CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Cavaliers are set to open the 54th season of women’s basketball at the University of Virginia when UVA hosts Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday (Nov. 1). Tipoff from John Paul Jones Arena is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).
Tickets Available
- Single-game tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now. Groups of 20 or more can take advantage of a discounted rate.
- Season tickets for the 2026-27 season start at $70 each and may be purchased online at UVATix.com or by calling the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at (434) 924-8821 (UVA1).
- Returning for the 2026-27 season, the Family Four Pack is also available starting at $240 for four season tickets. Fans can purchase up to 10 season tickets at a discounted rate for use by family members and friends. For more information about the Family Four Pack, contact the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office.
Broadcast Information
- Saturday’s game will be streamed on ACCNX.
- The game will also be broadcast on WINA (98.9-FM/1070-AM), VirginiaSports.com and the Virginia Spots mobile app.
- Live statistics will be provided through StatBroadcast, which can be accessed on VirginiaSports.com.
For Openers:
- Virginia enters the season receiving votes in both the Women’s Basketball AP Poll as well as the USA Today Coaches Poll.
- Virginia was picked to finish sixth in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll; it’s highest position since being picked sixth in 2017.
- The Cavaliers enter the season coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2018 and their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2000.
- Kymora Johnson is 21 pts from passing Cathy Grimes for eight in program history in career points.
Series History:
- Virginia is 5-0 against Maryland-Eastern Shore in a series that dates to 2013.
- UVA has outscored UMES by a margin of 118 points in five games between them.
- Head Coach Aaron Roussell is 2-0 against the Hawks in his career as a head coach, both games taking place during his tenure at Richmond (W, 64-52, 12/5/19 | W, 69-59, 12/1/21)
- The Cavaliers cruised to a 92-59 win over UMES in 2025-26.
- Kymora Johnson led all players with 20 points while collecting six rebounds and dishing five assists
The Roussell Era Begins:
- Head Coach Aaron Roussell takes charge of the Virginia program in his 22nd season as a head coach with a 460-194 record accumulated from stops at UChicago (DIII), Bucknell and Richmond.
- Roussell spent the last seven seasons at the University of Richmond, leading the Spiders to a 148-72 record and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
- Over the course of his 22-season career, Roussell has led his teams to five NCAA Tournament Appearances (2017, 2019, 2024, 2025, 2026)
- He has combined for 11 seasons with 20+ wins and led his teams to a total of six conference championships.
The 2026 Cavaliers:
- Kymora Johnson, Breona Hurd, Olivia McGhee, Adeang Ring, and Tabitha Amanze, who is rehabbing an injury sustained last season.
- UVA inked four players from the transfer portal this offseason including two guards: Mary-Anna Asare (VCU) and Eris Lester (Alabama). Virginia also landed a pair of bigs in Caterina Piatti (Florida), and Janae Walker (Rutgers).
- Virginia signed four first-years including Erica Gribble (Greensburg, Pa.) Emilie Brzonova (Czech Republic), Sintija Aukštikalnyte (Lithuania) and Lyla Coogen (Arlington, Va.)
Johnson Chasing History:
- Kymora Johnson has collected multiple preseason honors ahead of 2026.
- She was named a preseason All-ACC selection for the third consecutive season and landed on the preseason watch lists for both the Nancy Lieberman Award - which recognizes the nation’s best point guard - as well as the Naismith Player of the Year Watch List
- She ranks 9th in program history with 1,725 points – 21 points from passing Cathy Grimes in eighth.
- Johnson is 152 points from reaching the top-five in career points at UVA (Lyndra Littles, 1,876), and 411 from passing Dawn Staley for second (2,135).
- Only three Cavaliers have ever surpassed the 2,000-point threshold in program history.
- Johnson is just four assists from moving into the top-3 in program history. She is 172 from passing Dawn Staley for second all-time.
On the Horizon:
- The Cavaliers will play three games in seven days to open the 2026 season.
- UVA will travel to take on Davidson on Thursday, Nov. 5. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+
- Virginia will then return to JPJ to host William & Mary on Sunday, Nov. 8. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. on ACCNX.