JACKSON - The Belhaven Women's Basketball team is just 24 hours away from kicking off their 2024-25 campaign and the theme of the season is building on their late season success from a year ago. After making an underdog run in the CCS Tournament to the Championship Game with a pair of upsets in the first two rounds, Belhaven believes a combo of returning talent and new faces can return them to that height.

The Blazers were picked to finish 5th in the Collegiate Conference of the South Preseason Poll in what coaches expect to be a competitive top half of the league. The difference in preseason poll points between Belhaven and favorite Asbury was 15 which is just two points larger than the gap between Belhaven and 6th place Huntingdon.

Belhaven will open up their regular season campaign in a rematch of last year's CCS Championship on Friday taking on Berea, who departed the CCS this summer following their league championship. The matchup, a neutral site contest hosted a Millsaps, is sure to be a strong test for the Blazers who can measure themselves against the CCS standard from a year ago and a program that is sure to be in the national conversation once again.

The Blazers feature a strong mixture of returning players and newcomers this season. Headlined by Ebony Gayden, an All-Conference selection from a year ago, the returning corp includes veterans like Ashanti Lipscomb, Hayle Poindexter and Brookelynn Saxon as well as Jayden Coleman, Allaijah Gamble and Calise Jackson.

Head Coach Steve Calder along with Assistant Lauren Brooks also brought in plenty of new talent hoping to make an impact on the season with a large group coming from Mississippi's strong Junior College system. The Blazers' playing style will continue to be a high energy, aggressive style and the Belhaven coaching staff believe the new roster additions will help them execute at a higher level.

The Blazers will open up the year with a tough non-conference stretch that will continue into mid-December before they begin conference play on December 14th against Wesleyan in Rugg Arena.

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