DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – For the 11th year, Mercy University Athletics will recap the year by counting down the Top 10 most memorable moments of the 2025-26 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 2025-26 athletic year being unveiled on Monday, August 3rd.
No. 3 – Women's Lacrosse Wins ECC Regular Season and Tournament Championships and Earns First-Ever NCAA Tournament Win
Checking in at No. 3 in our 2025-26 Top 10 Moments is women's lacrosse who won the ECC Regular Season and Tournament Championships and earned their first-ever NCAA Tournament win.
Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks were picked first in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 10-7 in 2025. Sophomore Ashlinn Kelly and senior Olivia LaMonica were named ECC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year. The Mavericks were receiving votes nationally in the IWLCA Preseason Top 25 Poll and Kelly was tabbed USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-American Honorable Mention.
The Mavericks opened their 2026 season on February 17th with a 13-9 win at Georgian Court. Kelly had a game-high four goals and five points, and sophomore Angela Taddeo added three goals as Mercy won their season opener for the 13th time in 14 seasons. The Mavericks ended the week with a 17-8 win at Southern New Hampshire on February 21st. Freshman Jessica Grzelaczyk and sophomore Kayden Meyer both had a game-high four goals as Mercy started 2-0 for the second straight year. Grzelaczyk was named ECC Offensive and Rookie of the Week and Kelly was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week on February 23rd.
Mercy made it three wins in a row with a 13-11 win at Assumption on February 28th. Meyer scored a game-high five goals and LaMonica made a game-high 13 saves as the Mavericks started 3-0 for the first time since 2020. Meyer was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week and Grzelaczyk was tabbed to the Honor Roll on March 2nd.
Sachs and the Mavericks entered the Top 25 at No. 25 nationally in the IWLCA Poll and hosted Bentley on March 4th in their home opener. Junior Riley Wallace scored a game-high four goals and had a game-high five points and LaMonica made 11 saves as Mercy started 4-0 for the first time since 2019. The Mavericks concluded the week with a 19-7 loss to two-time defending National Champion No. 5 Tampa on March 7th. Seniors Emily Marino and Rita-Marie Masi and freshman Keira Laibach each had two caused turnovers. Kelly and freshman Ava Franco were named ECC Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week on March 9th, and Wallace was tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Mercy sat at No. 25 nationally in the IWLCA Poll and at No. 18 in the USA Lacrosse Magazine Poll. The Mavericks got back into the win column with a 15-14 win at Southern Connecticut State on March 11th. Senior Andrea Mott scored the game-winning goal with 1:28 left, off a junior Juliana Talenti assist, as Mercy improved to 5-1 on the year. Kelly had a game-high five points on four goals, and an assist and Marino added a game-high four caused turnovers and five ground balls. The Mavericks ended the week with an 11-5 win at Roberts Wesleyan in their ECC opener on March 14th. Mott and Wallace both had a game-high three goals as Mercy started 6-1 for the first time since 2021 and won their ECC opener for the ninth straight year. Mott recorded her 100th career point in the win. The five goals allowed were the fewest allowed to Roberts Wesleyan in 18 all-time meetings. Following the week, Marino and Kelly were named to the ECC Honor Roll.
The Mavericks hosted No. 9 Saint Leo on March 19th. Mercy overcame a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter and Grzelaczyk scored the game-winning goal with 2:07 left in the fourth quarter, giving the Mavericks the 17-16 upset win. It was the highest ranked win for Mercy since they defeated No. 8 LIU Post in the ECC Championship Final in 2019. Kelly and Meyer both scored a team-high four goals and LaMonica made seven saves to earn the win. Meyer was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week, Marino was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week, LaMonica was named Goalie of the Week and Grzelaczyk was tabbed Rookie of the Week on March 23rd.
Sachs and the Mavericks jumped up to No. 19 nationally in the IWLCA Poll and No. 12 in the USA Lacrosse Magazine Poll. Mercy extended their winning streak to four games with an 18-6 win over Molloy on March 25th. Franco and Meyer scored a game-high four goals and Grzelaczyk added a game-high six points as Mercy improved to 8-1 for the first time since 2021. The Mavericks ended the week with a 24-0 shutout win at St. Thomas Aquinas on March 28th. 13 different Mavericks recorded a point, and eight Mavericks produced a caused turnover. Grzelaczyk had a game-high seven points on three goals and four assists and Kelly recorded her 100th career point with four goals and one assist. The shutout was Mercy's first since March 22, 2024, and the 24-goal margin of victory was the largest in program history. The Mavericks' 23 assists matched the school record set against UDC in 2025. Grzelaczyk, freshmen Emma Synan and Emma Batter and Franco swept the ECC awards on March 30th, and Kelly and Meyer were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
The Mavericks were ranked No. 17 nationally in the IWLCA Poll and at No. 11 in the USA Lacrosse Magazine Poll. Mercy hosted No. 15 Pace on April 2nd and dropped a hard-fought 8-6 decision to the Setters, despite a game-high three goals and a team-high four caused turnovers from Kelly. LaMonica, Kelly and Grzelaczyk were named to the ECC Honor Roll on April 6th.
Mercy bounced back with a 12-5 win over Jefferson on April 8th. LaMonica made nine saves and Kelly added a game-high six points as Mercy now had double-digit wins for the ninth time under Sachs. The Mavericks ended the week with a 22-9 win at Daemen on April 11th. Grzelaczyk and Taddeo combined for nine goals and senior Maeghan Callow added a game-high 13 draw controls as Sachs picked up her 150th career win as head coach. Wallace recorded her 100th career point and LaMonica picked up her 300th career save in the win. Kelly and LaMonica were named ECC Offensive Player and Goalie of the Week and Grzelaczyk and Laibach were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
The Mavericks were under consideration for a spot in the NCAA Tournament in the first regional rankings released on April 15th. Mercy dropped a 20-9 decision at No. 12 Adelphi on April 15th, despite four goals from Franco. The Mavericks responded with a 20-2 win over District of Columbia on April 18th. 13 different Mavericks recorded a point as Mercy moved to 12-3 overall and 5-0 in ECC play. Grzelaczyk, Talenti, and Kelly all had three goals and two assists, Franco added five assists and sophomore Dakota Dieumegard dished out a career-high five assists. Meyer recorded her 100th career point. Franco was named ECC Rookie of the Week and Marino, Kelly and Grzelaczyk were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Sachs and the Mavericks were ranked third in the second NCAA regional rankings on April 22nd. Mercy hosted D'Youville for Senior Day on April 25th. Prior to the game, Kaci Bates, Marino, Masi, Mott, Callow, LaMonica and Kate McNally were honored. 10 different Mavericks recorded a point as the Mavericks earned a convincing 21-6 win over the Saints. Mercy ended the regular season 13-3 overall and 6-0 in ECC play, securing their sixth ECC Regular Season Championship, their third outright championship and first outright championship since 2022. The Mavericks secured the top seed in the following week's ECC Championship. Meyer, LaMonica and Franco earned ECC Weekly Award and Bates, Mott and Wallace were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Mercy hosted No. 4 seed D'Youville in an ECC Championship semifinal matchup and cruised to a 27-9 win. Grzelaczyk had a game-high and career-high 11 points and Marino added five caused turnovers and six ground balls as Mercy advanced to the Final for the ninth straight time. Grzelaczyk set a school record with eight assists. The 27 goals scored by the Mavericks were a program record and Mercy now had their most wins (14) since 2022. The Mavericks would host Roberts Wesleyan in the Final on May 2nd.
The Mavericks remained ranked third in the NCAA regional rankings on April 29th. Prior to the ECC Championship Final, Grzelaczyk, LaMonica, Marino, Kelly and Sachs swept the ECC Women's Lacrosse All-Conference major awards with 11 Mavericks being named All-Conference. Mercy swept the postseason awards for the first time in program history. Grzelaczyk was named Attacker and Rookie of the Year, LaMonica was named Goalie of the Year, Kelly earned Midfielder of the Year, Marino received Defender of the Year and Sachs was named Coach of the Year. Grzelaczyk, LaMonica, Kelly, Marino, Meyer, Franco and Wallace were named First Team All-Conference and Mott, Callow, Masi and Laibach earned Second Team All-Conference.
The Mavericks hosted No. 2 seed Roberts Wesleyan in the ECC Championship Final on May 2nd and cruised to a 21-1 win over the Redhawks to win the ECC Championship. Wallace had a game-high five goals and seven draw controls on her way to being named the championship's Most Outstanding Player. Meyer added a game-high-tying five points, Mott dished out a game-high four assists and Marino recorded her 100th career ground ball. Mercy won their first ECC Championship since 2023, and the 20-goal margin of victory was the largest in ECC Women's Lacrosse Championship Final history and the one goal allowed was the fewest in Finals history. The Mavericks earned the ECC's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and would be making their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
Mercy earned the No. 3 seed in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament and would face No. 6 seed Southern Connecticut State at Pace on May 7th. The Mavericks earned their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2022. Mercy made history on May 7th when they earned a convincing 19-10 win over Southern Connecticut State, earning the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. Franco had a game-high eight points on five goals and three assists, Wallace recorded her 100th career goal and draw control and Meyer added three goals and three assists as the Mavericks matched the school record for wins in a season (16). Mercy would play at No. 2 seed Pace in a Second Round matchup on May 9th.
LaMonica made a game-high 12 saves as Mercy dropped a hard-fought 13-12 decision to Pace on May 9th. Meyer had a game-high-tying four goals, Wallace added two goals and two assists, Talenti and Kelly both scored two goals and an assist and Callow had a team-high nine draw controls as Mercy saw their historic season come to an end at 16-4. The Mavericks matched the program record with 16 wins this season, tying the 2017 team and Mercy also won their first ECC Tournament Championship since 2023.
Following the season, the awards began to pour in for the Mavericks with Marino and Kelly earning USA Lacrosse Magazine Third Team and Honorable Mention All-American. A school-record six Mavericks were named IWLCA All-Region with Marino, LaMonica, Kelly and Grzelaczyk earning First Team All-Region and Wallace and Meyer taking home Second Team honors. Marino and Kelly were named IWLCA Second Team All-Americans and Marino and LaMonica were selected to play in the IWLCA Senior All-Star Game.
Mercy ended the season ranked No. 14 in the final IWLCA Poll and at No. 12 in the final USA Lacrosse Magazine Poll. Sachs, Associate Head Coach Joe Corace and Assistant Coaches Briana Corace, Olivia Maute and Leah Hansen were also named the IWLCA's Division II East Region Coaching Staff of the Year for the first time.
Sachs and the Mavericks also excelled in the classroom with Marino earning ECC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women's lacrosse and Marino, LaMonica, Mott, Wallace, Kelly and Meyer took home College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District. Mercy also earned the ECC Academic Team of Excellence award for women's lacrosse, and the Mavericks were named an IWLCA Academic Honor Squad. Bates, Callow, LaMonica, Marino, Ashley McQuade, Mott, Wallace, McNally, Olivia Bradley, Talenti, and Van Dyke were also named to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll.
The Mavericks will look to build upon their success from 2026 to 2027.
Schedule for the Top 10 Moments of the 2025-26 Season
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next three weeks, the Mercy University Athletic Department will release the Top 10 moments one at a time beginning with the No. 10 moment on Monday, July 13th. The No. 1 moment will be unveiled on Monday, August 3rd.
No. 1 – August 3rd
No. 2 – July 31st
No. 3 – July 29th
No. 4 - Women's Basketball Wins First-Ever ECC Regular Season Championship and Qualifies for NCAA Tournament
No. 5 – Women's Soccer Wins ECC Regular Season Championship and Advances to Second Round of NCAA Tournament
No. 6 – Baseball Finishes as ECC Runner-Up for First Time
No. 7 – Men's Lacrosse Qualifies for ECC Championship for 11th Straight Season and Ends Season Receiving Votes Nationally
No. 8 – Men's Soccer Qualifies for ECC Championship for Seventh Time in Eight Seasons
No. 9 – Field Hockey Nearly Qualifies for NE10 Championship
No. 10 – Men's Basketball Earns ECC Academic Team of Excellence and Kohen Rowbatham is Named Third Team All-ECC and All-Met Honorable Mention
