Winthrop Women’s Basketball’s future looks bright with new players and top talent.
By Kellan Hudson
Sports Editor
Sports
The Winthrop Eagles women’s basketball team l is back in action with their season debut on November 2nd, against Newberry. The team is looking for the local Rock Hill community and WInthrop student body to get out to games and support the team in as many ways as they can.
In the 2025-2026 season Winthrop made it to the Big South semifinal round, getting knocked out by High Point, who later went on to win the Big South. The team finished 15-17 last year overall and 7-9 in the Big South. In the preseason polls Winthrop was projected to place sixth in the Big South so the girls are eager to get revenge and make a new name for themselves in the Big South.
“The standard is still the same as last year. We have a bunch of new faces on the team now. We really don’t know what to expect because everyone’s new teams in the conference are new. They [all] got a lot of new players coming in,” Junior Madison Ruff said. Ruff is from Sparta, Georgia and transferred from Mount Saint Mary’s two years ago.
Of the women’s basketball teams 14 players, only four of those players are returners from last year. The overhaul of the team by bringing in 10 new players will offer new dynamics and new talent. There are three new international players who have joined the team as well. Lucia Skvarekova from Košice, Slovakia, Laura Silva from Lisbon, Portugal and Marta Guilera from La Granada, Spain.
Ruff was named to the pre-season Big South First Team All Conference list and is expected to make a big impact on the court this year.
“I love to be the aggressor on the court. I love defense, I love to cause chaos and just bring the energy on the floor and to my teammates,” Ruff said.
Ruff averaged 11.2 points per game last year and was named a Big South Honorable Mention Player. Ruffs nomination to the First Team All Conference Team shows the potential she has and how she’s growing in her game.
”It means a lot,” Ruff said. “Last season I won honorable mention so it’s just an award I didn’t expect. I am very grateful for it.
Another asset the team has is their highly decorated Head Coach Semeka Randall Lay. Randall Lay is entering her sixth year as Winthrop’s head coach. Randall Lay played at The University of Tennessee and won the 1998 National Championship prior to a four year career in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Randall Lay’s tenure will continue to grow stability and success within the program.
Ruff is optimistic about the team’s performance this year. Their coach has reminded them that pre season placings and rankings don’t mean anything since no one can predict how anyone will play, especially with all the new transfers. “The preseason poll right now really doesn’t count. We haven’t seen teams play this year,” Ruff said. “The doors are open for anyone to be placed in any position.”
The first conference game for the Winthrop women’s basketball team is against High Point on December 30th. All women’s basketball games for Winthrop are free for any enrolled students so it is important to the community and the team’s energy and success to get fans out to games to build excitement around the team. Ruff and the rest of the Winthrop women’s basketball team are ready to compete and make a name for themselves. “I’m hoping everyone is just ready to lace up their shoes and go harder than they did the first two scrimmages they had,” Ruff said.
