DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Aug. 1, 2025) – For the 10th year, Mercy University Athletics will recap the year by counting down the Top-10 most memorable moments of the 2024-25 season, with all 10 sports represented.
Mercy University Athletics will release a Top-10 moment, as chosen by the athletics staff, with a recap every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next three weeks culminating with the top moment from the 2024-25 athletic year being unveiled on Friday, August 1st.
No. 1 – Volleyball Qualifies for NCAA Tournament
Checking in at No. 1 in our 2024-25 Top-10 Moments is volleyball who qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Mercy was picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 15-9 in 2023, winning their first NCAA Tournament match since 2001.
The Mavericks opened their 2024 season on September 5th with a five-set loss to Post. Freshman Grace Dilena had a match-high 16 kills in her collegiate debut and junior Gabriela Bieniek added 15 kills and 19 digs in her Mercy debut. Graduate student Julia Pomerleau recorded 10 kills and sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez produced a match-high 32 assists in her Mercy debut. The Mavericks capped off the week with a straight-set win over Goldey-Beacom on September 7th. Bieniek and Dilena had a match-high 14 kills and Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 42 assists.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks made it two wins in a row on September 10th when they earned a 3-1 win over Assumption. Bieniek recorded a double-double, Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 43 assists and senior Aitza Cruz added a match-high 17 digs as Mercy moved to 2-1 on the year. Mercy recorded their third straight win on September 12th with a straight-set win at Dominican. Bieniek had 18 kills, and Rivera Rodriguez added 36 assists as the Mavericks improved to 3-1. Following the week, Bieniek and Rivera Rodriguez were named to the ECC Honor Roll.
Mercy extended their winning streak to four matches on September 17th after a 3-1 win at Pace. Bieniek, Dilena and Rivera Rodriguez had double-doubles and Cruz added 16 digs as the Mavericks moved to 4-1. Mercy made it five wins in a row on September 20th after they earned a straight-set win at home over Felician. Bieniek had a match-high 16 kills, Cruz had a match-high 20 digs and Rivera Rodriguez contributed a match-high 42 assists. Mercy started the season 5-1 for the third straight year. Bieniek and Rivera Rodriguez were named to the ECC Honor Roll on September 23rd.
The Mavericks saw their five-match winning streak come to an end on September 24th when they dropped a 3-0 decision to Adelphi. Mercy dropped their second straight match to Daemen in their ECC opener in four sets on September 28th. Pomerleau had a team-high 15 kills on September 29th, but the Mavericks dropped their third match in a row to D'Youville in four sets. Mercy fell to 5-4 overall and 0-2 in ECC play.
Todorovic and the Mavericks got back into the win column on October 2nd when they earned a straight-set win at Southern Connecticut State. Bieniek had a match-high 13 kills, Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 37 assists and senior Sydney Whitfield added nine digs. Mercy ended the week dropping a hard-fought five-set decision to Roberts Wesleyan on October 6th. Rivera Rodriguez had a career-high 58 assists as Mercy fell to 6-5 overall and 0-3 in ECC play. After the week was over, Bieniek and Rivera Rodriguez were named to the ECC Honor Roll.
Mercy picked up their first ECC win of the season on October 12th following a 3-1 win over St. Thomas Aquinas. Bieniek had a double-double and Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 52 assists. After the week was over, Bieniek was named ECC Co-Player of the Week, Pomerleau was named Defensive Player of the Week, Rivera Rodriguez was tabbed Setter of the Week and Dilena was named Rookie of the Week.
The Mavericks earned their second straight win on October 16th with a 3-1 win over Molloy. Dilena and Bieniek had double-doubles, Pomerleau had a match-high-tying 14 kills and Rivera Rodriguez added 39 assists as Mercy moved to 8-5 overall and 2-3 in ECC play. The Mavericks ended the week with a 3-1 win at first-place Queens on October 19th. Three Mavericks recorded double-digit kills, Rivera Rodriguez had 37 assists, and Cruz had 11 digs as Mercy improved to 9-5 overall and 3-3 in ECC play. Following the week, Dilena was named ECC Player and Rookie of the Week, Rivera Rodriguez was named Setter of the Week and Bieniek and Pomerleau were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Todorovic and the Mavericks resumed play on October 22nd with a 3-1 loss at New Haven and followed that with a 3-1 setback to eventual East Region Champion Bentley on October 24th, falling to 9-7. Mercy capped off the week with a 3-2 come-from-behind win at St. Thomas Aquinas on October 26th. Dilena, Pomerleau and senior Anyelainy Vizcaino had double-digit kills, and Rivera Rodriguez had 53 assists as Mercy overcame a 0-2 deficit to earn the win. The Mavericks improved to 10-7 overall and 4-3 in ECC play. Mercy now had double-digit wins in a season for the sixth straight season. Rivera Rodriguez was named ECC Setter of the Week on October 28th and Cruz, Bieniek and Dilena were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Mercy notched their second straight win following a straight-set win at Caldwell on October 29th. Dilena recorded a double-double and Rivera Rodriguez had 38 assists as Mercy moved to 11-7. The Mavericks opened the month of November with a five-set win at Roberts Wesleyan on November 3rd. Rivera Rodriguez, Dilena, and Bieniek had double-doubles as the Mavericks moved to 12-7 overall and 5-3 in ECC action. Dilena was tabbed ECC Rookie of the Week on November 4th and Pomerleau and Rivera Rodriguez were named to the Honor Roll.
The Mavericks were one of 10 teams under consideration for an NCAA Tournament berth on November 6th. Mercy dropped a 3-0 decision to regionally-ranked American International on November 6th, falling to 12-8. The Mavericks regrouped and earned a 3-1 win over regionally-ranked Daemen on November 9th. Dilena had a match-high 23 kills, Bieniek had a double-double and Rivera Rodriguez had 39 assists as Mercy defeated the three-time defending ECC Champion Wildcats for the first time since 2019. The Mavericks ended the week with a straight-set win over D'Youville on November 10th. Three Mavericks recorded double-digit kills, and Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 38 assists and nine digs as Mercy moved to 14-8 overall and 7-3 in ECC play. After the strong week of play, Dilena was named ECC Player and Rookie of the Week, Rivera Rodriguez was tabbed Setter of the Week, Cruz was named Defensive Player of the Week and Pomerleau and Bieniek were named to the Honor Roll.
Mercy was ranked No. 7 in the NCAA Regional Rankings on November 13th. The Mavericks winning streak came to an end on November 13th when they dropped a 3-2 decision at Molloy. Mercy ended the regular season hosting Queens for Senior Day on November 16th. In a ceremony prior to the match, the Mavericks honored Pomerleau, Whitfield, Cruz and Vizcaino for their contributions to the program. Three Mavericks recorded double-digit kills, and Rivera Rodriguez added 47 assists as Mercy earned a 3-1 win over Queens. Sophomore Mia Illes-Hair had 11 kills and sophomore Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes added eight kills in the win. After the week was over, Bieniek and Rivera Rodriguez were named ECC Player and Setter of the Week and Cruz and Pomerleau were tabbed to the Honor Roll. Mercy ended the regular season 15-9 overall and 8-4 in ECC play, matching their win total from last season. The Mavericks finished with their most ECC wins since 2021 and secured their fifth straight ECC Championship berth. Mercy secured the No. 3 seed in the following week's ECC Championship and would face No. 2 seed Queens at Daemen on November 22nd.
Todorovic and the Mavericks were ranked No. 6 in the NCAA Regional Rankings on November 20th. Prior to the start of the ECC Championship, Rivera Rodriguez was named ECC Setter of the Year and Dilena was tabbed Rookie of the Year. Bieniek and Pomerleau were named First Team All-ECC and Rivera Rodriguez and Dilena were tabbed Second Team All-ECC.
Mercy faced Queens in the ECC Championship Semifinals on November 22nd and came away with a five-set win over the Knights. Dilena had a match-high 23 kills, Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 47 assists and Cruz had a match-high 16 digs as Mercy advanced to the Final for the first time since 2005. Bieniek added 14 kills, and nine digs and Illes-Hair had 10 kills in the win. Mercy moved to 16-9 on the year, recording their most wins in a season since 2005. The Mavericks dropped a 3-1 decision to No. 4 seed D'Youville in the ECC Championship Final on November 23rd. Bieniek and Dilena had double-doubles as Mercy finished ECC Runner-Up for the first time since 2005. Rivera Rodriguez recorded her 1,000th career assist in the match.
On November 25th, the Mavericks were selected to play in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. Mercy earned the No. 6 seed and would face No. 3 seed American International in the First Round at Bentley on December 5th.
Prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament, Pomerleau and Rivera Rodriguez were named D2CCA Second Team All-Region and Pomerleau, Rivera Rodriguez and Bieniek earned All-Region honors from the AVCA.
Four Mavericks had five or more kills, but Mercy dropped a hard-fought 3-0 decision to American International in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament to see their season come to an end at 16-11. Mercy finished with their most wins in a season since 2005 and finished runner-up in the ECC for the first time since 2005. The Mavericks qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year after not making it since 2005.
On December 10th, Pomerleau was named AVCA All-American Honorable Mention. The Mavericks also excelled in the classroom having earned the ECC's Academic Team of Excellence for women's volleyball and earned the AVCA Team Academic Award and Team Academic Honor Roll for having a team GPA representing the top 20% of GPAs nationally by division. The team posted a 3.82 cumulative GPA during the 2024-25 academic year and Pomerleau, Cruz, Bieniek and Rivera Rodriguez were named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District.
Schedule for the Top-10 Moments of the 2024-25 Season
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next four weeks, the Mercy University Athletic Department will release the Top-10 moments one at a time beginning with the No. 10 moment on Friday, July 11th. The No. 1 moment will be unveiled on Friday, August 1st.
No. 1 – August 1st
No. 2 – Men's Lacrosse Advances to ECC Championship Final and Ends Season Nationally Ranked
No. 3 – Women's Basketball Advances to ECC Championship Semifinals and Wins 18 Games
No. 4 – Baseball Sets School Record for Wins and Qualifies for ECC Championship
No. 5 – Women's Lacrosse Advances to ECC Championship Final
No. 6 – Men's Soccer Advances to ECC Championship Semifinal and is Nationally-Ranked Throughout Season
No. 7 – Softball Records Most Wins Since 2019 and Wins First ECC Championship Game Since 2021
No. 8 - Women's Soccer Qualifies for ECC Championship for 11th Straight Season and Advances to Semifinals
No. 9 – Men's Basketball Records Most Wins Since 2019 and Nearly Qualifies for ECC Championship
No. 10 – Field Hockey Gets Off to Best Start in Program History and Nearly Qualifies for NE10 Championship
