CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University women's basketball team has unveiled several signees for the 2025-26 season in Bridget Barber, Kamryn Ruffin and Irene Maroto. 

Barber is a guard from Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School. She was a two-time First Team All-Conference honoree in the Suburban League and was once named the conference's player of the month. The Greater Cleveland Basketball Coaches Association (GCBCA) All-Star helped lead the Bees to a conference championship in 2024-25 as well as an Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) District title. Academically, Barber was a member of National Honor Society, the Quill and Scroll Honors Society and was on the honor roll. She intends to major in biology at Malone. "Bridget helped lead her team to a District Championship for the first time in 15 years," Head Coach Selana Ickes mentioned. "We believe her versatility, length, and ability to be a shot maker are going to allow her to contribute at a high level in the future. She understands the meaning of hard work, and we are thrilled that Bridget chose to be a Pioneer!"
 
Ruffin is a transfer guard from Salem University, but is a native of northeast Ohio by way of Shaker Heights. As a freshman for the Tigers, Ruffin averaged 6.6 points and 1.7 rebounds per game with 14 steals in 20 contests. She scored a career-high 22 points against Concord University during a mid-season stretch where she was in double figures in four out of five games. "Kamryn brings an on-ball creator presence with good quickness and vision. Her ability to anticipate and make plays on the defensive end will allow her to impact the game on both ends in the future. We are super excited to add her to our roster for the upcoming season!"

Maroto is an international student-athlete from Godella, Valencia, Spain and Fundacion Institucion Cultural Domus. The point guard is a transfer from Central Arizona College where she competed for the Vaqueros for two seasons. Maroto was a double-digit scorer for Central Arizona last season at 10.0 points per game and netted a career-high 25 points on 9-of-14 from the field in a win over the College of Southern Nevada. She was named to the honors list while at her previous institution and will study psychology at Malone. "Irene comes to us from Valencia, Spain and previously at Central Arizona College where she was their team's defensive stopper. Irene plays with an energy and enthusiasm that is contagious - our team is going to love her, and we are looking forward to having her join us soon!"