It seems that some believe Shepherd and Shippensburg will be hanging around the same neighborhoods this winter.
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference coaches predict the men’s and women’s basketball teams of each school will be close besties, according to their votes that gave preseason rankings for the coming season.
Shepherd men are predicted to finish fourth and Shippensburg fifth in the nine-team PSAC East in the 2025-26 basketball season.
The Red Raiders switch the tables a bit on the women’s side. Shippensburg is tabbed to be seventh and the Rams eighth in the division standings.
On the men’s side, West Chester is the overwhelming favorite to win the East Division, garnering eight first-place votes. Coaches weren’t allowed to vote for their own teams. East Stroudsburg received the only other first-place vote.
Following West Chester and East Stroudsburg were Millersville, Shepherd, Shippensburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Kutztown and Bloomsburg.
Gannon received six votes to be the best in the West Division, followed by IUP and California, which earned one vote each. The rest of the division has Slippery Rock, Seton Hill, Edinboro, Pitt-Johnstown and Clarion checking from fourth through ninth place.
Shepherd was 21-11 last season, including 14-7 in PSAC competition. The Rams were strong defensively, finishing fourth in the country in field goal percentage against (39.1%) and ninth in average points allowed (64.3 per game).
Shepherd opens the season at Virginia State on Nov. 14 and opens league play on Dec. 6 at home against Gannon.
Shippensburg was led by guard Markus Frank, an All-PSAC East first-team selection, last season while posting a 10-19 record overall, including 7-14 in the division.
The Raiders will be led by the returning backcourt of seniors Timmy Conner and Trey Martin. They were the only two players to start all 29 games for Ship last season, combining for 18.7 points per game.
Sophomore Jaydon Smith, who was the Raiders’ third-leading scorer at 11.2 points per game, returns. He hit a team-best 40% of his three-point shots and led Shippensburg with 73 assists.
On the women’s side, Lock Haven was selected the team to beat in the East with six coaches votes. Kutztown received the other three votes and is projected to finish second. Gannon is picked to top the West with seven votes and Seton Hill is second with one.
Following Lock Haven and Kutztown in the East are Bloomsburg, West Chester, Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Shippensburg, Shepherd and Mansfield
In the West, IUP, California, Clarion, Edinboro, Slippery Rock, Slippery Rock and Pitt-Johnstown follow Gannon and Seton Hall in the voting.
Shippensburg finished 8-19 overall, including 5-16 in the division. Coach Kristy Trn starts her 28th year as the Raiders coach.
Senior Makayla Foddrell will lead Shippensburg after starting 14 games and averaging four points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Other returnees include Michelle Olk, who averaged 5.2 points and 4.4 rebounds, along with fellow sophomores Abbie Johns and Rylee Kraft.
Shepherd was 7-21 overall last season, including 4-17 in the division. The Rams showed improvement by going 3-3 in the final six games.
Key returners for the Rams are junior Kara Wehner, who averaged 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game sophomore Lamaria Estridge, who posted 11.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
The Rams open the 2025-26 season on Nov. 15 when they face Shaw in first-round game at the Bowie State Tipoff Classic. They open the PSAC schedule on Dec. 6 at home against Gannon.
