Karabetsos commits to Daemen, becomes fourth player heading to Main Street in modern era
*** PHOTO COURTESY OF GEOFF SCHNEIDER (GMSPHOTOWNY) ***
After a two-year run in Sanborn, Isabella Karabetsos is off to Amherst.
The sophomore and Brampton, Ontario resident announced her commitment to Daemen University Tuesday. In 57 career games, Karabetsos recorded 622 points and 345 assists, and her team-leading six assists per game ranked tied for fourth in NJCAA Division II, along with 11.7 points per game.
Karabetsos is the 15th Thunderwolf to commit to an NCAA Division II program and the 31st player expected to continue playing at a higher level since 2014. She is also the fourth player to join Daemen after completing a two-year career at SUNY Niagara (2015 graduate Jesse DeWaters of Lockport, 2020 graduate Paige Emborsky of Newfane and 2022 graduate Gabrielle McDuffie of Buffalo).
The 5-foot-1 point guard led the Thunderwolves to the NJCAA Region III Div. II championship game twice, and won in the 2024-25 season under current Daemen head coach Nate Beutel. Karabetsos later won the East A District championship over Sullivan County Community College, 64-60, on March 8, 2025, and led SUNY Niagara to the national tournament for the fifth time in program history.
A two-time first-team All-Region III Div. II selection, Karabetsos finished 14th all-time in Thunderwolves program history with 622 points. She also joins 2023 graduate Aichata Ballo (809 points, 389 assists in 81 games) as the only players with at least 500 points and 300 assists in a career over the last 10 seasons (since 2016-17).
SUNY Niagara was 30-7 over the last two seasons when Karabetsos recorded at least five assists in a contest. This includes her career-high 13 during a 100-59 win versus Lakeland Community College on Feb. 15, 2026.
In her final contest as a Thunderwolf, Karabetsos scored a career-high 27 points in the NJCAA Region III Div. II championship versus Monroe Community College, an 84-76 overtime loss March 1 in Sanborn. This was only her third career 20-point game and the 33rd and final game where she finished in double-digit scoring.
Karabetsos joins a Daemen program that found success in its first year under Beutel. The Wildcats finished 26-4, won their fifth straight East Coast Conference postseason championship and clinched their seventh consecutive NCAA Division II tournament appearance.
Karabetsos is the second SUNY Niagara women’s basketball player from its 2026 graduating class to commit, joining Atarah Walker. Walker, a Niagara Falls resident, committed to Northern Illinois University Tuesday.
SUNY Niagara was 30-7 over the last two seasons when Karabetsos recorded at least five assists in a game… 18-2 in 2024-25, 12-5 in 2025-26:
10 points, 6 assists versus Genesee Community College, Nov. 2, 2024 (W 102-21)
10 points, 7 assists versus Allegheny County Community College, Nov. 3, 2024 (W 87-42)
9 points, 6 assists versus Allegany College of Maryland, Nov. 8, 2024 (W 99-66)
4 points, 6 assists versus WVU Potomac State College, Nov. 9, 2024 (W 75-41)
10 points, 7 assists versus Hartford Community College, Nov. 10, 2024 (W 80-58)
9 points, 5 assists at Cuyahoga Community College, Nov. 13, 2024 (W 67-41)
9 points, 11 assists versus Lackawanna College, Nov. 17, 2024 (W 87-46)
3 points, 8 assists versus Garrett College, Nov. 24, 2024 (W 90-57)
10 points, 9 assists at Corning Community College, Dec. 4, 2024 (W 100-54)
7 points, 8 assists versus Henry Ford College, Dec. 13, 2024 (W 99-28)
15 points, 5 assists at Frederick Community College, Jan. 18, 2025 (W 91-39)
1 point, 6 assists at Hagerstown Community College, Jan. 20, 2025 (W 87-40)
6 points, 11 assists versus Monroe Community College, Jan. 25, 2025 (W 86-69)
21 points, 6 assists versus CCBC Essex, Feb. 2, 2025 (L 73-63)
15 points, 7 assists versus Erie Community College, Feb. 5, 2025 (W 100-41)
13 points, 11 assists versus Cuyahoga Community College, Feb. 8, 2025 (W 104-58)
18 points, 6 assists versus Jamestown Community College, Feb. 15, 2025 (W 74-46)
19 points, 12 assists at Erie Community College, Feb. 22, 2025 (W 101-37)
12 points, 6 assists versus Monroe Community College, March 2, 2025 (W 72-54), NJCAA Region III Div. II championship
9 points, 8 assists versus Rock Valley College, March 17, 2025 (L 89-85), NJCAA Division II National Tournament
7 points, 5 assists versus WVU Potomac State College, Nov. 7, 2025 (W 100-65)
7 points, 5 assists versus Garrett College, Nov. 8, 2025 (W 84-61)
5 points, 5 assists versus Pima Community College, Nov. 15, 2025 (L 91-54)
16 points, 10 assists versus Beaver County Community College, Nov. 22, 2025 (L 106-101, F/OT)
5 points, 9 assists versus Villa Maria College, Nov. 23, 2025 (W 90-30)
8 points, 10 assists versus Corning Community College, Dec. 3, 2025 (W 100-57)
8 points, 5 assists versus Mid Michigan College, Dec. 13, 2025 (L 81-62)
10 points, 7 assists at Lorain County Community College, Dec. 20, 2025 (W 100-45)
16 points, 9 assists versus Herkimer College, Jan. 6, 2026 (W 88-61)
19 points, 10 assists at Lakeland Community College, Jan. 12, 2026 (W 84-56)
11 points, 7 assists versus Montgomery College (Maryland), Jan. 18, 2026 (W 69-61)
11 points, 5 assists at CCBC Essex, Jan. 24, 2026 (L 69-62)
16 points, 7 assists at Jamestown Community College, Jan. 28, 2026 (W 85-61)
9 points, 6 assists versus Monroe Community College, Feb. 4, 2026 (W 90-69)
20 points, 7 assists versus Jamestown Community College, Feb. 7, 2026 (W 98-63)
10 points, 13 assists versus Lakeland Community College, Feb. 15, 2026 (W 100-59)
27 points, 6 assists versus Monroe Community College, March 1, 2026 (L 84-76, F/OT), NJCAA Region III Div. II championship