DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 6, 2025) – The Mercy University women's basketball team hosts ECC foe D'Youville University on Friday, February 7th at 5 p.m. before hosting Daemen University on Sunday, February 9th at 12 p.m.

Who, When and Where

Date/Time: Friday, February 7th 5 p.m.

Records: Mercy (12-7, 6-3 ECC), D'Youville (5-14, 3-7 ECC)

Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

Date/Time: Sunday, February 9th 12 p.m.

Records: Mercy (12-7, 6-3 ECC), Daemen (14-6, 10-0 ECC)

Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

Last Meeting vs. D'Youville

Mercy earned a 64-50 win over D'Youville on December 13, 2024.

Last Meeting vs. Daemen

Mercy dropped a 58-44 decision to Daemen on December 15, 2024.

Scouting the Mavericks

Mercy enters the 2024-25 season picked first in the ECC Preseason Poll for the first time in program history after going 20-10 last season. The Mavericks recorded their most wins in a season and first NCAA Tournament berth since 1985. Mercy finished with their most ECC wins (12) in program history and advanced to the ECC Championship Final for the first time. Met Basketball Writers Association and ECC Coach of the Year Scott Lagas guided the Mavericks to their fourth straight ECC Championship appearance, oversaw Mercy's first 10-game winning streak since 1985 and led the Mavericks to program-best second place finish in the ECC standings. Mercy has recorded back-to-back seasons with double-digit ECC wins for the first time and the Mavericks have recorded double-digit wins in three straight seasons for the first time since 1987-93. Mercy looks to qualify for the ECC Championship for the fifth straight season and win their first-ever ECC Championship. The Mavericks look to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and for the third time in program history.

Leading the returners for Lagas is ECC Preseason Player of the Year senior Jaclyn Stanavich who was tabbed First Team All-ECC and First Team All-Met last season after averaging 15.7 points per game on a team-best 41.4 percent shooting from the floor with 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. The senior ranked fifth in the ECC in points per game and was sixth in steals per game. Stanavich was also named to the ECC Championship All-Tournament Team and scored a team-high 18 points against Bentley in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament in 2024. Also, returning for the Mavericks is junior Angelina Barrera who was named ECC Defensive Player of the Year last season after starting all 30 games with 10.4 points per game and a team-high 8.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Barrera had 10 double-doubles and ranked fourth in the ECC in rebounds per game. Junior Kyla Nembach returns after posting 2.5 points and 1.4 assists per game and senior Kayla Halvorsen is back after ranking second on the team with 18 three-pointers last season. Junior Megan Marcotte and sophomore Amani Abuhatab return after averaging 2.3 and 2.1 points per game, respectively. Sophomores Paige Fourtin and Molly Boek also return and sophomores Grace Lesko, Layla Greene and Victoria Pfeffer return after sitting out last season due to injury. Lagas also welcomes a strong four-member recruiting class with freshmen Morgan Miller, Caitlin Leary, Sophia Hoyt and Gabrielle Martin joining the team ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Mercy is coming off a 48-29 win over Roberts Wesleyan on Friday. The 29 points allowed were the fewest allowed by the Mavericks in an ECC game in program history. The Mavericks were led by junior Angelina Barrera who had a game-high 13 points and by sophomore Amani Abuhatab who had 12 points. Mercy has been led by Barrera who is averaging a team-high 14.5 points and 6. rebounds per game on 50.0 percent shooting. Barrera also leads the team with 2.4 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. Senior Jaclyn Stanavich is averaging 13.7 points per game on 45.0 percent shooting with a team-high 1.8 steals per game to go along with 5.3 rebounds per game. Sophomore Molly Boek is averaging 6.1 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game and sophomore Amani Abuhatab is netting 11.8 points per game on a team-best 52.5 percent shooting. Sophomore Grace Lesko is fourth on the team averaging 9.6 points per game and is second with 5.6 rebounds per game. Barrera and Abuhatab were named to the ECC Honor Roll on Monday. Barrera and Lesko were named to the ECC Honor Roll last week. Lesko was named ECC Rookie of the Week for the fourth time on January 20th and Barrera was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Barrera was also named MBWA Division II-III Player of the Week Honorable Mention on January 21st. Lesko was named MBWA Division II-III Player of the Week Honorable Mention on January 14th. Lesko was named ECC Rookie of the Week on January 6th and was tabbed MBWA Division II-III Player of the Week Honorable Mention on January 7th. Barrera was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week on January 6th and Stanavich was named to the Honor Roll. Stanavich was named to the ECC Honor Roll on December 23rd and Abuhatab and Stanavich were named to the ECC Honor Roll on December 16th. Lesko was named ECC Rookie of the Week on December 9th and Stanavich was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Barrera was named to the ECC Honor Roll on December 2nd and Abuhatab and Barrera were named to the ECC Honor Roll on November 25th. Stanavich and Barrera were named to the ECC Honor Roll on November 11th and Abuhatab and Stanavich were tabbed to the Honor Roll on November 18th. Mercy is 5-3 all-time against D'Youville and is looking to sweep the season series for the second straight year. The Mavericks are 3-21 all-time against Daemen. Mercy last defeated the Wildcats at home on January 6, 2014. Mercy is currently receiving votes in the D2CSC East Region Top 10 Poll.

Scouting the Saints

D'Youville is coming off a 67-61 loss to Staten Island on Sunday. The Saints were picked eighth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 9-18 last season. D'Youville has been led by Anna Jankovic who is averaging a team-high 11.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. One-time ECC Player of the Week Sofie Fuglsang is second on the team with 10.1 points per game and two-time ECC Rookie of the Week Aliviya Vallone Russell is third with 7.9 points per game. Morgan Giancaterino nets 7.5 points per game and Vallone Russell leads the team with 2.9 assists per game.

Scouting the Wildcats

Daemen is coming off a 59-56 win over UDC on Sunday for their sixth straight win. The Wildcats will play at St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday before playing at Mercy on Sunday. Daemen was picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 23-8 last season, winning their third straight ECC Championship and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are currently ranked 6th in the latest D2CSC East Region Top 10 Poll. Daemen is led by one-time ECC Player of the Week Danielle DiCintio who is averaging a team-high 11.8 points per game on a team-high 54 three-pointers with a team-high 2.9 assists per game. One-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week Claire Pikett is second on the team with 10.9 points per game and one-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week Cecilia Lapertosa is third with 9.5 points per game. Lapertosa leads the team with 9.1 rebounds per game and Pikett leads the team with 1.7 steals per game.

Next Game

Mercy plays at Staten Island on Wednesday, February 12th at 5:30 p.m.