LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's basketball team will make its 2026-27 home debut when the Knights welcome Simmons College for a 6:30 p.m. (ET) contest Thursday in Knights Hall.

Bellarmine (0-1) and Simmons (0-5) are meeting for the second time in the D1 era. The first took place in 2022-23, when the Knights captured a 68-47 win in then-home Freedom Hall. The Falcons were competitive, hanging within nine of Bellarmine with less than a minute left in the third quarter. It was an 11-point game with less than four minutes remaining before the Knights closed the game on a 10-0 run.

Including its home exhibition against Spalding, Bellarmine is now squaring off against its third straight intra-city foe to begin 2026-27. The Knights officially opened the season Monday at No. 7 Louisville, falling 119-47 to the Cardinals in the KFC Yum! Center. Bellarmine head coach Monique Reid is a U of L Athletics Hall of Famer who helped lead the women's team to two Final Fours in her playing days.

Several players made their Bellarmine debuts against the Cardinals. Sophomore center Tacko Sy (transfer from Chipola College) and freshman guard Leigha Acoff started. Sophomore guard Coumba Keita (transfer from Arkansas Pine Bluff), junior guard Savannah Rowland (transfer from Lemoore College), junior guard Kaylyn Lelie (transfer from Monroe University) and freshman guard Emma Holtzapfel all saw action off the bench.

After missing last season due to injury, redshirt sophomore center Hana Abdel Aal took the floor against Louisville for the first time since November of the 2024-25 season. Abdel Aal started and was in the vicinity of a double-double after supplying nine points and seven rebounds. She also saw live action alongside her sister, sophomore center Haya Abdel Aal, for the first time at Bellarmine.

Acoff tied Hana Abdel Aal for team-high scoring honors against Louisville with nine points. Keita grabbed a game-high nine rebounds while Sy contributed eight points and five rebounds. While turnovers were a big issue against the Cardinals, the Knights held their own on the boards (minus-6 differential).

Bellarmine's increase in team height was likely noticeable to fans. Sy is 6-foot-5 while Haya Abdel Aal is 6-4 and Hana Abdel Aal is 6-3. Newcomers Keita (6-1) and Holtzapfel (6-0) further add an element of size to this season's edition of the Knights.

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