron Opens Hawk Classic Battling Delaware

Saturday, December 20

Philadelphia, Pa.

2:00 PM

University of Akron

Delaware

December 19 | Women's Basketball

Akron (2-8) vs Delaware (5-4)
Saturday, Dec. 20
Hagan Arena
Philadelphia, Pa.

Series History: First Meeting
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Television: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Live Radio: www.GoZips.com

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team opens the 30th Annual Hawk Classic hosted by Saint Joseph's on Saturday (Dec. 20) battling Delaware. The tilt will begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the tournament opener between Saint Joseph's and Le Moyne at around 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as on 640 WHLO AM with Jim Clark on the radio call.

HEAD COACHES
Delaware: Sarah Jenkins (Georgetown, 2005), Overall Record: 45-55 (Fourth Season), Record at Delaware: 45-55 (Fourth Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (Saint Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 23-47 (Third Season), Record at Akron: 23-47 (Third Season)

SCOUTING DELAWARE
Delaware comes into action against Akron on Saturday (Dec. 20) at 5-4 on the campaign following a 65-48 setback versus LaSalle on Wednesday (Dec. 17).

Junior Ande'a Cherisier leads the Blue Hens averaging a team-best 13.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Joining her posting double figures per night at 13.0, 11.7 and 11.2 tallies a contest, respectively, are freshman Kailah Correa, sophomore Trinity Vance and junior Lay Fantroy. As a team, Delaware is recording 68.1 points, 40.2 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 8.7 steals and 2.2 blocks per tilt.

The Blue Hens are rated second in the NCAA in free throws attempted (22.78) and 28th in free throws made (16.00). Individually, junior Safi Kolliegbo is ranked 41st in steals per game (2.78), while Fantroy is 42nd in rebounds per contest (9.3).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Delaware are meeting for first time in program history.

ZIPS TRIUMPH PAST GENEVA
Akron women's basketball sophomore Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio) and junior Keiryn McGuff (Dublin, Ohio) each recorded double-doubles to help lead the Zips to a 100-65 victory over Geneva at James A. Rhodes Arena on Tuesday (Dec. 16).

The Zips had five players score in double figures, led by Clark with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while McGuff followed with a 12-point and 11-rebound performance for her first career double-double. Sophomores Izzy Callaway (Copley, Ohio) and Liz Murphy (Yackandandah, Australia) both registered 17 points with two steals off of the bench, while freshman Corinne Reed (Chicago, Ill.) rounded out the double-digit scoring with a career-best 13 points to go along with a career-high nine rebounds. Murphy's 17-point tilt marked a career-best scoring total.

Akron out-rebounded Geneva 62-38, led by Clark and McGuff's 11 boards each. The Zips also pulled down 28 offensive rebounds and scored 29 second-chance points. The Akron defense held Geneva shooters to only 33.8 percent from the field.

NATIONALLY RANKED MICHIGAN EDGES AKRON
Akron got a 13-point, five-assist and four-rebound performance from freshman Shaena Brew (Rialto, Calif.) but fell 85-59 to No. 6/8 Michigan on the road on Dec. 13 at Crisler Center.

Brew's effort allowed the Zips to score the second-highest scoring output against the Wolverines this season, while Izzy Callaway and senior Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) tacked on nine and eight points, respectively, to go along with Keiryn McGuff adding seven points and two steals.

Akron forced 14 Michigan turnovers. The Zips turned those takeaways into 10 points on the offensive end of the floor. McGuff's two steals led the way for Akron.

The Akron bench made an impact by adding 25 points to its scoring output, while defense forced 14 turnovers.

OVER THE LAST FIVE GAMES
Izzy Callaway leads Akron over the last five games averaging a team-best 16.6 points per contest, while Shaena Brew and Ni'Rah Clark have added 11.2 and 10.8 points, respectively, per night. Keiryn McGuff and freshman Monique Mitchell (South Bend, Ind.) are pulling down a team-best 5.7 rebounds, while Callaway is shooting a team-high 70.4 percent from the field.

ZIP TIDBITS
• On the strength of Akron's 100-65 victory over Geneva (Dec. 16), the Zips have scored 100 or more points twice in a season for the first time since the 2014-15 campaign.
• Akron got double-doubles from both Ni'Rah Clark and Keiryn McGuff marking the first pair of double-doubles in a game from Zips since Reagan Bass (15 points & 13 rebounds) and Molly Neitzel (12 points and 11 rebounds) did so versus Kent State on Feb. 1, 2023.
• The Akron bench came alive against Geneva adding 65 points to its scoring output, en route to five Akron players scored 10 or more points, including a trio off the bench.
• The Zips posted 11 career-best totals versus Geneva (Dec. 16), including 17- and 13-point efforts from Liz Murphy and Corinne Reed, while Monique Mitchell pulled down a career-high nine rebounds.
• Akron is rated fourth in the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage (.426), triples made (7.1) and in scoring (72.7) and fifth in three-point percentage (.296) and three-point defense (.268).
• Akron is 44th in the NCAA in free throw attempts (21.30), while Izzy Callaway is rated 19th in three-point percentage (.477).
• Individually, Ni'Rah Clark is fifth in field goal percentage (.549) and ninth in free throw percentage (.825), Shaena Brew is ninth in assists (3.7) and 10th in assist/turnover ratio (1.2) and Izzy Callaway is first in three-point percentage (.477) and fifth in triples made (2.1).
• Akron's 117 points represented its highest scoring game since earning a 118-71 triumph past Tennessee Tech on Nov. 12, 2013.
• Izzy Callaway's 36-point effort against Heidelberg stands as the top scoring performance in the Mid-American Conference this season and rates No. 12 in the NCAA. It also ranks sixth on the all-time single-game scoring list in program history last accomplished by Anita Brown on Jan. 14, 2015, at Toledo.
• Izzy Callaway connected on a league-best 13 field goals and eight three pointers against Heidelberg (Dec. 3).
• The eight three pointers for Izzy Callaway versus Heidelberg are the third-best single-game total in program history matching eight drained by Taylor Ruper against Ball State on Feb. 12, 2011.
• Akron's 44 made field goals against Heidelberg is the fourth-best single-game effort in program history, while the 13 triples represent the eighth highest single-game mark.
• A season-best five Zips in Izzy Callaway (36), Shaena Brew (20), Liz Murphy (16), Natalie Johnson (13) and Monique Mitchell (13) scored in double-figures against Heidelberg (Dec. 3)
• Shaena Brew and junior Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio) pulled down a career-high 10 and nine rebounds, respectively, versus Heidelberg (Dec. 3).
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led Shaena Brew (5), Ni'Rah Clark (5), Izzy Callaway (4), Monique Mitchell (3), Keiryn McGuff (3), Corinne Reed (3), Natalie Johnson (2), Liz Murphy (2) and Maddie Vejsicky (1).
• Six different Zips have led the squad in scoring this season led by Ni'Rah Clark (4), Shaena Brew (2), Izzy Callaway (2), Keiryn McGuff (1), Monique Mitchell (1) and Maddie Vejsicky (1), while seven different Akron players have paced the team in rebounding headlined by Brew (4), Clark (4), McGuff (4), Natalie Johnson (1), Corinne Reed (1), Liisa Taponen (1) and Vejsicky (1).
• The 2024-25 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll included Akron, who under head coach Ryan Gensler earned special mention nods for having a 3.225 overall team GPA for the 2024-25 academic year.
• The Zips have posted five 20+ scoring games this season. Izzy Callaway and Shaena Brew netted 36 and 20, respectively, against Heidelberg (Dec. 3). Ni'Rah Clark scored 22 points at Robert Morris (Nov. 7) and 21 points versus Geneva (Dec. 16), while Monique Mitchell tallied 21 points against South Alabama (Nov. 3).
• The 2025-26 season marks the 52nd season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• The Zips own season-high marks in scoring (117-HEID), field goals made (44-HEID), triples (13-HEID), offensive rebounds (28-GEN), defensive rebounds (34-GEN), rebounds (62-GEN), assists (18-GEN), steals (14-HEID) and blocks (5-HEID).
• Akron has connected on five or more three pointers in 120 of its last 161 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high 13 triples in an 117-34 victory versus Heidelberg (Dec. 3).

AKRON BOASTS TALENTED SEVEN-MEMBER NEWCOMER CLASS
Akron under the leadership of third-year head coach Ryan Gensler, boast a talented seven-member newcomer class for 2025-26.

Donning the Akron uniform this season will be Natalie Johnson, Keiryn McGuff, Izzy Callaway and freshmen Kailee Bransford (Cincinnati, Ohio), Shaena Brew, Corinne Reed and Monique Mitchell.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 10 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .587 (Heidelberg), .511 (Notre Dame), 40 percent: .469 (Binghamton), .440 (Robert Morris), .438 (Michigan), .414 (South Alabama), .410 (Geneva), 30 percent: .356 (Youngstown State), .321 (Cleveland State), 20 percent: .295 (Xavier).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 10 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .559 (Youngstown State), 40 percent: .485 (Michigan), .474 (South Alabama), .472 (Cleveland State), .470 (Notre Dame), .434 (Robert Morris), .407 (Xavier), 30 percent: .395 (Binghamton), .338 (Geneva), 20 percent: .156 (Heidelberg).

MAC PRESEASON POLL
The Zips under third-year head coach Ryan Gensler, were picked to finish eighth as a team behind preseason league and tournament favorite preseason favorite Kent State (5 first-place votes and 133 points). The Golden Flashes were followed by Toledo (2 votes, 118 points), UMass (3 votes, 115), Ball State (3 votes, 112), Central Michigan (105), Bowling Green (101), Miami (86), Akron (51), Western Michigan (48), Ohio (44), Buffalo (42), Eastern Michigan (36) and Northern Illinois (23).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 34.4 points per game for 344 total points. This season, the Zips posted a season-best 62 points in the paint versus Heidelberg (Dec. 3). Additional inside the numbers for the Zips this season are below.

Points in Paint – 34.4 ppg (344) | Season-High - 62 vs. Heidelberg
Points off Turnovers – 17.0 ppg (170) | Season-High - 39 vs. Heidelberg
Second-Chance Points – 10.2 ppg (102) | Season-High - 29 vs. Geneva
Fast-Break Points – 12.5 ppg (125) | Season-High - 36 vs. Heidelberg
Bench Points – 32.8 ppg (328) | Season-High - 81 vs. Heidelberg

HOME COOKING
Inside the friendly confines of James A. Rhodes Arena, the Zips have seen a lot of success over the course of the past 20 seasons. When playing on its home court, Akron owns a 142-99 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips average 86.2 points per tilt and connecting on 43 percent (.430) of their attempts from the field, while recording 44.0 rebounds, 14.6 assists, 7.8 steals and 2.2 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron closes out the Hawk Classic hosted by Saint Joseph's on Sunday (Dec. 21) in Philadelphia, Pa., versus the host Hawks or Le Moyne.