BRUNSWICK, Ga. - The College of Coastal Georgia women's basketball team officially kicks off their 2024-25 campaign Tuesday night when they travel to Cochran to take on the Middle Georgia State Knights at 5:30 p.m.

The Mariners are coming off a 2023-24 season that saw them go 8-18 overall and just 1-13 in Sun Conference play. Now under first year interim head coach Corey Harris, the program looks to shift gears and make a run at the conference tournament, something they have not done since 2018-19. 

Expected to lead the way for the Mariners is talented senior Taylor Gardner. The Jacksonville, Fla. native spent three seasons at the NCAA Division II level before transferring to CCGA this season. Last year at Young Harris, Gardner played in 29 games making 17 starts to average 5.5 points per contest. Gardner has plenty of collegiate basketball experience, playing in 86 career games in three years while making 69 starts. 

Helping Gardner in the paint is fellow senior forward Tyler Butler. After spending last season at Missouri Baptist where she played in 28 games, she will look to make an immediate impact on the floor for Harris and his squad, as the 6-1 forward has the ability to snag double digit rebounds at any point. 

With a plethora of senior leadership, Harris still has several young players who plan on stepping up to the plate right away, such as Alli Stone, Maylei Noreika, Lina Kouchis, and Peyton Shafer. All but Kouchis are freshmen, and all have the ability to take a game over and get to the basket when necessary. 

For the Knights, they come in with two preseason exhibitions under their belt, as they will also kick off their 2024-25 regular season when the Mariners come to town. Chloe Pollock returns to the squad having started 20 games a season ago averaging 5.9 points per contest. Vanessa Samuel also returns as the leading scorer for the Knights a season ago at 10.7 per game. 10 of the 14 rostered players for the Knights are juniors or higher, bringing in a veteran led group for the new campaign. 

These two teams played three times a season ago with the Mariners winning two out of three. In the last meeting back on November 7, 2023, the Mariners defeated the Knights inside Coffin Gym by a final of 67-53. 

Tip off is set for 5:30 p.m. from Morris Gymnasium in Cochran, Ga.