On March 27 last year, Purdue Fort Wayne fans probably had a sour taste in their mouth after watching Arkansas State go ballistic from the three-point line and make 20 deep balls to end the WNIT run for the Mastodons. On the flip side, many fans could be optimistic. After a third straight 20-win season, Maria Marchesano’s second consecutive contract extension through the 2030 season proved that the ‘Dons were here to stay and compete in the Horizon League. Then April 6 came. Butler University mutually parted ways with women’s basketball head coach Austin Parkinson. Shockwaves were sent throughout Indiana, but none harder than the one that ran straight up I-69, crippling Mastodon fans. Maria Marchesano was announced as head coach of the Bulldogs less than 48 hours after the news of Parkinson’s departure.
As most would assume from programs who “suffer from success” in the mid-majors and can see their coaching staff plucked from right under their nose, Purdue Fort Wayne Athletics may have had an inclination–or perhaps they are really good doomsday preppers? Candidates were asked about their interest before the position opened up “just in case”. After learning of Marchesano’s departure, candidates were asked to meet on campus for an interview less than 24 hours later. One candidate, familiar to those long-time Horizon League fans, stood out to the interview team, and Kate Peterson Abiad was named the 16th head coach of the Purdue University Fort Wayne Mastodons.
Peterson Abiad has 17 seasons of experience coaching in the Horizon League, including two straight seasons as an assistant coach at Green Bay. As part of the Phoenix coaching staff, Green Bay won back-to-back Horizon League regular season and tournament titles in 2025 and 2026. Prior to Green Bay, Peterson Abiad served as the head women’s basketball coach at Cleveland State. During her tenure from 2003-18, Peterson Abiad led the Vikings to the NCAA Tournament twice in 2008 and 2010.
A new head coach often leads to new supporting staff as well, and this regime change is no exception. The coaching staff was finalized early in September. Kevin McManaman will be reunited with Peterson Abiad, having served as an assistant for her at Cleveland State. Most recently, McManaman was the head coach at Division II programs Lewis and Roosevelt. His Horizon League experience also includes Milwaukee, University of Illinois Chicago before their departure to the MVC, and also retroactively to Northern Illinois when they were a member of the MAC.
Rachel McLimore joins the Mastodon coaching staff after three years of assistant coaching at PFW’s first opponent of the year, NAIA member Taylor University. However, long time Horizon League fans will remember that this summer is not McLimore’s first time inside of Gates Sports Center, as she played four years at then-IUPUI and one year at Butler (all for head coach Austin Parkinson). Her tenure at IUPUI missed Maria Marchesano by one season. After collegiate basketball, McLimore played professionally in two leagues, including the Women’s NBL1 East, where she would play for the Hill Hornets in Sydney, Australia.
To more recent Horizon League fans, Destiny Leo needs no introduction. The 2023 Horizon League Player of the Year spent four years at Cleveland State (no overlap with Peterson Abiad or McManaman) while being a constant threat to score against the Mastodons. Her winning ways brought her and Cleveland State to four straight postseasons during her tenure as a Viking.
The final coach on Peterson Abiad’s staff has much less direction connection with Purdue Fort Wayne and the Horizon League. The only one that comes to mind is his assistant coaching tenure at Furman, which happens to be the original school of former Mastodon Ella Riggs, who transferred to Oakland this previous portal session, and their tenures never overlapped. Jauwan Scaife has quite a bit of Division I coaching experience, including a cup of coffee at Virginia Tech in a season in which the Hokies went dancing in March. The former Ball State Cardinal also tallied over 1,000 career points in his playing time in Muncie.
In her first year at the helm of this team, Peterson Abiad will get a nice mixture of returning Mastodons and new players to Purdue Fort Wayne. “I always felt that the style of players that Maria had on her team were very much in line with the type of player I like to recruit and coach,” said Peterson Abiad. “So, I was very drawn to this job because I could see the caliber and style of players she was getting here, and I knew it would be possible to be successful here due to that.”
Returning Players
Avery Wagner, 6-4, Sophomore, F, Waterford, OH, Waterford HS
Wagner has a big position to fill (literally and figuratively), likely filling in the void left by the transferring of Lili Krasovec to Butler with Marchesano. As a freshman, Wagner was able to log some meaningful minutes in meaningful games behind Krasovec. Her minutes dwindled as the season went on, but Marchesano had great praise for the Waterford native, saying she has the potential to be Horizon League POTY in a few years.
Nika Lokica, 5-10, Graduate Student, G, Split, Croatia, V.gimanazija Vladimir Nazor / Idaho State
Nika Lokica is looking to regain her starting guard position for the Mastodons. Starting in 18 games, Lokica found herself leading the second team after a lineup change in the middle of the season. Providing good depth at the guard position, Lokica brings a veteran presence and familiarity with the Horizon League. Lokica scored in double figures four times last season and appeared in all 35 games.
Bailee Duck, 5-8, Sophomore, G, Louisville, KY, Assumption HS
The only other member of the team recruited out of high school by Marchesano’s staff than Wagner is Bailee Duck. Duck was a part of a standout freshman class last season that provided pivotal minutes for the team. She appeared in 25 games for the ‘Dons last year, scoring her season high in points in the first matchup against West Virginia and matching it in the Horizon League Championship against Green Bay.
Alyssa Berry, 5-7, Redshirt Senior, G, Houston, TX, Clear Brook HS / Morehead State
Alyssa Berry is still a bit of an unknown piece for Mastodon fans due to her limited playing time last year coming off of injury. The key for Berry this year is to just stay healthy. In 2023-2024 at Morehead State, she took a medical redshirt. The following year, she only appeared in 15 games as her season was cut short by another injury. In Fort Wayne, she was still rehabbing the injury and only appeared in two games for the ‘Dons. In her first collegiate year, she was named an All-American by NJCAA after averaging 17.4 points per game and could facilitate with the best of them, posting seven or more assists ten times. As the saying goes, the best ability is availability.
Incoming Players
Claire Gregwer, 6-1, Graduate Student, G/F, Grandville, MI, Grandville HS / Aquinas
Though technically on the roster last season, Gregwer did not join the team until January of last season and elected not to use her last year of eligibility for the half of the season that remained. At her last stop at Aquinas, Gregwer proved her ability to hoop. Starting in every game and averaging a double-double (19.3/12.8), she has the ability to become a focal point of the new offense, similarly to some other NAIA-to-NCAA Division 1 players to walk through the doors of the Hilliard Gates Sports Center.
Amaris Timmons, 6-1, Junior, F, Bridgeport, CT, Kolbe Cathedral HS / Langston
Coming from the NAIA HBCU Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma, Timmons adds depth at the forward position for Coach Peterson-Abiad. Timmons looks to continue the recently successful trend of NAIA to NCAA Division 1 pathway at Purdue Fort Wayne. She played in 27 games where she started 18 of those games and averaged 6.3 points per game. Timmons was a First Team All-Conference and a Connecticut All-State nod in high school.
Hiba Malkawi, 5-7, 5th Year, G, Plano, TX, Plano West HS / Southern Illinois
The former Saluki looks to return to a contributing role transferring to the Mastodons. Malkawi played in 22 games last year for Southern Illinois, including the matchup against Purdue Fort Wayne on November 15th. In her most recent season at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Malkawi averaged 9.5 points a game and made over a third of her attempted three-pointers and field goals.
Meegan Fahy, 5-6, Junior, G, Niles, IL, Maine South HS / SIUE
The ‘Dons grabbed another transfer from an Illinois institution, this one two hours north of the last. Fahy comes from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and the Illinois native only appeared in four games last season for SIUE after appearing in 14 games the season prior. In her limited action last season, the former McDonald’s All-American nominee was very efficient with the basketball, posting a 55 percent shooting percentage from the field.
Madison Lewis, 5-7, Senior, G, Columbia, TN, Columbia Academy, Eastern Kentucky
Coach Peterson-Abiad rounded out her transfer class with another scoring-capable guard in Madison Lewis. Lewis appeared in 25 games for the Colonels last season, where she shot over 40 percent from the field. In the NCJAA circuit, Lewis was named an NCJAA First Team All-American and the Great Rivers Athletic Conference Player of the Year. In her high school career, Lewis graduated as the all-time leading scorer for Columbia Academy with over 2,100 points.
Projected Starting Roster
Guard – Nika Lokica, 5-10, GR
Guard – Madison Lewis, 5-7, SR
Guard – Hiba Malkawi, 5-7, 5TH
Forward – Clair Gregwer, 6-1, GR
Forward – Avery Wagner, 6-4, SO
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