DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2022) – The Mercy College women's basketball team opens its 2022-23 season on Friday, November 11th when they face American International College at St. Thomas Aquinas College at 5 p.m. Mercy concludes the weekend with a matchup against Saint Michael's College on Saturday, November 12th at 1 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas College.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Friday, November 11th 5 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-0), American International (0-0)
Location: Sparkill, N.Y. (St. Thomas Aquinas College)
Date/Time: Saturday, November 12th 1 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-0), Saint Michael's (0-0)
Location: Sparkill, N.Y. (St. Thomas Aquinas College)
Last Meeting vs. AIC
AIC earned a 66-53 win over Mercy on November 13, 2021.
Last Meeting vs. Saint Michael's
Saint Michael's earned a 72-62 win over Mercy on November 9, 2018.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy enters the 2022-23 season picked fourth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 11-16 last season. The Mavericks recorded their most overall wins and most ECC wins since 1997 and earned the program's first ECC Championship berth without every team making it since 2009. Mercy looks to qualify for the ECC Championship for the third straight year and win their first-ever ECC Championship. The fourth-place ranking is the highest in five seasons under Head Coach Scott Lagas. Senior Katie Wall was named the ECC Preseason Player of the Year after being named First Team All-ECC and First Team All-Met last season. She was named ECC Player of the Week twice after averaging a team-high 16.0 points, 4.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game. The guard ranked fourth in the ECC in points per game and second in assists and steals per game. Also returning for the Mavericks is graduate student Taysha Bender who was named Second Team All-ECC and Second Team All-Met last season after averaging 14.3 points per game. Senior Kellie Nudd also returns after averaging 10.4 points per game. Junior Maria Tedesco comes back after leading the Mavericks with 6.0 rebounds per game to go along with 6.0 points per game. Senior Asha Talib averaged 6.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season and also returns. Lagas will look to graduate student Sara Hopkins who returns after missing last season due to injury. Hopkins averaged 6.8 points and a team-high 5.6 assists per game for Concordia in 2021. During her three-year career at Concordia, she averaged 8.2 points and 3.8 assists per game. Lagas will also look to freshmen Megan Marcotte, Angelina Barrera, Nya Carroll and Kyla Nembach to help get the Mavericks back to the ECC Championship.
Scouting the Yellow Jackets
AIC was picked 11th in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 10-16 last season and 7-12 in the NE10. The Yellow Jackets and Mercy have met just twice since 2006 with AIC winning the two prior meetings. Junior Nora Young is AIC's leading returning scorer from last season. She was second on the team with 9.8 points per game last season and had 4.3 rebounds per game. Senior Kayla Robinson also returns after averaging 7.6 points per game and 1.4 steals per game.
Scouting the Purple Knights
Saint Michael's was picked 12th in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 4-21 last season and 2-16 in NE10 play. Leading the returners for the Purple Knights is graduate student Emma MacDonough who was second on the team with 11.4 points per game last season. She also averaged 4.0 rebounds per game. Makayla Blake also returns for Saint Michael's after averaging 5.8 points per game and 3.0 rebounds per game. Anika Kapral will also return for the Purple Knights after averaging 5.6 points per game last season.
Next Game
Mercy plays at Caldwell on Wednesday, November 16th at 5:30 p.m.
