The 2025-26 women’s basketball season is about to tip off, ringing in a new era for the program in Lincoln Park. In her first season as the full-time head coach, Jill Pizzotti, a former DePaul assistant under longtime coach Doug Bruno, hopes to bring her team back to their recent levels of success and do so quickly.

“We want to be able to set the tone early with our style of play and experience,” Pizzotti said. “We have some core values in our program: fierce, resilient, disciplined, compassionate and unselfish. That’s how we want to play, that’s how we want to be.”

Pizzotti looks to return to DePaul’s patented “small ball” philosophy, encouraging a quick, up and down play style that leans on the versatility of her players and finding mismatches on the court. During the offseason, Pizzotti and staff positioned this year’s team to reflect those traits.

The 14-person roster is equally composed of returning players and newcomers alike. 

The former group is highlighted by senior forward Meg Newman and junior guards Shakara McCline and Sumer Lee, all of whom played in all 32 games for the Blue Demons last season. 

Senior guard Kate Clarke also figures to make an impact in her third season at DePaul after missing the majority of last season with a lower body injury. Sophomore guard Natiah Nelson and redshirt freshmen guards Ally Timm and Alayna West round out the returning players. 

The newcomers feature several veteran additions, including graduate forwards Justis Odom and Michelle Ojo, who come to DePaul from Lindenwood University and the University of Delaware, respectively. 

Junior guard Aizhanique Mayo joins the team after playing against the Blue Demons last season at Xavier, and she is joined by fellow junior guard Kate Novik, a transfer from Morehead State. 

Sophomores Faith Okorie, a forward from George Mason, and Devin Hagemann, a guard from East Carolina, are the team’s final transfer portal acquisitions, with freshman guard Gina Davorija also set to play her first season at DePaul.

To start the season, the team will be without Newman, Clarke and Hagemann, who are all recovering from injuries that should not prevent their returns this season. In the meantime, the starting lineup will consist of Mayo, West, Timm, Novik and Ojo if their Oct. 25 exhibition is any indication. The team won a competitive 77-73 game against the visiting Milwaukee Panthers, with five different players finishing with 10 or more points. 

“It’s a good win. Any time you can win a close game and get a W, we’re happy about it,” Pizzotti said postgame while admitting that her team’s 27 total personal fouls were something to improve on in the future. “We want to play aggressive, but we have to play cleaner.”

Mayo, a Big East veteran playing in her first game as a Blue Demon, scored 12 points on four 3-pointers in the exhibition match, but remains focused on the team’s lofty season goals.

“I’m excited to be here,” Mayo said. “I want to get to the Big East tournament, play UConn in the last game.”

Mayo is not alone in her confidence in expressing the team’s goal. Although she already has experience in the conference, she is not the only transfer destined to get DePaul back to the top of the Big East.

“We’re looking to be the most competitive team in the Big East, the most connected, community-rooted,” Ojo said. “I came here looking for more competition.”

DePaul’s nonconference schedule is just around the corner, starting with a home match against Valparaiso on Nov. 4. The team then travels to UNLV and Bradley before home games against local teams Northwestern and Loyola Chicago, as well as a quick trip to UIC for a Dec. 17 intracity showdown. 

While these games will not count for conference standings, they are important opportunities for the Blue Demons to flex their strength in their home market.

“Beat all Chicago teams,” assistant coach Ashton Millender said of the team’s early season goals. “We are Chicago’s team.”

DePaul’s Big East schedule begins Dec. 4 with a home matchup versus Marquette. Last season, the team went 8-9 in regular season conference play, including winning four of their first five conference games. 

“Our goal is to finish top four in the Big East,” Millender said. “It’s about proving people wrong and showing that we are one of the top teams.”

The conference is set to be competitive from top to bottom according to Pizzotti, who stressed the need to be prepared night in and night out.

“We’re going to be excited when we get to go out on the court, regardless of who we’re playing in the Big East,” Pizzotti said. “We have to be ready to play at the top of our game to give ourselves an opportunity to come out with a W.”

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• Jill Pizzotti’s road to DPU women’s basketball head coach 
• Milkshakes & Fast Breaks: DePaul’s dynamic duo
• Holtmann’s second year with DPU men’s basketball