SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College women's basketball team looks to defend its Liberty League Championship as the 2018-19 season begins this Saturday. The Thoroughbreds will host Muhlenberg at the Williamson Sports Center at 2 p.m.
 
Despite losing four seniors to graduation, the Thoroughbreds return experienced players from their Liberty League regular season and tournament championship run from 2018. Head coach Jessica Turner will look to rely on that experience as she begins a new era at Skidmore. Turner comes to the Thoroughbreds after a successful five-year run at Middlebury College, where she helped coach a team to great success in one of the nation's toughest conferences.
 
Skidmore's lone starter from last year, senior point guard Haley English, will look to expand her role this year as one of the leaders on the team. Joining her is fellow senior and co-captain Taylor Ong, who was a spark plug as a forward substitute last season, bringing timely scoring and solid defensive play.
 
Senior guard Kayla Mitchell, junior guard Jessica Centore, sophomore forward Meera Ratté, and junior center Lilly Berg will look to solidify what should be a solid defensive team this season. On offense, Berg has an opportunity to make a leap as a scoring option in the paint. She showed flashes last season, tallying a career-high 16 points in 17 minutes in a road victory at Clarkson. She also finished last season shooting 50 percent from the field.
 
Sophomore guards Caroline Merguerian and Sydney Tsutsui will also have expanded roles this season. Merguerian is a strong off guard with a solid jumper, while Tsutsui will see her first action as a Thoroughbred, as the strong ball-handler returns after missing the entire season due to injury.
 
Four freshmen join the fold and each of them will look to make an early impact. Guard Kate McCarney will provide a boost on the perimeter, while Mary Kate Palleschi, Clare Driscoll, and Toyin Koleoso will look to protect the paint while also adding offense down low.
 
The Thoroughbreds once again face a tough schedule. Out of conference, the Thoroughbreds will do a lot of traveling early on, facing regional powers Williams and Middlebury, and national power Tufts on the road. The 18-game Liberty League regular season will once again be a grind, but the Thoroughbreds have had success in conference with a 25-6 record over the last two seasons.