Pilots Tip Off NCCAA Season with Road Trip to Iowa

The Providence University College Pilots opened their 2025–26 NCCAA basketball season with a four-game weekend road trip in Iowa, taking on Grace Christian (Mich.) and Emmaus Bible College in men's and women's action. Both programs showed early-season growth and flashes of strong individual performances across the two-day doubleheaders.

Women's Basketball Splits Opening Weekend

The women's basketball team launched their NCCAA season with a dominant showing against Grace Christian, cruising to a 93–44 victory behind an all-around team effort.
Sophomore Sydney Last led the Pilots with 19 points, while Faith Larocque was a force inside with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Colby Darragh added 12 points, including two three-pointers, and Nya Goulder chipped in 10 points off the bench as Providence shot nearly 35% from the field and forced 30 turnovers on defense.

The next day, Providence stayed hot offensively, downing Emmaus Bible College 100–72 to complete a 2–0 start.
Fiona Garcia exploded for 22 points, six rebounds, and three assists in just 14 minutes of action, while Adrian Alleydistributed the ball masterfully, posting 11 points and 7 assists. Chelsea Rachel and Sydney Last each scored 12 points, and Briana Buchan provided an efficient spark off the bench with 8 points and 5 rebounds. Providence's balanced scoring saw 11 players contribute, shooting 49% from the floor and knocking down nine triples.

The Pilots outscored their opponents by a combined 177–116 across the weekend, marking an impressive start to the year.

Men's Basketball Battles Tough in Season-Opening Doubleheader

On the men's side, the Pilots showed promise despite a challenging pair of matchups to open the year.

In Friday's clash with Grace Christian (Mich.), Providence delivered a thrilling 80–78 win, their first of the season. Veteran guard Rhys Maestre paced the team with 19 points, while Ilijah Roque added 15 points and a team-high 10 free throws made. Lucas Egitto came off the bench firing, scoring 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting, and Danny Beauchamp controlled the glass with 9 rebounds and 11 points. The Pilots shot 45% overall and 72% from the free throw line, edging Grace Christian in a tight finish to secure the victory.

Saturday saw Providence back on the court against Emmaus Bible College, where the Pilots dropped a 96–74 decision despite another strong offensive effort. Maestre again led with 17 points and 5 assists, while Beauchamp and Braden Akers each tallied 15 points. Egitto was active on the glass with 7 rebounds and 16 points, but Emmaus caught fire in the second half, shooting over 57% to pull away.
 

Though the Pilots finished the weekend 1–1, the team showed offensive depth and resilience heading into the rest of their NCCAA schedule.

Up Next

Both Pilots basketball teams return to Manitoba for their next slate of games before resuming NCCAA play later this month. This weekend they will start their MCAC campaign on November 14th at CMU against the blazers, and on November 15th they will host the Blazers for their Home Opener! 

Men's and Womens volleyball will be back in action this weekend after having a bye week. They will play at CMU on Saturday Nov 15th, and at USB on Sunday Nov 16th!