Upper Dauphin Area Girls Basketball Wraps Gritty 2025-26 Campaign

ELIZABETHVILLE – The Upper Dauphin Area (UDA) girls basketball team saw their 2025-26 season come to a close this week in the PIAA District III Class 3A quarterfinals. Despite a final 44–30 postseason loss to a strong Columbia squad, the Trojans’ season was defined by a competitive showing in the Tri-Valley League (TVL) and several standout individual performances.

A Season of Balance

The Trojans finished the year with a 12–11 overall record, securing the third spot in the TVL East Division with a 6–7 league mark. Throughout the winter, UDA established themselves as a balanced threat, averaging 41.00 points per game while maintaining a solid defensive presence that held opponents to 41.77 PPG.

Statistical Standouts

Junior Delaney Smeltz emerged as the centerpiece of the Trojans' rotation. Smeltz led the team in scoring with 11.4 PPG and served as the primary deep threat with a team-high 35 three-pointers. Her playmaking was equally vital, as she paced the roster with 53 assists.

Sophomore Alana Bingaman provided a consistent secondary scoring punch, averaging 9.0 PPG. Bingaman’s reliability at the free-throw line was a season highlight; she led the team in efficiency, shooting 74.1% from the charity stripe.

On the defensive end, junior Kate Rothermel was a disruptive force. Rothermel led the Trojans with 48 steals and 59 deflections, anchoring a unit that held rivals like Selinsgrove to just 20 points in early December.

Defining Moments

The Trojans' path to the playoffs was paved with key victories:

• Rivalry Dominance: UDA swept the season series against Millersburg, highlighted by a dominant 65–21 victory on December 8.

• Non-League Grit: A pivotal 61–51 win over Pequea Valley in late January helped bolster the team's District ranking.

• Playoff Bound: The Trojans secured their spot in the PIAA District III bracket with late-season wins over Tri-Valley and Mount Calvary Christian.

Looking Forward

While the team will say goodbye to seniors Paige Williams and Reagan Wentzel, who provided critical leadership this winter, the future remains bright in Elizabethville. With three starters—Smeltz, Rothermel, and Bingaman—slated to return, head coach Denise Smeltz will have a battle-tested core ready to make another run in the TVL next season.