SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will hit the road to continue postseason play on Monday, March 31, traveling to Purdue Fort Wayne for the Great 8 of the 2025 WNIT. Entering Monday's contest, the Vikings are 26-9 on the year, while Purdue Fort Wayne is currently 27-8 this season.
 
A WIN ON MONDAY WOULD…
Advance the Vikings to the Fab 4 of the WNIT…Mark the eighth postseason win for Cleveland State in program history…Give the Vikings three-straight wins for the fourth time this season…Make Cleveland State the only remaining Horizon League team to be playing.
 
THE CLEVELAND STATE/PURDUE FORT WAYNE SERIES
Monday's game will mark the 20th meeting between the two teams, with Cleveland State owning a 16-3 advantage in the all-time series. Despite CSU's lead overall, Purdue Fort Wayne owns a 2-1 record against the Vikings in three meetings this season. The last time the two teams met was in the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament, with the Mastodons capturing an 83-65 victory. Cleveland State's win on the year came in a 61-52 decision at Purdue Fort Wayne, marking the Mastodons first league loss of the 2024-25 campaign.
 
2025 WNIT
This year's WNIT field features 48 teams, including 16 that received byes into the second round of the tournament. First round matchups were contested March 20-22, second round games were played March 23-25, and Super 16 games were played March 26-28. Great 8 winners will advance to the Fab 4 games which are set for April 1-2, while the 2025 WNIT Championship game is scheduled for April 5. All games will be hosted on campus sites.
 
…A LOOK AT THE BRACKET
Cleveland State is one of two Horizon League teams in the WNIT field, joining Purdue Fort Wayne who is also playing in the Great 8. The Mastodons are the only opponent in the field from the Vikings' 2024-25 schedule.
 
…CLEVELAND STATE IN THE WNIT
This marks the second appearance for the Vikings in the WNIT, as they also earned a spot in the field during the 2014-15 campaign, falling at Michigan in a first round contest.
 
…SUPER 16 RECAP
Last time out, the Vikings posted a 55-52 victory over Duquesne in the Super 16 of the 2025 WNIT. Cleveland State used a 37-23 second half advantage to overcome a 13-point deficit to keep the Vikings' season alive. The Viking defense held Duquesne to a .339 clip from the floor, while forcing the Dukes into 15 turnovers. Filippa Goula recorded the game-winning three-pointer with just 32 seconds remaining, converting her second three-pointer of the contest. 
 
…SECOND ROUND RECAP
Cleveland State picked up its first-ever victory in the WNIT last week, posting a 72-70 overtime victory against Coppin State in the second round of the 2025 WNIT. The Vikings were playing for the first time in over two weeks, and marked their second overtime game of the 2024-25 campaign. The two-point victory over Coppin State gave the Vikings a 2-0 record in overtime games this season, while it improved Cleveland State to 28-19 all-time when playing extra minutes.
 
REISMA EFFICIENT FROM THE FIELD
Jordana Reisma continues to be one of the most efficient shooters among Division I players, continuing WNIT play with a .682 field goal percentage on the year.  Through two WNIT games, Reisma is perfect from the field, going 9-for-9 over the first two rounds of play. Reisma is currently leading all Division I players in the category, shooting 195-for-286 on the year, while she currently sits at the top of the CSU Career Record Book with a .606 clip (417-687) for her career.
 
WNIT COURT TIME
Through the first two rounds of the WNIT, Destiny Leo has been on the court for all 85 minutes of game action, while Sara Guerreiro has been on the court for 83 of 85 total minutes. Both Leo and Guerreiro played the entire game against Duquesne last time out, while Leo also played 45 minutes during Cleveland State's overtime win against Coppin State. For the season, Leo is averaging 33.5 minutes per game, while Guerreiro sits at 32.3 - making them two of three CSU starters to average 30+ minutes per game this year.
 
…MILESTONE APPEARANCES ON MONDAY NIGHT
Monday's game will mark the 100th appearance in a Cleveland State uniform for Sara Guerreiro, as she will become the third active Viking to play in 100+ games at CSU, joining Destiny Leo (128) and Jordana Reisma (105). In addition, Monday's game will move Leo into a tie with Shawnita Garland (2007-11) at the top of the CSU Career Record Book with 129 total games played.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Monday's WNIT Great 8 game will mark the 19th road game for the Vikings this season, as they enter the contest with an 11-7 record when playing away from home. Through 18 games played on the road, Cleveland State has traveled 11,200+ miles, covering eight states and Puerto Rico.
 
CSU CONTINUES POSTSEASON PLAY WITH 26 WINS
After securing their fourth straight 20-win season with a 79-58 victory over Oakland earlier this year, Cleveland State continues WNIT play with 26 wins - the third most wins in a single-season in program history. The 26 wins marks the fifth 20-win campaign for Cleveland State over the last six years, while it marks the third straight season with 26+ victories.
 
PERDUE NAMED #HLWBB PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Earlier this season Mickayla Perdue was named the Horizon League Player of the Year, becoming just the fifth Viking in program history to earn Player of the Year honors. Perdue, who was also named to the All-League First Team, is averaging 20.0 points and 3.3 assists per game, and has recorded a league-high 19 20-point performances on the year, including a four 30-point efforts. For the season, Perdue has 700 total points, ranking 12th nationally among Division I payers.
 
…VIKINGS WITH PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS
Mickayla Perdue's Player of the Year honor marked the third straight season that Cleveland State has taken home the major award from the league. This marked the fourth time in #HLWBB history that the same school has earned Player of the Year honors during three straight seasons, but it was the first time that three different players from the same school have earned the recognition (2025-Perdue, 2024-Maples, 2023-Leo).
 
GUERREIRO, LEO & REISMA EARN ALL-LEAGUE HONORS
In addition to Mickayla Perdue, the trio of Sara Guerreiro, Destiny Leo and Jordana Reisma also picked up All-League accolades, with Reisma earning a spot on the All-League Second Team & All-Defensive Team, Guerreiro being named to the All-League Third Team & All-Defensive Team and Leo picking up All-League Third Team honors.
 
…LEO BECOMES FOUR-TIME ALL-LEAGUE HONOREE
With her All-League Third Team accolade this season, Destiny Leo became a four-time All-League honoree, picking up postseason accolades in each of her four complete seasons that she has played at Cleveland State. Leo becomes the fourth Viking all-time to be a four-time All-League honoree, and has earned Player of the Year, Sixth Player of the Year, First Team, Third Team, and Freshman Team nods.
 
PERDUE SETS SINGLE-SEASON SCORING RECORD
After finishing with 33 points against Purdue Fort Wayne in the #HLWBB Semifinals, Mickayla Perdue set the CSU Single-Season Scoring Record, and currently owns 700 points on the year. Perdue is one of three players to hold multiple spots on the top-10 list after also ranking seventh with 607 points from last season, while she is the only Viking all-time to reach 700+ points in a single-season.
 
LEO SETS SINGLE-SEASON THREE-POINT RECORD
With a trio of three-pointers in the Horizon League semifinals, Destiny Leo set the CSU Record for three-pointers in a single-season, and enters Monday's game with 97 on the year. Leo, who broke her own record of 90 three-pointers that she set during the 2022-23 campaign, is averaging 2.7 three-pointers per game so far this year. Leo, who is shooting 40-percent from behind-the-arc on the year, also holds the CSU Career Record with 321 total three-pointers.
 
CLEVELAND STATE ON THE BOARDS
The Vikings continue to be the top rebounding team in the Horizon League, averaging 37.7 boards per game through 35 games played. Cleveland State also holds a league-best +6.2 rebounding margin, and has outrebounded its opponent 26 times so far this year. Cleveland State's current rebounding margin of +6.2 ranks second in the Single-Season Record Book, while the Vikings' 998 defensive boards so far this season sits at the top of the record book.
 
VIKINGS FROM THE FREE THROW LINE
Through 35 games played this season, the Vikings rank eighth nationally averaging 16.43 free throws made per game. For the season, Cleveland State has converted a league-best 575 free throws, including 20+ free throws during eight games this year. The 575 total free throws currently ranks second on the CSU Single-Season List, as one of just four teams all-time with 500+ made free throws in a campaign.
 
…AND FROM THE FIELD
As a team, Cleveland State has had one of the more efficient offenses this season, leading the Horizon League and ranking 12th among Division I teams with a .471 clip from the field on the year. The Vikings have shot 50-percent or better during 11 games so far this season. Cleveland State's .471 clip from the field, currently sits at the top of the CSU Single-Season Record Book.
 
GUERREIRO NAMED TO #HLWBB ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
For the second straight season, graduate student Sara Guerreiro has earned a spot on the Horizon League All-Academic Team. Guerreiro, who graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Mechanical Engineering last spring, is currently pursuing her master's degree in the same field, holding a 4.00 grade point average. Guerreiro was one of five #HLWBB players named to the team.
 
HEAD COACH CHRIS KIELSMEIER
The Vikings will be under the direction of seventh-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier, who currently owns a career head coaching record of 567-185. At Cleveland State, Kielsmeier owns a record of 151-69, 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 five 20-win seasons, including a program-record 30 wins during the 2023-24 campaign.