NORTH ANDOVER, MA - The Merrimack Women's Basketball team is back at Lawler to host NJIT in an opening round matchup this Thursday at 7 p.m.
Tournament Time!
• The Merrimack College Women's Basketball team is ready for another challenge as they host the NJIT Highlanders this Thursday, March 19, at Lawler Arena. The WNIT appearance marks the first in school history. The Warriors are coming off their second straight seminfinals appearance in the MAAC playoffs. They were winners of a quarterfinal matchup against Mount St Mary's where they beat the Mountaineers by a score of 62-48. Madison Roman posted a 22 point, 17 rebound double-double, while Molly Manion scored 17 points on a perfect day from 3-point range (3-3). The Warriors fell to eventual MAAC Champions Fairfield in the seminfinals. Se'lah Reddick was the team leader in points with 17. She also came down with seven rebounds and had four assists.
The Award Mantel
• The Warriors hauled in numerous end of season awards to cap off their regular season. Head coach Kelly Morrone won MAAC coach of the year, the third time winning the prestige honor (two previous wins were with John Carroll, OAC Coach of the Year). Paloma Garcia won defensive player of the year to go with an All-MAAC defensive team honor. Oralye Kiefer was also selected to the team after leading the conference in blocks. Madison Roman was selected to All-MAAC first team after leading the conference in rebounds and being 12th in the nation in the same category. Lydia Melaschenko took home All-MAAC third team honors after leading the conference in 3-pointers and for breaking the programs single season 3-point record.
Roman Empire
• The MAAC's leading rebounder Madison Roman totaled 18 rebounds in the win over the Mount. She added on 22 points on an 8-for-15 day from the field. in two big wins over Canisius and Niagara to end the regular season. She averaged 23.5 points per game and came one point shy of a career high against Canisius. She ended the season with 17 double-doubles, which is 12th in the NCAA.
Paloma Power!
• Defensive player of the year Paloma Garcia tallied a program record for steals in a game with nine in the teams win over Canisius at the end of the regular season. She has scored in double figures in four of her last six games and seven of her last ten. Over the ten game span, she has posted five or more rebounds in four of them.
Manion Magic
• Graduate student Molly Manion has hit her stride last the two games scoring 14 against Niagara, and then 17 against Mount St. Mary's. Against the Purple Eagles she went 2-for-3 from deep, and then she went a perfect 3-for-3 on Saturday versus the Mountaineers.
