NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University women's basketball team earns the No. 5 seed in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championships and plays at No. 4 seed Emerson College.

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MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – With the conclusion of the women's basketball regular season on Saturday afternoon, defending NEWMAC Champions Smith College clinches the top seed in the 2025 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Championship. The NEWMAC Women's Basketball Championship consists of eight teams that will compete for the crown, which will begin on Wednesday, February 26 with the quarterfinal round.

Smith (11-0) will host the eighth-seeded Coast Guard Academy (5-6) on Wednesday. Ally Landau has made an impact on both sides of the floor, as she averages 14.1 points per game, along with 2.5 steals. She is also a downtown threat, as well, converting a league-leading 47% of three-point attempts. Coast Guard's Dorothy Stotts is an offensive threat of her own, as she is currently second in the NEWMAC in scoring with 18.4 per game.

Babson College (8-3) claimed the second seed and will host seventh seeded WPI (5-6) on Wednesday. Babson is led by Katelyn Mollica, who averages 15.1 points per game. WPI's Ava Giansiracusa will also look to make an impact as she averages 11.8 points per game.

Springfield College (7-4) takes the third seed by virtue of a tiebreaker. Angie Czeremcha averages a near double-double of 14.6 points per game, and 9.1 rebounds per game. The Pride will host the sixth-seeded MIT (7-4). Kamsi Nwogu enters the postseason averaging double-figures with 16.0 points per game behind a league-leading .60 field goal percentage.

Emerson College (7-4) has secured the fourth seed. The Lions will host No. 5 Salve Regina University (7-4). Emerson's Bri Frongillo is the league's top offensive threat, leading the league with 21.6 points per game and 5.3 assists per game. Salve is led by Briana Neary's 15.3 points per game and Sofia Neary's league-leading 10.9 boards per game.

On Friday, February 28, the winner of the No. 5 and No. 4 matchup will take on the winner of the No. 1 and No. 8 battle, while the winner of No. 3 and No. 6 will advance to play the winner of No. 2 and No. 7.

The semifinal winners will then compete for the NEWMAC title on Sunday, March 2.

Tickets for NEWMAC championship events can be purchased through the ticket links below. The NEWMAC encourages fans to purchase their mobile tickets in advance of the event to streamline the entry process on game day. Spectators may purchase mobile tickets on site, but no cash option will be available. Ticket prices are $10 for general admission. Children 12 and under and NEWMAC students with a valid institutional ID are free and do not need to purchase a mobile ticket. Once a matchup is confirmed following each round of the championship the tickets will become available.

Semifinal and final action of the 2025 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Championship will be produced by NEWMAC partner Northeast Sports Network and streamed live on FloSports.  SIGN UP HERE.

2025 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Championship

1. Smith (11-0)               
2. Babson (8-3)              
3. Springfield (7-4)                     
4. Emerson (7-4)                        
5. Salve Regina (7-4)    
6. MIT (7-4)                                
7. WPI (5-6)                               
8. Coast Guard (5-6)                  

No. 8 Coast Guard at No. 1 Smith – 7:00 p.m. | Tickets
No. 7 WPI at No. 2 Babson – 7:00 p.m. | Tickets
No. 6 MIT at No. 3 Springfield– 7:00 p.m. | Tickets
No. 5 Salve Regina at No. 4 Emerson - 7:00 p.m. | Tickets *

*Tickets for Emerson are limited and fans must purchase tickets in advance as purchases on site are not guaranteed. Tickets will be open to the general public at 12:00 AM Tuesday.

Semifinals: Friday, February 28 (at highest remaining seed)

Winner No. 4/5 vs. Winner No. 1/8 – TBD
Winner No. 3/6 vs. Winner No. 2/7 – TBD

Championship: Sunday, March 2 (at highest remaining seed)

Semifinal Winners – TBD

LAST TIME OUT
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Saturday, February 22, 2025) -- Salve Regina University women's basketball finished its regular season with an 82-61 victory at MIT in NEWMAC action at the Rockwell Cage on Saturday afternoon in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sofia Neary posted her 11th double-double for the Seahawks (14-10, 7-4 NEWMAC) with game-highs in points (19) and rebounds (16). Three other Seahawks scored in double figures with Amanda Folan and Ashley Rourke both matching 18 points while Hope Halvarson contributed 12 points..

MORE READING: Salve Regina defeats MIT, 82-61

SEAHAWKS NOTES FROM THE NEST

• Salve Regina has reached a conference championship game 13 times; last in 2013.
• Previous Seahawk championships - (9x) 1987-88, 1988-89, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12.
• Top four Seahawks in scoring - Briana Neary (15.2) Sofia Neary (15.0), Amanda Folan (13.7), and Ashley Rourke (11.3).
• Seahawks are the only team to feature four in the NEWMAC Top Twenty scoring list.
• Sofia Neary leads the league in rebounding (10.9) and is the only NEWMAC player to average a double-double for the season.
• Salve Regina milestones reached: Ashley Rourke became the 17th women's basketball player to reach the 1,000-point plateau on Jan. 2, 2025, at Framingham State.
• Salve Regina head coach Cori Hughes has an overall record of 235-216 (.521) in 18 seasons with the Seahawks. Her career win total is 271 with 36 coming in her previous stint at Daniel Webster.

LIONS LINER NOTES 

• Bri Frongillo leads the league in scoring (21.6) and assists (5.3).
• The Lions lost their most recent game by 30 points (70-40 at Springfield on Saturday).
• Emerson attempted more 3-pointers (548) than any team in the NEWMAC.
• Claire English ranks fourth in the NEWMAC in rebounding (8.5).
• Charlotte Levison ranks sixth in the NEWMAC in rebounding (7.7).

INSIDE THE SERIES
Salve Regina University and Emerson College meet for the 12th time and first in NEWMAC postseason. Briana Neary scored a career-high 38 points on 14 field goals and 10-of-11 from the free throw line as Salve Regina edged Emerson, 92-87, in NEWMAC action at the Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gym in Boston last year. However, the game-high scorer was Bri Frongillo of the Lions with her 40 points on 13 field goals (five 3-pointers) and nine free throws. Neary matched her career-high last Saturday with 38 points including a school-record 16-for-16 from the free-throw line. Last month, Emerson won for the first time in the series history. Six different Lions hit from long range as Emerson made 16 3-pointers during an 87-72 victory and the visitors remained undefeated (4-0) in NEWMAC play while improving to 13-5 overall. Salve Regina was led by Sofia Neary who finished with 20 points on 7-of-16 from the floor and 6-for-6 from the line. Salve Regina leads the series, 10-1.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Winner advances to the NEWMAC semifinal on Friday, February 27, against the Nos. 1/4 winner.