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. 2 – Softball Qualifies for NCAA Tournament for First Time Since 2017 and Advances to East Region 1 Final for First Time
Checking in at No. 2 in our 2025-26 Top 10 Moments is softball who qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017 and advanced to the East Region 1 Final for the first time in program history.
Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks were picked third in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 23-22 overall and 12-8 in ECC play in 2025.
Mercy opened their 2026 season with eight games in Florida. The Mavericks began the trip on March 13th with 9-0 and 8-1 losses to Minnesota State and Wayne State. The following day Mercy picked up their first win of the season with a 6-5 win over Post before falling 11-3 to Purdue Northwest. Junior Julianna Coluccio went 1-for-3 with a home run and freshman Emma Jackson went 1-for-2 with two RBI in the win. Freshman Juliana Abbene pitched 4.0 shutout innings with seven strikeouts to earn her first collegiate win. After the opening week of games, Abbene was named ECC Rookie of the Week and Jackson was tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Junior Allison Murphy recorded her 100th career hit on March 16th, but the Mavericks dropped 3-2 and 12-4 decisions to Saint Anselm and Minot State. Murphy recorded the milestone hit against Saint Anselm, becoming the 20th Maverick in program history to reach the mark. Mercy closed the season-opening trip with an 8-1 win over Saint Michael's and a 4-1 win over Ohio Dominican on March 17th. Murphy went 1-for-4 with two RBI, sophomore Mikaela Mammola went 2-for-3 with an RBI and junior Averi Miller went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the win over Saint Michael's. Sophomore Lauren McSweeney pitched a complete game with one run allowed to earn her first win of the season. Senior Mackayla Secoda pitched 5.0 scoreless innings of relief against Ohio Dominican to pick up her first win of the season. Mercy sat at 3-5 following the season-opening trip. Secoda and Mammola were named to the ECC Honor Roll on March 23rd.
The Mavericks faced St. Thomas Aquinas for their home opener and ECC opener on March 24th. Murphy and Coluccio both recorded an RBI as Mercy dropped 4-0 and 8-2 decisions to the Spartans. The Mavericks bounced back on March 28th with a sweep of D'Youville, earning 4-3 and 6-5 wins over the Saints. Coluccio had a team-high five RBI on the day, and freshman Madelyn Perrone recorded a walk-off two-RBI single in game two as Mercy swept D'Youville at home for the third straight year. The Mavericks ended the week with a split against Jefferson on March 29th, dropping a 4-0 decision in game one and earning a 4-0 win in game two. Sophomore Carly Gaffney and McSweeney combined for the shutout win in game two and Miller, Coluccio, sophomore Jessica Fox and Perrone each had an RBI in game two as Mercy moved to 6-8 on the year. Secoda was named ECC Pitcher of the Week on March 30th and Coluccio, junior Dylan Reyer, McSweeney and Perrone were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Lorenzo and the Mavericks resumed action on March 31st with a sweep of 2026 NCAA Tournament participant Bridgeport, earning 10-9 and 8-4 wins at Smith Field. Mercy moved to 8-8 on the year and swept the Purple Knights for the first time since 2021. Senior Elizabeth Stark, Coluccio and junior Onnika DeBruhl all had a team-high three RBI on the day. The Mavericks then earned a split at Molloy on April 2nd, falling 5-0 in game one before earning an 11-0 win in game two. Miller recorded her 100th career hit and a game-high-tying three RBI in game two. Miller became the 21st Maverick in program history to record 100 hits. Reyer also went 2-for-3 with three RBI in the win. Mercy ended the week with a sweep at Queens on April 4th, earning 7-5 and 9-1 wins. Murphy had a home run and team-high five RBI on the day as Mercy improved to 11-9 overall and 5-3 in ECC play. The Mavericks swept a doubleheader at Queens for the first time since 2013. McSweeney was named ECC Pitcher of the Week on April 6th and Murphy, Miller, Stark and Perrone were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
The Mavericks earned a split at defending East Region Champion Pace on April 7th. Miller had a team-high three RBI and Murphy added a team-high six hits and a home run as Mercy moved to 12-10. Freshman Makayla Rady went 1-for-3 with two RBI, sophomore Kayla Zimmerman went 1-for-3 with her first collegiate hit and sophomore Alexis Lemus went 2-for-4 with an RBI as Mercy won game two, 11-2. The next day Mercy dropped 6-5 and 11-10 decisions at 2026 NCAA Tournament participant Caldwell. Miller and Murphy both had a team-high three RBI and Jackson added a team-high four hits as Mercy fell to 12-12 on the year. The Mavericks resumed ECC play with 9-3 and 8-0 wins over Staten Island at Smith Field on April 10th. Murphy and Coluccio both homered and Secoda and McSweeney earned complete game wins as Mercy improved to 7-3 in ECC play. The Mavericks ended the week hosting Holy Family for Senior Day on April 12th. Prior to the games, Mercy honored Secoda, Marina Provencio and Stark. Secoda and Provencio earned complete game wins and Murphy contributed a team-high four RBI as the Mavericks earned 7-3 and 6-1 wins over the Tigers. Jackson was named ECC Rookie of the Week on April 13th and Murphy, Miller, Coluccio and Provencio were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Lorenzo and the Mavericks dropped 10-2 and 5-4 decisions at St. Thomas Aquinas on April 14th. Mercy got back into the win column with a sweep at D'Youville on April 19th. Murphy recorded a team-high four RBI and five hits and McSweeney earned a complete game win as the Mavericks swept a doubleheader at D'Youville for the first time since 2021 and swept the regular season series for the first time since 2021. Murphy, Miller, McSweeney, Fox and Rady were named to the ECC Honor Roll on April 20th.
The Mavericks extended their winning streak to four games with 9-6 and 12-7 wins over Post at Smith Field on April 21st. Coluccio had a team-high eight RBI and two home runs on the day as Mercy moved to 20-14 on the year. Jackson also went 2-for-4 with three RBI in game one and Miller went 2-for-4 with five RBI in game two. Murphy also recorded her 100th career run scored in game two, becoming the second Maverick in program history to reach the mark.
Mercy was under consideration for a spot in the NCAA Tournament in the first regional rankings released on April 22nd. The Mavericks earned a split against Queens on April 24th at Smith Field, falling 8-4 in game one before earning a 4-3 win in game two. Mammola recorded a walk-off RBI single in game two. Mammola went 3-for-4 in game two and Reyer went 2-for-4. Jackson was named ECC Rookie of the Week on April 27th and Murphy, Miller, Coluccio and Secoda were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Lorenzo and the Mavericks began the final week of the regular season with a sweep of Molloy on April 27th. Secoda and McSweeney both recorded complete game wins as Mercy earned 2-1 and 1-0 wins over the Lions. The Mavericks moved to 23-15 overall and 12-6 in ECC play, securing their sixth straight ECC Championship berth. Mercy was ranked seventh in the second NCAA Regional Rankings released on April 29th. The Mavericks ended the regular season with a split at Staten Island on May 2nd. Mercy earned a 7-3 win in game one before falling 6-5. Reyer had a team-high three RBI and Miller recorded a team-high five hits as Mercy ended the regular season 24-16 overall and 13-7 in ECC play. The Mavericks now had their most wins since 2019 and secured the No. 2 seed in the following week's ECC Championship. Miller, Coluccio, Secoda, McSweeney and Perrone were named to the ECC Honor Roll on May 4th.
Prior to the start of the ECC Championship, Jackson was named ECC Co-Rookie of the Year, Murphy, Miller and Reyer were named First Team All-Conference and Jackson and McSweeney earned Second Team All-Conference.
The Mavericks were also ranked eighth in the NCAA Regional Rankings released on May 6th. Mercy started playing in the ECC Championship with an 8-2 win over No. 3 seed D'Youville on May 7th. Perrone and DeBruhl both had a game-high two RBI and Reyer recorded her 100th career hit as Mercy now had their most wins since 2018. The Mavericks faced top seed St. Thomas Aquinas in the first game of the day on May 8th, dropping a 13-0 decision. In an elimination game against D'Youville later in the day, Mercy fell 7-4, falling to 25-18 on the year.
Mercy would wait to hear their name called on the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on May 11th. The Mavericks secured the No. 8 seed in the East Region and would play at No. 1 seed Franklin Pierce on May 15th. Mercy earned their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2017 and the second in program history.
The Mavericks began playing in the NCAA Tournament on May 15th after a rainout on the 14th. McSweeney tossed a complete game three-hitter and Miller and Jackson combined for six RBI as Mercy earned a 6-1 win at No. 1 seed Franklin Pierce. Miller had a team-high four RBI and Jackson had two RBI. Murphy also went 2-for-3 with a run. The Mavericks earned their second NCAA Tournament win in program history and advanced to the next day's winner's bracket.
Lorenzo and the Mavericks dropped a 7-1 decision to No. 5 seed Assumption in the first game of the day, setting up a rematch with Franklin Pierce in an elimination game later in the day. The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when Perrone hit a three-run home run to center field, giving Mercy a 3-0 lead. The Mavericks held on for the 3-2 win, securing their first-ever trip to the East Region 1 Final. McSweeney allowed just two runs on five hits to pick up her second win against the Ravens in two days.
Mercy needed to beat Assumption twice on May 17th to advance to the Super Regionals. The Mavericks earned a 9-4 win in game one of the day with Murphy recording a team-high two RBI and Mammola, Miller, Coluccio and Jackson all added two hits. With the win, Mercy forced a deciding game later in the day, but the Mavericks dropped a 9-0 decision to the Greyhounds, seeing their historic season come to an end at 28-20. Mercy ended the season in the East Region 1 Final for the first time in program history and with their most wins since 2018.
Following the historic season, Miller was named NFCA Second Team All-Region and Miller and Murphy were tabbed D2CCA Second Team All-Region.
The team also excelled in the classroom with Secoda, Miller and Reyer being named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team and 20 student-athletes were named to the ECC Commissioner's Honor Roll.
The Mavericks will look to build upon their historic 2026 season in 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 – Women's Lacrosse Wins ECC Regular Season and Tournament Championships and Earns First-Ever NCAA Tournament Win
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
