SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will officially kick off the 2024-25 season this week, traveling to No. 14 Ohio State for a 6:00 p.m. contest on Tuesday, November 5. The Vikings will be opening their 52nd season of basketball and their seventh under head coach Chris Kielsmeier.
 
A WIN ON TUESDAY WOULD…
Put Cleveland State at 4-4 in season openers under head coach Chris Kielsmeier…Mark the first win against Ohio State in program history…Give the Vikings their first win over a nationally ranked team since the 2017-18 season.
 
THE CLEVELAND STATE/OHIO STATE SERIES
Tuesday's game will be the seventh meeting between the two teams, with Ohio State owning a 6-0 advantage in the all-time series. This will be the first meeting since the 2016-17 season, when Ohio State picked up a 96-78 victory.
 
THE VIKINGS
Cleveland State enters the 2024-25 campaign with nine returners from last season's team that went 29-6, and captured the program's first-ever Horizon League Regular Season championship. In addition, this returning core will be joined by five newcomers including three transfers and two true freshmen.
 
CLEVELAND STATE SELECTED AS #HLWBB PRESEASON FAVORITES
Earlier this month, the Vikings were selected as the preseason favorite to win the Horizon League, picking up 117 points and seven first place votes. This marked the first time in program history that Cleveland State was selected as the preseason favorite, while it marked the fourth time that they were ranked in the top-two heading into a season.
 
THREE EARN #HLWBB PRESEASON HONORS
The trio of Destiny Leo, Colbi Maples and Mickayla Perdue picked up preseason honors from the Horizon League, with Maples being named the #HLWBB Preseason Player of the Year and Leo and Perdue both earning a spot on the Preseason First Team. This marks the third straight year that the Vikings have earned #HLWBB Preseason Player of the Year honors, with Maples becoming the fifth Viking all-time to earn the honor.
 
LEO SET FOR RETURN
After missing the final 29 games during 2023-24 due to a season-ending injury, Destiny Leo is set to make her return to the court in Tuesday's season opener at Ohio State. Leo, who was the 2022-23 Horizon League Player of the Year, enters the year ranked in the CSU Career Record Book in six categories, including points (8th - 1,557), three-pointers made (2nd – 224) and free throws made (6th – 367).
 
REISMA ON THE BLOCK
In addition to Destiny Leo, Jordana Reisma also enters the season ranked in the CSU Career Record Book, currently sitting 10th with 77 career blocked shots. Reisma, who recorded 34 blocks last season, is just three blocks shy of becoming the 10th Viking all-time with 80+ blocked shots and four blocks shy of moving into ninth place on the list.
 
RETURNING OFFENSE
Cleveland State returns 81-percent of its offense from last season, including a trio of 1,000-point scorers in Destiny Leo, Colbi Maples and Mickayla Perdue. This group accounted for 1,300+ points last year, while the duo of Jordana Reisma and Sara Guerreiro added 630+ additional points. In addition, the Vikings also return six players that appeared in the starting lineup at least once last year, giving Cleveland State a veteran group for the 2024-25 campaign.
 
VIKINGS IN THE RANKINGS
Entering the season, Cleveland State is receiving votes in the WBCA Top-25 Coaches Poll, while the Vikings also begin the year ranked eighth in the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top-25 Poll.
 
THE NON-LEAGUE SLATE
Cleveland State will be opening an 11-game non-league slate on Tuesday, with just three of these games coming at home. Three of Cleveland State's non-league opponents were 20-win teams last year, while four were postseason teams from a year ago.
 
VIKINGS ON THE ROAD
Tuesday's game at Ohio State will be the first of 18 road games for the Vikings this season. Throughout the course of non-league play alone, the Vikings will play eight games away from home and are slated to travel 7,200+ miles. Last season, Cleveland State tallied a 9-4 record in road contests.
 
HEAD COACH CHRIS KIELSMEIER
The Vikings will be under the direction of seventh-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier, who enters the 2024-25 campaign with a career head coaching record of 541-176. At Cleveland State, Kielsmeier owns a record of 125-60, with his 100th victory as a Viking coming in a 95-41 decision over Chicago State last season. Under his guidance, Cleveland State has posted four 20-win seasons, including a program-record 30 wins during the 2023-24 campaign.
 
...KIELSMEIER NAMED TO PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Chris Kielsmeier was named to the Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Preseason Watch List last month – one of 20 coaches to earn the recognition, and the only coach from the Horizon League. Under Kielsmeier, the Vikings have advanced to the Horizon League Championship game three straight years, and have made four consecutive postseason appearances.
 
A LOOK BACK AT 2023-24
Cleveland State combined for a 29-6 record last season, marking the program's third straight 20-win campaign and fourth total under Chris Kielsmeier. Included in Cleveland State's overall record was a program-best 18-2 mark in Horizon League play, which led to the Vikings capturing their first-ever #HLWBB Regular Season title. CSU made its fourth straight postseason appearance during 2023-24, earning a spot in the inaugural WBIT field. 
 
NEW! CLEVELAND STATE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RADIO SHOW
Fans can stay up-to-date with all things Viking Basketball throughout the 2024-25 season by tuning in to the Cleveland State Women's Basketball Radio Show. The weekly show will air on Monday nights beginning at 6:00 p.m. on 1350 AM and will feature a variety of coaches, student-athletes and members of the CSU community.
 
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will stay on the road to continue the 2024-25 campaign, traveling to Chicago State for a 5:30 p.m. contest on Saturday, November 9.