LEWISTON, ID – The 2025-26 LC State Women’s Basketball team opens its third season under head coach Caelyn Orlandi on Friday with high expectations from the NAIA, Cascade Conference and from within the program. The Warriors return a stacked lineup with five seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. LC State, the No. 7-ranked team in the NAIA preseason poll, was picked to finish first in a competitive Cascade Conference.
“This team has great goals set for themselves and I know they are all within reach,” Orlandi said. “The best teams that have ever come through LC play for each other and the name on the front of their jersey and this team has the opportunity to be one of those special teams. They put in the work outside of practice, encourage each other, bring out the best in each other and commit to our common goal. I look forward to all the challenges and excitement this season is going to bring.”
The Warriors finished the 2024-25 campaign with a record of 26-7 and went 17-5 in Cascade Conference play. LC State finished as the runner-up in the CCC postseason tournament to then-No. 2 Southern Oregon, then advanced to the NAIA Second Round.
THE ROSTER
With three all-conference performers returning, the Warriors return nearly 70% of their scoring output from a year ago. Sitara Byrd and Darian Herring each earned First-Team All-CCC last season and Payton Hymas earned All-CCC Honorable Mention honors, and those three combined for 40% of the teams’ points last season and had immeasurable impacts both offensively and defensively.
Herring led the NAIA in blocked shots last season and shattered the program single-season record with 93. She led the Warriors in rebounds per game (6.1) and dished out an impressive 110 assists as a forward to go with 10 points per game. Byrd averaged 10.5 points per game as the top returning scorer and contributed 5.8 boards per game with 81 total steals. Hymas led the team in assists with 112 and added 12.5 points per game with 57 steals.
Lindsey Wilson, Camden Barger and Ella Nelson round out a talented senior class whose impact as leaders is just as important as it is in the box score.
“This year’s senior class is a remarkable group of individuals,” Orlandi said. “They embody all it means to be a part of LC Women’s Basketball. One of our acronyms we use to establish our culture is C.A.T.C.H. It stands for communication, attitude, trust, collective responsibility and heart and all our seniors represent that to the fullest. Payton and Camden do an excellent job of being our floor generals, Ella Nelson has done a great job this preseason playing within herself and making the right on court decision, Sitara Byrd continues to do Sitara Byrd things and Lindsey Wilson is playing with great confidence and making her strengths our team’s strengths. The best teams are player led, and I look forward to watching our seniors lead.”
Herring put together one of the most impressive seasons in a Warrior uniform last season, and the rest of the junior class has the potential to do the same. Tatum Brager led LC State in 3-pointers made last season (48) and has become one of the most feared shooters in the CCC. Grace Beardin has gotten better with each season and has shown her versatility as a threat offensively and defensively.
“Our junior class is full of talent, and I look forward to Tatum and Grace having a breakout season,” Orlandi added. “Both have put in the time in the offseason to get better and I look forward to watching them excel on the court. As for Darian Herring, I look forward to this being her most confident season yet. She will play poised, rise to the competition, and has the opportunity in front of her to have a very special season.”
A new addition to the junior class is transfer Ellee Brockman from NCAA Division II Western Washington. The 6-foot guard brings both leadership and competitive experience to enhance an already talented team.
“Ellee Brockman has fit in seamlessly with what we do here,” Orlandi explained. “She is long, athletic and does a great job on rebounding for us. She has had to play multiple spots for us and that is a difficult thing to do as a new member of our program. She has a great attitude, is a great teammate and is always willing to take on challenges.”
Kendall Wallace could be a difference maker in her second season in a Warrior uniform after creating chaos for opponents during her minutes last season. The Clarkston native highlights the sophomore class along with the team’s most improved player, Keira O’Neill. Bella Firnkoess, another important piece to the puzzle, will return to the court later this season after working back from an injury.
“Both Kendall Wallace and Keira O’Neill came back better than they were last season and both have been demonstrating great leadership qualities,” Orlandi said.
The team’s lone freshman is Grangeville native Madalyn Green. Green was teammates with Brager for one year in high school before leaving her mark locally for the Bulldogs. Though the youngest, she is the tallest on the team this season at 6-1.
“Madalyn Green will be a great player for us,” Orlandi added. “She gets to go against Keira, Darian and Lindsey every day and that alone is going to make her better. She does a great job of taking advice from players and coaches and getting it done on the court. Her length is a huge advantage for us, and she runs the court so well.”
THE SCHEDULE
LC State opens the season with one of its most diverse non-conference slates in recent years. The Warriors host Dickinson State (N.D.) on back-to-back nights to start the season Oct. 24-25 before Montana Western and Park-Gilbert (Ariz.) travel to Lewiston Nov. 7-8.
The Warrior women will hit the road for the rest of November to take on No. 23 Shawnee State (Ohio) and (RV) Rio Grande (Ohio) at Rio Grande for the Bevo Francis Classic Nov. 21-22, then head to Montana to take on No. 16 Carroll (Mont.) and No. 21 Rocky Mountain (Mont.) at the Carroll College Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 28-29.
“Our non-conference schedule is one of the toughest schedules we have had in a long time,” Orlandi explained. “Shawnee State and Rio Grande were picked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the River States Conference Preseason coaches’ poll and Rocky Mountain and Carroll were tied for second in the Frontier preseason poll. All four of these games will be played on the road and will be extremely competitive and challenging games for our team. Winning is tough, but winning on the road requires execution, toughness and great player leadership.”\
Three teams from the Cascade Conference open the season in the top 25 with Oregon Tech at No. 14 and Southern Oregon at No. 15, and College of Idaho is receiving votes. With a conference known for its depth, there are no nights off at home or on the road.
“The Cascade Conference took five teams to the national tournament last season, and I anticipate the conference being even tougher this season,” Orlandi said. “I would say that every team in our conference got better this season. College of Idaho is going to be tough defensively and they always work extremely hard, Corban had some great additions to their team, OIT returns their point guard who was injured last season and Southern Oregon always does their job. This is going to be an extremely competitive season and winning at home and on the road is going to be a battle every single game.”
LC State opens CCC play with a tough road trip to Eastern Oregon and C of I Dec. 5-6. The Warriors take on Walla Walla (Wash.) and Warner Pacific (Ore.) on the road to close out the month without a counting home contest in December.
Powerhouse programs SOU and OIT will ring in 2026 in Lewiston with the Warriors’ first taste of conference action at home Jan. 2-3. The Warriors will host Corban and Bushnell Feb. 20-21 to close out the regular season in the P1FCU Activity Center.
The Cascade Conference tournament format looks different this season with the top seed hosting the full postseason tournament. The regular season champion will host the quarterfinal on Feb. 27, semifinal on Feb. 28 and championship contest on Mar. 2.
The NAIA First and Second Rounds are set for Mar. 13-14 with the final site in Sioux City, Iowa, slated for Mar. 19-24.
