2025-26 Women's Basketball Season Recap
LIMA, OH - UNOH women's basketball has been become a consistent force in the WHAC under the leadership of head coach Matt Vavro who concludes his fourth year at the helm. Vavro took over the program in 2022 coming off just three wins the previous year. In the four seasons since, the Racers have earned a place in the post season three times while setting a new single season wins record at 20-10 a year ago and the program's first ever WHAC Semifinal appearance.
The 2025-26 Racers continued that success putting together an 18-11 campaign, matching the program's previous wins record, and claiming the best home winning percentage (.824) in the history of the program. The year also marked the program's best two-year span ever earning 38 wins and the first time with back-to-back winning seasons since 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. On November 1, 2025 UNOH upset No. 23 Shawnee State 68-61 for the program's first victory over a ranked opponent since 2020.
Vavro now sits just twelve wins away from becoming the program's all-time winningest coach and sits currently as the only one to carry an overally winning percentage above .500 (.534).
UNOH averaged 71.8 points per game after setting the program record at 79.9 last year giving them back-to-back seasons averaging 70+ for the first time since 2009-10 and 2010-11. They also topped two records set last season with 29.0 defensive rebounds per game and 3.8 blocks per game.
Alysia Lawson began the year with 46 points against Great Lakes Christian, breaking her own single game record, starting her on the path to becoming the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,218 career points. She ends her career averaging 20.9 points per game, a program record, and now sits first or second in ten different career categories.
Freshman Lori Huffman fell just five rebounds short of the program's single season record but set a new mark for the program after averaging 11.6 per game. Fellow freshman Sanaiiya Gray also got herself into the record book logging 66 blocks over 29 games for a 2.4 average, both are new single season program highs.
Eight times a Racer was honored as a conference player of the week giving Coach Vavro 26 during his four-year tenure after nine total in the program's previous 15 seasons combined.
Two Racers landed All-WHAC Second Team honors with two also being named to the WHAC All-Freshman Team. Four players earned mentions on the WHAC All-Academic and NAIA Scholar-Athlete Teams led by Olivia Thompson who earned her second for both. Thompson also became the program's first ever three-time nominee for the WHAC's Champions of Character Team.
Overall Record: 18-11
Conference Record: 12-10
Season Result: WHAC Quarterfinals
Key Wins
November 1: 68-61 vs. #23 Shawnee State
Top Team Performances
Biggest Win: December 13 vs. Defiance, 95-47
Points: 111 vs. Great Lakes Christian (10/23)
FG Made: 46 vs. Great Lakes Christian (10/23)
3-Pt FG Made: 16 vs. Lourdes (2/18)
FT Made: 27 - 3 Times
Assists: 28 vs. Great Lakes Christian (10/23)
Rebounds: 58 vs. Great Lakes Christian (10/23)
Steals: 12 vs. Defiance (12/13)
Blocks: 9 vs. Shawnee State (11/1)
Top Individual Performances
Points: 46 - Alysia Lawson vs. Great Lakes Christian (10/23) - Program Record
FG Made: 19 - Alysia Lawson vs. Great Lakes Christian (10/23) - Program Record
3-PT FG: 6 - Brooke Asher at Lawrence Tech (1/24) & Sanaiiya Gray vs. Lourdes (2/18)
FT Made: 10 - Olivia Thompson at Defiance (2/7)
Assists: 9 - Brooke Asher vs. Bryant & Stratton-Ohio (11/4)
Rebounds: 22 - Lori Huffman vs. Bryant & Stratton-Ohio (11/4) & Midway (11/11)
Blocks: 6 - Sanaiiya Gray vs. Shawnee State (11/1) - Program Record
Conference Awards
WHAC Second Team: Olivia Thompson, Brooke Asher
WHAC Freshman Team: Brooke Asher, Sanaiiya Gray
WHAC Champions of Character Team: Olivia Thompson
WHAC Offensive Player of the Week: Alysia Lawson (3x), Olivia Thompson
WHAC Defensive Player of the Week: Sanaiiya Gray (2x), Lori Huffman (2x)
Academic Honors
NAIA Scholar-Athletes: Olivia Thompson, Cadiance Fuduloff, Celeste Rummell, Micaha Marbury
WHAC Academic Team: Olivia Thompson, Cadiance Fuduloff, Celeste Rummell, Micaha Marbury