2024-25 Patriot League preview

It’s time to talk expectations in Hamilton. Colgate is beyond the discourse about growth and steps forward. It’s time to talk about a championship; they’re ready and veteran pieces are in place. The Raiders are talented and experienced, led by second-team All-Patriot League guard Taylor Golembiewski. Junior transfer Anne Bair, who made 36 starts at Manhattan, joins the lineup to fill the shoes of graduate point guard Alexa Brodie. Is she the missing piece to the championship puzzle?

Loyola made a big leap forward last season, contending for the top seed down the stretch before falling to fourth and losing to eventual champion Holy Cross in the semifinals. Preseason Player of the Year Lex Therien enters her senior season on a mission. Greyhounds head coach Danielle O’Banion has been building the depth around Therien since her arrival. Will the supporting cast provide enough to bring a title to Baltimore? Guards Lauren Salmeron and Kimmie Hicks think so. If you’re not a believer now, you may be by season’s end.

Lehigh finds itself back in a familiar position: ranked in the top half of the preseason poll and navigating championship expectations. Third-year head coach Addie Micir brings back a veteran lineup led by fifth-year Maddie Albrecht and the top two scorers from last season, senior guard Ella Stemmer and junior forward Lily Fandre. The Mountain Hawks have had the top scoring team in the conference in each of the last three seasons. Can the defense rise up when it’s needed in the playoffs?

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Two-time defending champion Holy Cross has found itself in transition with the August departure of its head coach, Maureen Magarity, and the graduation of three starters. Could there be a changing of the guard when this season’s champion is crowned? The Crusaders hold a lofty position in the history of the conference and, with 13 titles, are a rare league dynasty in the NCAA landscape. However, the season ahead is likely an opportunity to reset the program under interim head coach Candice Green. 

Holy Cross fields a dynamic backcourt with juniors Kaitlyn Flanagan and Simone Foreman leading the way but the season opens with a largely untested group that lacks depth. The cupboard ain’t empty in Worcester, but it’s not stocked like it was when Magarity arrived. Can Green find the path to a playoff run? A winning culture and the tradition of a dynasty can produce some magic moments. The defending champion Crusaders won’t give it up without a fight.

Bucknell finds itself in similar circumstance with nine new faces arriving in Lewisburg and an uncertain reach in the conference pecking order. The Bison will be led by one of the stars of the league in forward Ashley Sofilkanich — named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team and as its Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Can head coach Trevor Woodruff find the right rotation in the mix of freshmen and incoming transfers to build a contender? They’ll be young but they have talent. Buckle up, Bison fans.

Boston University looks to make its third straight appearance in the conference final under head coach Melissa Graves. The bad news? Star forward Caitlin Weimar has departed for a graduate season to North Carolina State. The good news? The Terriers still have depth and will be led by the talented playmaking and shooting of senior guard Alex Giannaros.

The service academies are each positioned to rise. Although both Army and Navy fell in the quarterfinals last year, each brings back an experienced lineup and plays a physical style that suits a playoff run if the offense can keep pace.

Navy returns guards Zanai Barnett-Gay and Kyah Smith who may be the best backcourt in the league after an impressive freshman season from the duo. If Navy improves its shooting, watch out for the Mids. Army has its own returning fantastic first-year combination in sophomores Fiona Hastick and Kya Smith. The Black Knights bring back four starters and the depth to make a push to the top. Senior Trinity Hardy will lead the way for head coach Missy Traversi.

American University and Lafayette look to avoid the playoff’s first round again this year. They finished ninth and tenth respectively, and each lost significant players to graduation. This season, graduate student Ivy Bales leads the Eagles while point guard Abby Antognoli stars for the Leopards. In a league with great parity, there’ll be wins on the table. Can they each grab enough of them to stake a claim in the middle of the standings?

Let’s break down each team and make preseason predictions. Here are the details, in alphabetical order by team. Statistics are from CBB Analytics and Her Hoop Stats.

BIGGEST LOSSES: (last season’s stats)

• F-Emily Johns, 6’1, SR: 12.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 49.0% FG, 28.9 MPG, 30 GP, 30 starts, second-team All-Patriot League (graduate transfer to Wake Forest)
• G-Kayla Henning, 5’7, SR: 6.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 37.6% FG, 26.5 MPG, 27 GP, 22 starts (graduated)
• F-Lauren Stack, 6’2, GR: 6.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 39.0% FG, 29.7 MPG, 30 GP, 30 starts (graduated)
• G-Anna LeMaster, 5’9, SR: 8.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 36.0% FG, 23.8 MPG, 30 GP, 14 starts (graduate transfer to Mount St. Mary’s)
• F-Molly Lavin, 6’2, SO: 7.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 37.3% FG, 20.2 MPG, 28 GP, 0 starts (transfer to Drexel)

NEWCOMERS:

• G-Molly Driscoll, 5’8 (Allentown, PA), FR
• G-Elizabeth Archer, 6’ (Chatham, NJ), FR
• G-Madisyn Moore-Nicholson, 5’7 (Odenton, MD), FR
• G-Mary Bolesky, 5’4 (Elizabethtown, PA), FR
• F-Ellie Pingree, 6’2 (Bow, NH), FR
• F-Cecilia Kay, 6’2 (Melrose, MA), FR

OUTLOOK: When head coach Tiffany Coll took direction of the program in 2022, American faced an overhaul following the departure of its head coach and the graduation of four decorated senior starters that led the Eagles to the conference championship. 

Last season’s 5-1 start to conference play seemed to put the growing pains of a challenging 2022-23 campaign behind them. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the team dropped nine of its last 11 games, including a road playoff loss to Bucknell, 77-71 in a first-round match-up.

Back-to-back 20-loss seasons and the departure of four graduating seniors who combined for 96 starts and 34.5 points per game last year has Coll and the Eagles back to square one.

It’s a reboot redux.

Guard Ivy Bales returns for a graduate season and that’s welcome news for Eagles fans. Bales is an elite defender and is coming off the best offensive season of her career, shooting 45.1% from the floor and notching a personal best 8.9 points per game.

Junior guard Lauren Nogues (8 starts) and senior Bailey Garbee (17 starts) bring some stability and experience to the backcourt but the Eagles will need to find a solution for the losses to its post rotation.

Second-team All-Patriot League forward Emily Johns elected to take her graduate year at Wake Forest with former American head coach Megan Gebbia. Frontcourt mate Lauren Stack (30 starts, 6.7 ppg) graduated and 6’2 stretch forward Molly Lavin, a junior this season, transferred to Drexel.

Where does that leave the Eagle frontcourt?

Coll will need to lean on her recruiting class, including incoming forwards Cecilia Kay and Ellie Pingree.

American must improve on the defensive end to avoid a low seed in the playoffs for the third straight year. The Eagles gave up a league-worst 66.0 points per game and allowed opponents to shoot 42.6% from the floor — ninth in the league. 

The Eagles’ nonconference schedule is reasonable and should give them the opportunity to earn some wins and build an identity before the conference slate.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: American gets consistent play from its recruiting class and Bales leads her group to a top-five playoff seed.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: The Eagles can’t find a solution in the post and are challenged to defend opponents inside. It’s a battle to avoid the 10th seed.

• G-Reese Ericson, 5’6, JR: 8.8 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2.7 APG with team-high 80 assists, 32.3% FG, 28.6 MPG, 29 GP, 26 starts
• G-Trinity Hardy, 5’8, SR: 11.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 38.6% FG, team-high 58 steals, 27.9 MPG, 29 GP, 19 starts, second-team All-Patriot League
• G-Fiona Hastick, 5’11, SO: 9.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 37.4% FG, team-high 17 blocks, 29 GP, 25 starts, 23.1 MPG, Patriot League All-Rookie team
• F-Kya Smith, 6’1, SO: 9.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 44.5% FG, team-high 79 offensive rebounds, 28 GP, 25 starts, 27.0 MPG
• G-Camryn Tade, 5’9, SO: 5.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 52.8% FG, 33 steals, 28 GP, 11 starts, 21.4 MPG

BIGGEST LOSSES: (last season’s stats)

• G-Lauren Lithgow, 5’9, SR: 6.2 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 34.9% FG, 29 GP, 25 starts, 27.0 MPG (graduated)
• G-Sam McNaughton, 5’7, SR: 2.0 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 26 assists, 36.2% FG, 28 GP, 6 starts, 13.3 MPG (graduated)

NEWCOMERS:

• G-Audrey Annee, 5’9 (Indianapolis, IN), FR
• G-Brooke Wilson, 5’9 (Irvine, CA), FR
• G-Stella Chartrand, 5’9 (Atlanta, GA), FR
• G-Hannah Laub, 6’ (Naperville, IL), FR
• F-Sam Tillson, 6’1 (McKinney, TX), FR
• F-Sophia McCartney, 6’2 (Naples, FL), FR

OUTLOOK: Expect a big season from the Black Knights. Army returns the talent and experience to challenge for the top of the league.

The squad showed glimpses of its reach last year, highlighted by a late-season 58-43 win over defending champion Holy Cross that pulled Army into a first-place tie with five games remaining.

A 1-4 finish with three losses at home dropped the team to the sixth seed and resulted in a road matchup with playoff nemesis Boston University. That contest produced a heartbreaking loss in the last seconds. The Terriers have ended Army’s season each of the last three years.

A different outcome is likely this season. The Black Knights return four of their five regular starters and top four scorers. They have veteran leadership in the back court with a former Rookie of the Year in junior Reese Ericson and senior playmaker Trinity Hardy (11.5 ppg).

Returning from breakout freshman campaigns are 5’11 wing Fiona Hastick (9.3 ppg) and 6’1 forward Kya Smith (9.2 ppg). 

Fourth-year head coach Missy Traversi has her Army squad ready for a championship run. What do the Black Knights need to do to make the leap?

Army needs to address its offensive attack. The team was last in the league in assist percentage (49.1%) and shooting percentage (36.6%), scoring just 58.2 points per game. Down the stretch of the regular season the Black Knight offense seemed to run out of gas, shooting below 40% in eight of the last 10 games.

On the defensive end, limiting penetration will be key to success. Army was ninth in the league in paint points allowed at 31.6 points per game. 

Traversi brings six new players to West Point this season to add to a balanced group of returners. Keep your eyes on Army.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: The Black Knights develop their offense and depth to finish stronger down the stretch of the season, earning home court through the semifinals and landing in the conference championship.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: Army continues to lose the battle of the midrange on both ends of the floor, finishing in the middle of the pack and going back on the road for conference playoffs.

• G-Alex Giannaros, 5’5, SR: 14.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, 42.4% 3PT FG, team-high 72 3PT FGs made, 33.4 MPG, 32 GP, 31 starts, first-team All-Patriot League
• G-Aoibhe Gormley, 5’8, SO: 4.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 41.5% FG, 40 steals, 21.7 MPG, 32 GP, 7 starts
• F-Anastasiia Semenova, 6’2, JR: 8.0 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 45.7% FG, 26.5 MPG, 28 GP, 18 starts
• G-Audrey Ericksen, 6’, SO: 5.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 35.5% FG, 29.3 MPG, 32 GP, 32 starts

BIGGEST LOSSES: (last season’s stats)

• F-Caitlin Weimar, 6’4, SR: 18.7 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 55.3% FG, led team with 88 blocks, 35.6 MPG, 31 GP, 30 starts, first-team All-Patriot League, Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year (graduate transfer to North Carolina State)
• G-Kelsi Mingo, 5’8, SR: 6.7 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 42.1% 3PT FG, 40 3PT FGs made, 23.1 MPG, 28 GP, 5 starts (graduated)
• G-Sophie Beneventine, 5’8, SR: 2.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 35.8% FG, 21.7 MPG, 31 GP, 31 starts (graduated)

NEWCOMERS:

• G-Brooke Baisley, 5’10 (Flanders, NJ), FR
• G-Taylor Williams, 5’8 (Ajax, Ontario), FR
• G-Hildur Gunnsteinsdottir, 5’10 (Selfoss, Iceland), FR
• G-Bella McLaughlin, 5’8 (Hampden, Maine), SO (transfer from Providence)
• F-Channing Warren, 6’3 (Orlando, FL), FR
• F-Inez Gallegos, 6’ (San Francisco, CA), FR
• F-Allison Schwertner, 6’3 (Littleton, CO), FR

OUTLOOK: There are seven new players joining the program this season, and the task of reshaping the roster will be head coach Melissa Graves’ biggest challenge to date. 

The good news? Graves has experience with this level of roster management.

Despite the introduction of eight new players to the team last season, the Terriers made an impressive run back to the conference championship for a rematch versus Holy Cross. Graves guided her group to its second consecutive final behind Player of the Year Caitlin Weimar.

Unfortunately for Boston fans, this year’s recreation involves replacing the impact of the league’s best player in Weimar. She has moved on to North Carolina State for a graduate year, and with it, the axis of power in the paint, and the league, has tilted.

So how does her departure impact this year’s group?

Her absence will be felt on the defensive end where the Terriers were tops in the league in defending the paint, allowing just 22.5 points per game behind the rim protection of Weimar. The team was also best in two-point field goal percentage defense, limiting teams to just a 41.1% conversion rate. 

On offense, Boston led the league in field goal percentage at 43.6%, led by both Weimar’s 55.3% rate and the gravitational pull she had on help defenders that opened up looks for teammates.

So what’s ahead for this younger version of the Terriers?

Expect a larger leadership role on and off the court for one of the league’s most accurate 3-point shooters in Alex Giannaros, a First-Team All-Patriot League selection last season and a member of the Preseason All-Patriot Team.

Giannaros scored 14.2 points per game last year and will be counted on to deliver playmaking, perimeter scoring and leadership for the combination of the 12 freshman and sophomores on the roster.

Two sophomores will be key to the Terriers fortunes this season. Guard Aoibhe Gormley finished her freshman campaign with flair, scoring 17 points in the conference championship game. Wing Audrey Ericksen made 32 starts in her first season and reached double-figures in scoring six times.

The Terriers lost forwards Anete Adler (6’5) and Sisi Bentley (6’) to injuries a year ago and a return to action will be impactful for the frontline. Will they be mobile enough to defend on the perimeter against opponents capable of stretching the defense?

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: The Terriers earn a top-four seed and a home game for the quarterfinals. They advance to the conference final for the third year in a row.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: The youthful Terriers struggle to find consistency on both ends and finish in the bottom half of the league. They lose in the quarterfinal round of playoffs.

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• G-Emma Theodorsson, 6’1, SO: 13.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 38.8% FG, 30.7 MPG, 30 GP, 29 starts, Second-Team All-Patriot League (transfer to Loyola Chicago)
• F-Grace Sullivan, 6’4, SO: 8.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 53.8% FG, 23.2 MPG, 24 GP, 20 starts (transfer to Northwestern)
• G-Blake Matthews, 5’4, SO: 6.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, 33.3% FG, 28.5 MPG, 30 GP, 24 starts (transfer to Texas State)

NEWCOMERS:

• F-Elena Houghton, 6’1 (Washington, D.C.), JR (transfer from Sam Houston State and Hartford)
• G-Isabella Casey, 5’10 (Radnor, PA), FR
• G-Desirae Ashton, 6’ (Fredericksburg, VA), FR
• G-Julia Heiden, 6’3 (Gothenburg, Sweden), FR
• G-Hope Masonius, 5’9 (Spring Lake, NJ), FR
• G-Reese Zemitis, 6’ (Langhorne, PA), FR
• G-Anna Kunzwiler, 5’9 (Leesburg, VA), SO (transfer from Stetson)
• F-Tuana Coskun, 6’ (Istanbul, Turkey), SO (transfer from Robert Morris)
• G-Elana Weisman, 6’2 (Burlingame, CA), FR

OUTLOOK: If you love a good mystery, Bucknell is your team. The Bison enter the year with more unknowns than any team in the league. Nine new faces landed in Lewisburg in the off-season.

The skillsets of the newcomers are a reason to have expectations of success but their inexperience is reason to temper them. The ceiling may be high for the Bison but their floor equally low. The bottom line? It’s going to take a little time for development and chemistry.

The good news? The talent is there.

The four returners are anchored by sophomore forward Ashley Sofilkanich, a third-team All-Patriot League and All-Defensive Team performer as a freshman. Fans can expect to see Sofilkanich stretch opposing defenses on the perimeter and be one of the best rim protectors and interior defenders in the league.

Veteran point guard Sophia Sabino returns as a steady presence in the backcourt but played in only 19 games a year ago after returning from injury. She brings all the savvy intangibles to set up and execute the offense.

The offense will get a boost from the new arrivals. Last season, Bucknell shot just 39.0% from the floor, good for eighth in the league. Woodruff’s offseason additions will add some perimeter consistency and challenge teams to guard them at the three-line.

There is the opportunity for development both inside and out in the year ahead. Expect a change from a season ago when the Bison shot just 28.5% from behind the arc and scored 24.5 points per game in the paint — eighth in the conference.

Fresh faces to keep an eye on? The two sophomore transfers have the potential to play big roles. Guard Anna Kunzwiler, a transplant from Stetson, arrives as a perimeter scoring threat and brings an athleticism and burst to the Bison attack. Turkey native Tuana Coskun, a transfer from Robert Morris, adds a much-needed presence down low. She’ll be a factor for the Bison inside as depth in the post is a critical need.

Bucknell starts with a friendlier non-conference schedule this season after two tough intrastate matchups versus Penn State and Pittsburgh to kick off the slate. It’s an opportunity for a very young team to grow and build confidence heading into league play.

Bison fans can expect to see a talented but young team take the floor; they will be competitive. If the group can stay healthy and grow into the physical, defensive team Woodruff has the reputation for building, they’ll be a tough out at playoff time.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: Bucknell’s new faces step into big roles and the Bison perimeter attack helps the offense to develop into one of the more potent and disciplined in the league. The physicality of the defense grows and Woodruff’s club makes a surprising run into the semifinals.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: Youthful mistakes cost the Bison down the stretch and consistency is difficult to find against top, veteran teams in the league. The team plays in the first round of playoffs for the second consecutive season.

• G-Taylor Golembiewski, 5’8, SR: 12.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 38.4% FG, team-high 41 steals, 28.1 MPG, 33 GP, 32 starts, second-team All-Patriot League
• F-Sophia Diehl, 6’1, SR: 7.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.7 APG, 45.5% FG, 29.6 MPG, 34 GP, 34 starts
• G-Morgan McMahon, 5’10, SR: 9.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 39.8% FG, 86.6%% FT, 32 assists, 21.5 MPG, 19 GP, 2 starts
• G-Madison Schiller, 5’8, JR: 7.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 42.6% FG, 40.7% 3PT FG, 40 steals, 32.8 MPG, 34 GP, 33 starts

BIGGEST LOSSES: (last season’s stats)

• G-Alexa Brodie, 5’6, GR: 10.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.9 APG, 41.4% FG, 32.1 MPG, 33 GP, 33 starts, second-team All-Patriot League, Patriot League All-Defensive Team (graduated)
• F-Tiasia McMillan, 6’, SR: 10.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 50.0% FG, team-high 31 blocks, 30.1 MPG, 34 GP, 34 starts (graduate transfer to Stetson)

NEWCOMERS:

• G-Ella Mahaffey, 5’7 (Leesburg, VA), FR
• G-Laila Hankerson, 5’6 (Charlotte, NC), SO (transfer from Xavier, track team)
• G-Tatiana Matthews, 5’9 (Dunnellon, FL), FR
• G-Anne Bair, 5’8 (Gettysburg, PA), JR (transfer from Manhattan)

OUTLOOK: The Raiders aren’t a Cinderella team or a squad with “some good pieces.” Colgate is a strong favorite to make a championship push this season. They earned the two-seed last year and return the talent and experience to run at the front of the pack all season long. 

Colgate’s projected rotation would be among the most veteran in the league. Who’s bringing starting experience? Senior guard Taylor Golembiewski (89 starts, 11.6 ppg career), senior forward Sophia Diehl (51 starts, 11.6 ppg career), senior guard Morgan McMahon (24 starts, 9.0 ppg career), junior guard Madison Schiller (61 starts, 6.7 ppg career) and junior transfer point guard Anne Bair (36 starts, 5.0 ppg, 2.3 apg career) combine to make a formidable core.

Defense has been the focus for the Raiders since head coach Ganiyat Adeduntan’s arrival in Hamilton. Her group led the league last season in defending the 3-point line (24.8%) and limiting offensive boards (allowed just 24.9% of misses to be rebounded). The Raiders force opponents to make tough twos all game, and that philosophy helped limit teams to just 56.7 points per game, the league’s best scoring defense.

What are the challenges ahead for the Raiders?

Colgate needs a solution in the low post. The graduation of forward Tiasia McMillan (10.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg) is a significant loss. McMillan was one of two players to start every game last season and she posted 15 double-digit scoring games while shooting 50.0% on the year. 

Make note of how the defense approaches defending the post this season. The Raiders have been eliminated from the playoffs at home in each of the last two seasons in large part due to their opponents’ post play. Army forward Sabria Hunter sealed their fate in 2023, and Boston University’s Caitlin Weimar dominated the interior in the 2024 semifinal in Hamilton. 

In a year of parity throughout most of the league, Colgate is a team capable of putting some distance between them and the rest of the field. Pack an extra sweater or two come tournament time. This year’s run to the trophy is going to go through Hamilton.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: The Raiders go all the way and run it from start to finish at the top of the league, claiming just their second Patriot League crown and first since 2004.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: Colgate falls at home in the playoffs before reaching the championship. (The Raiders have lost their last three playoff games at Cotterell Court).

• G-Kaitlyn Flanagan, 5’8, JR: 7.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 4.4 APG, 39.2% FG, led team in assists (151) and steals (39), 31.8 MPG, 34 GP, 34 starts
• G-Simone Foreman, 5’9, JR: 6.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 34.6% FG, 25.8 MPG, 34 GP, 24 starts
• F-Lindsay Berger, 6’2, SR: 6.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 44.2% FG, 77.8% FT, 20.1 MPG, 34 GP, 3 starts

BIGGEST LOSSES: (last season’s stats)

• G-Bronagh Power-Cassidy, 5’10, SR: 16.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 45.1% FG, 40.0% 3PT FG, team-high 80 made 3PT FG, 33.1 MPG, 32 GP, 32 starts, first-team All-Patriot League (graduate transfer to Villanova)
• F-Janelle Allen, 5’11, SR: 10.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 44.8% FG, team-high 70 offensive rebounds, 23.9 MPG, 34 GP, 34 starts, third-team All-Patriot League (graduated)
• G-Cara McCormack, 5’3, SR: 10.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 33.0% 3PT FG, 68 made 3PT FGs, 31.5 MPG, 34 GP, 34 starts (graduate transfer to Drexel)
• F-Callie Wright, 6’1, SR: 1.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 43.4% FG, 10.6 MPG, 32 GP, 9 starts (graduate transfer to Toronto Metropolitan University)

NEWCOMERS:

• G-Stella Gougoufkas, 5’9 (Vienna, VA), FR
• G-Kendall Eddy, 5’7 (Haverhill, MA), SO (transfer from Providence)
• F-Gracynn Gough, 6’ (Charlotte, NC), FR

OUTLOOK: The Crusaders are set to launch a new era after a magical run to the NCAAs and a matchup with eventual national runner-up Iowa and Caitlin Clark.

Last season’s finish gave Holy Cross and the league an unprecedented national stage. Despite falling 91-65 to Iowa, it was a big win for the Crusaders and the Patriot League. Nationally televised on ABC, the game averaged a first-round record 3.23 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

The momentum behind the NCAA Tournament experience should help this year’s roster but it’s a team that will have to rely on a lot of new faces in the rotation.

The two-time defending champions could be in reset mode this season following the graduation of three key starters and the departure of the program’s head coach, Maureen Magarity, in August.

What’s ahead for the league’s only dynasty? Uncertainty.

The 13-time Patriot League champions will be led by interim head coach Candice Green, who joined the team last year as an assistant coach. Green has tough shoes to fill and takes the lead role with the bill coming due from inconsistent recruiting the last few seasons.

Credit Magarity for building a successful culture and one of the top defenses in the league during her four-year tenure. She leaves behind a championship legacy but handed off a roster with a lack of depth and limited game experience from last year’s bench.

The good news? The guard rotation is anchored by the junior duo of Kaitlyn Flanagan (7.1 ppg) and Simone Foreman (6.0 ppg). The efficient Flanagan led the league in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio in 34 starts. The 5’9 Foreman led the team with 8.5 rebounds per game and placed third in the league overall.

Junior forward Lindsay Berger made three starts last season and was a key part of the rotation in the frontcourt. Expect a larger role for Berger in the offense and increased minutes for a squad with limited depth in the post.

Outside of that trio, only Mary-Elizabeth Donnelly (11.0 mpg) and Grace Munt (10.2 mpg) have averaged double-digit minutes.

Holy Cross will rely upon its defense to keep its standing as one of the best teams in the league. Last season, the Crusaders were tops in field goal percentage defense (36.4%) and allowed just 56.9 points per outing.

Can they find the offense to stay elite? The top three scorers graduated and combined for 38 points per game for a team that shot just 39.9% from the floor — good for seventh in the league.

Finding a reliable rotation and an offensive system that fits its strengths may take some time.

In Worcester, expect a reframing of expectations.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: The Crusaders’ backcourt increases its scoring production enough to allow its defense to carry it into the top half of the conference and a run into the playoff semifinals.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: The offense struggles. Green can’t find a reliable rotation or the depth to consistently compete and falls to the bottom half of a league with more parity than ever. The Crusaders play a first-round playoff game.

• G-Abby Antognoli, 5’7, SR: 12.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, 38.8% FG, 35.9% 3PT FG, 37 steals, team-high 55 3PT FGs, 37.4 MPG, 29 GP, 29 starts, third-team All-Patriot League
• G-Kylie Favours, 5’9, SR: 2.7 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 26.5% FG, 16.8 MPG, 30 GP, 15 starts
• G-Halee Smith, 5’10, SR: 8.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.5 APG, 40.9% FG, 42.0% 3PT FG, 29.1 MPG, 30 GP, 30 starts
• G-Kay Donahue, 5’10, JR: 5.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.0 APG, 37.1% FG, 16.4 MPG, 30 GP, 2 starts
• G-Sauda Ntaconayigize, 5’11, JR: 4.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 38.7% FG, 35.0% 3PT FG, 23.9 MPG, 29 GP, 16 starts

BIGGEST LOSSES: (last season’s stats)

• G-Makayla Andrews, 5’10, SR: 13.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 42.2% FG, 77.5% FT, 30.5 MPG, 30 GP, 28 starts, Second-Team All-Patriot League (graduate transfer to George Washington University)
• F-Kayla Drummond, 6’2, SR: 7.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 60.4% FG, team-high 20 blocks, 27.1 MPG, 28 GP, 28 starts

NEWCOMERS:

• G-Rosie Scognamiglio, 5’10 (Saratoga Springs, NY), SO (transfer from Bucknell)
• F-Mingaile Urmuleviciute, 6’3 (Kaunas, LITHUANIA), JR (transfer from UNC-Wilmington)
• G-Talia Zurinskas, 5’7 (Allentown, PA), FR
• F-Jordyn Mays, 6’2 (Richmond, TX), FR

OUTLOOK: Lafayette finished in last place a season ago despite the excellent play and one-two punch of guards Abby Antognoli and Makayla Andrews, who were each named to All-Patriot League teams. Head coach Kia Damon-Olson’s team couldn’t overcome its lack of depth and size. Unfortunately for Leopards fans, the squad has the same challenges this season.

Andrews moved on to George Washington for a graduate year, and her ability to convert contested shots and athleticism around the rim will be difficult to replace.

The good news? Antognoli is back. The senior guard is one of the league’s best playmakers and sets the table for the offense. She had a team-best 91 assists while still carrying the load as a primary scorer (12.0 ppg). 

Lafayette was last among league teams in scoring (55.9 ppg) in 2023-24, and its offensive woes will likely continue. Last season, the squad struggled to find favorable post matchups and to challenge opponents inside. Consequently, they failed to get to the free-throw line (ranked 357 out of 360 teams) and were last in the league in paint points per game (23.1 ppg).

Can 6’3 transfer forward Mingaile Urmuleviciute, a transfer from UNC-Wilmington, and 6’2 freshman forward Jordyn Mays change the team’s fortunes down low? They’ve got their work cut out for them: Last season’s total rebounding rate was just 47.7%, which ranked 270 out of 360 teams.

A bright spot in Lafayette’s search for more scoring depth is senior guard Halee Smith. In her third season in Easton, the Quinnipiac transfer led the team last season in 3-point percentage (42.0%) and started 30 games, averaging 8.1 points per game. Smith is the best shooting guard in the lineup this year and will be counted on for an expanded role in the offense.

Opponents will likely see a lot of zone defense from Damon-Olson, whose concepts stymied a few teams last year and helped the Leopards grab some unexpected wins, including sweeps over Army and American and a victory over rival Lehigh.

There’s no way to sugarcoat it: It’s going to be a challenging season for Lafayette. However, Leopards fans will get a final season to observe the dynamic Antognoli weave through defenses — and that’s worth watching.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: The Leopards’ new post players find productive roles in the rotation and Smith and Antognoil emerge as a consistent scoring combo. Zone defense befuddles a few more teams and Lafayette grabs enough league wins to avoid the seventh seed or lower for the first time since 2019-20.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: Lafayette struggles to find footing in a league with great balance and parity after the top two teams. The Leopards fall into last place for the second consecutive season.

• F-Meghan O’Brien, 6’1, SR: 9.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 46.3% FG, team-high 34 blocks, 29.5 MPG, 30 GP, 30 starts
• F-Lily Fandre, 6’1, JR: 11.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 42.7% FG, 32.1% 3PT FG, 28.1 MPG, 25 GP, 24 starts
• G-Ella Stemmer, 5’10, SR: 13.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 37.3% FG, 33.0% 3PT FG (73-for-221), 29.3 MPG, 30 GP, 28 starts
• G-Maddie Albrecht, 6’, SR: 9.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 50.8% FG, 23.9 MPG, 29 GP, 16 starts
• G-Colleen McQuillen, 5’10, SR: 8.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 42.6% FG, 35.6% 3PT FG, 34 steals, 29.0 MPG, 27 GP, 25 starts

BIGGEST LOSSES: (last season’s stats)

• F-Jamie Behar, 6’1, SR: 3.8 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 48.5% FG, 36.8% 3PT FG, 9.7 MPG, 22 GP, 6 starts

NEWCOMERS:

• G-Sibelle Zambie, 5’9 (Plano, TX), FR
• G-Keshia Vitalicio, 5’7 (Concord, CA), FR
• F-Belle Bramer, 6’1 (Los Gatos, CA), FR

OUTLOOK: Lehigh returns its top seven scorers, its starting lineup and several key reserves. The program will boast four returning senior starters for a projected starting five in which the least experienced player will be its second-best scorer in junior Lily Fandre.

Last year, the Mountain Hawks posted wins over each of the eventual top three seeds (Holy Cross, Colgate and Boston University) but lost in the quarterfinals to a Loyola team that swept them on the year (3-0).

There have been some growing pains for head coach Addie Micir, but this season sets up nicely for the third-year mentor. Lehigh is one of just a handful of teams to return a veteran lineup. The team’s scoring power (tops in points per game at 68.5 and assist percentage at 64.3%) is going to keep it near the top of the standings all season.

The pace-and-space attack helped Lehigh lead the league in pace of play with 69.6 possessions per 40 minutes. 15.0% of the team’s points came on the fast break and that percentage is likely to rise this season. 

They can shoot it, too. The Mountain Hawks were the top-rated offense in the conference with the best true shooting percentage (a measure of a team’s shooting efficiency that takes into account field goals, 3-point field goals and free throws) at 54.2%.

The 3-pointer is the squad’s weapon of choice and Lehigh returns sharpshooter Ella Stemmer, who was second in the league with 73 made threes. Stemmer is joined by Colleen McQuillen (36 threes) and Lily Fandre (35 threes).

Rebounding was an issue last season due in part to the spread offense. Lehigh ranked last in the Patriot League in offensive rebounding rate (22.3%) and just eighth in total rebound rate (percentage of all rebounding opportunities actually rebounded) at 48.7%. They’ll have to be better on the boards to conquer the league.

Lehigh looks like a championship contender.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: Lehigh’s run-and-gun attack puts up big numbers and even bigger wins on the way to a top-four seed and a run to the championship.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: The Mountain Hawks’ offense looks great, but the defense doesn’t. The team falls outside of the top four and loses on the road in the playoffs.

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• F-Lex Therien, 6’1, SR: 15.7 PPG, 10.7 RPG, team-high 45 steals, 55.4% FG, 30.0 MPG, 31 GP, 31 starts, first-team All-Patriot League, 2024-25 Preseason Player of the Year
• G-Kelly Ratigan, 5’8, JR: 8.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 31.4% FG, 29.8% 3PT FG (53-for-178), 31.4 MPG, 29 GP, 27 starts
• G-Laura Salmeron, 5’8, SR: 10.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, 35.5% FG, 33.8 MPG, 31 GP, 31 starts
• G-Kimmie Hicks, 5’9, SO: 8.0 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 43.9% FG, 78.6% FT, 21.1 MPG, 27 GP, 9 starts
• G-Meliah Van-Otoo, 5’4, JR: 4.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 35.8% FG, 41 steals, 18.7 MPG, 30 GP, 10 starts  
• F-Koi Sims, 6’, SR: Did not play in 2023-24 due to injury. In 2022-23: 6.5 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 43.9% FG, team-high 18 blocks, 26.8 MPG, 20 GP, 19 starts (suffered season-ending injury in January 2023)

BIGGEST LOSSES: (last season’s stats)

• F-Ava Therien, 5’10, GR: 7.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 76.4% FT, 26.4 MPG, 30 GP, 29 starts (graduated)

NEWCOMERS:

• G-Avery Simmons, 5’11 (Parkville, MO), FR
• G-Gabby Betton, 5’9 (Lakeville, MN), FR

OUTLOOK: Loyola looks ready to make a run behind senior forward Lex Therien, a first-team All-Patriot League selection and the preseason Player of the Year.

The 2023-24 season was a breakout campaign for head coach Danielle O’Banion’s club: a 10-8 conference record, a four-seed finish and its best overall record in 14 years.

O’Banion was honored as Coach of the Year after guiding her squad to a 16-15 mark, reviving the program and building a title challenger in just her fourth season.

There’s belief in Baltimore that a championship is within reach for the Greyhounds. They’ll be one of the top teams in the league this season with Therien dominating the paint and four starters returning.

The Greyhounds fell 72-54 to the defending champions on the road in the semifinals at Holy Cross. It was a difficult loss in which the Greyhounds never looked at ease and Therien was limited to seven points.

While it was a bitter defeat, it’s also a launching point for Loyola. Every player that hit the floor for that contest returns this season except for forward Ava Therien.

Lex Therien is back as the toughest interior matchup in the league. She posted a career-high 15.7 points per game a year ago, including a 44-point effort against Lehigh. Therien has averaged a double-double in each of her three seasons and has started 87 games. 

The Greyhounds play to their strengths, employing a deliberate pace (63.8 possessions per 40 minutes, second-slowest in the league) and pounding the ball inside. Their 29.4 paint points per game is the best in the Patriot.

While Therien continues to dominate, her teammates continue to grow. The emergence of senior guard Laura Salmeron helped give the Greyhounds the inside-outside combination they needed to make a push last season.

Salmeron’s 35.5% shooting percentage and 10.0 points scoring average are deceiving. In the last 10 games of the year, she averaged 14.7 points per game and shot 43.7% (49-for-112) from the floor including 40.9% (18-for-44) from behind the arc. Salmeron is trending up.

Sophomore guard Kimmie Hicks (8.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg) returns after a stellar freshman campaign. Named to the All-Rookie Team, Hicks grew more comfortable and confident with her playmaking abilities down the stretch. Like Salmeron, she helped lead the charge over the last 10 games. Her statistics in those contests: 12.3 points per game on 54.2% shooting (45-for-83, including 7-for-16 from three).

The return from injury of senior forward Koi Sims could be an X-factor for the group’s depth in the forward rotation and help improve rebounding (50.0% rebounding rate, ranked 177 of 360 Division I teams).

Loyola is a contender and the championship is within reach.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: Loyola finds its regular rotation and rhythm early in the season and uses its pace of play to grind opponents down inside all the way to the conference final. Therien finishes her senior season by cutting down the nets in Baltimore, capping one of the best careers in Patriot League history.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: The Greyhounds falter down the stretch and give away home court advantage for the playoffs, falling in the semifinals on the road for the second straight season.

• G-Zanai Barnett-Gay, 5’8, SO: 18.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 40.6% FG, team-high 89 steals, 34.6 MPG, 30 GP, 30 starts, first-team All-Patriot League, All-Defensive team, Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie team
• G-Kyah Smith, 5’9, SO: 12.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, 35.8% FG, team-best 47 3PT, 32.7 MPG, 31 GP, 22 starts
• G-Toni Papahronis, 6’1, JR: 3.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 28.7% FG, 22.0 MPG, 25 GP, 21 starts
• G-Maren Louridas, 6’, JR: 5.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 31.8% FG, 29.9 MPG, 31 GP, 30 starts 
• F-Kate Samson, 6’4, JR: 5.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 47.0% FG, 16.3 MPG, 28 GP, 18 starts 

BIGGEST LOSSES: (last season’s stats)

• G-Sydne Watts, 6’, SR: 8.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 42.7% FG, 36.9% 3PT FG (31-for-84) 23.5 MPG, 31 GP, 22 starts (graduated)
• F-Morganne Andrews, 6’1, SR: 1.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 47.9% FG, 11.5 MPG, 31 GP, 8 starts (graduated)

NEWCOMERS:

• G-Julianna Almeida, 5’9 (North Arlington, NJ), FR
• G-Mary Gibbons, 5’7 (Holden, MA), FR
• G-Nia Henley, 5’5 (Spotsylvania, VA), FR

OUTLOOK: Navy’s 14-17 mark last year was a giant leap from its 1-29 record a year earlier. Expect the improvement to continue.

Last season’s freshman one-two punch in the backcourt, Zanai Barnett-Gay and Kyah Smith, anchors a Navy crew with the potential for a finish in the top half of the league.

A top-five finish for head coach Tim Taylor’s club is an ambitious but reasonable goal with the middle of the league stocked with teams of similar talent and depth. Can they get the best of those matchups?

Navy showed a glimpse of its future promise to close last season with a sharp road performance against two-seed Colgate in the league quarterfinals, jumping out to a 44-29 halftime lead before fading in the final frame and falling 69-64.

The defense looked especially good down the stretch of the season in 2023-24, propelling the Mids to win four of their last five games. Navy’s physicality and length can be disruptive and helped them score 15.3 points per game off turnovers, second-best in the league.

Ball pressure is a strength of Taylor’s group, which was third in league play with 8.2 steals per game. Barnett-Gay led the attack and was tops with 89 swipes on the year. Those forced turnovers, combined with Navy’s attacking presence on the offensive boards (10.7 per game in conference play) helped the Mids lead in field goal attempts per game.

The most important area to develop? Offense. Navy’s shooting must improve. The squad finished ninth in the league in field goal percentage at 37.4%, and its true shooting percentage was last at 44.9%.

The presence of Barnett-Gay (18.2 ppg) and Smith (12.8 ppg) makes another leap forward seem inevitable for Navy. Taylor’s squad returns an experienced core: Five players who started 18 games or more are back, including the lineup that started that playoff road game at Colgate.

The Mids will surprise some teams this season, and their backcourt is capable of leading a big win — or three — come playoff time.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO: Taylor’s group becomes a dominant defensive team and rides its youthful backcourt to a top-four seed. Annapolis hosts a semifinal playoff game and Barnett-Gay emerges as the best player in the league as a sophomore.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO: Navy can’t find consistency on offense and its shooting woes continue. The Mids fall to the bottom tier and land in a first-round playoff game.

Season prediction

Patriot League playoff seeding

1. Colgate
2. Loyola (MD)
3. Lehigh
4. Army
5. Boston University
6. Navy
7. Bucknell
8. Holy Cross
9. American
10. Lafayette

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